Improvement in Lower Back Pain Indicators for Vertebral Compression Fracture Patients
Published in the SCI(E)-Indexed International Journal "Medicine"
Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine announced on March 3 that a study published in the international journal "Medicine" found that integrative Korean medicine inpatient treatment for patients with vertebral compression fractures had a positive long-term effect on pain relief and functional improvement.
Medical staff at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine are performing acupuncture injections on a patient complaining of lower back pain. Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine
The study was conducted on 166 patients who responded to the survey among those hospitalized for thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures at four Jaseng Hospitals of Korean Medicine in Gangnam, Bucheon, Daejeon, and Haeundae from 2016 to 2022. Pain and functional changes were analyzed through long-term follow-up.
During hospitalization, patients received integrative Korean medicine treatment, which included acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine. Acupuncture was administered twice daily, and treatments such as Shinbaro pharmacopuncture and bee venom pharmacopuncture were used.
The numeric rating scale (NRS; 0-10) for lower back pain decreased from 5.75 at admission to 3.36 at discharge. At the time of long-term follow-up, the NRS was 3.90, down 1.85 points from the time of admission.
The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI; 0-100) for lower back function decreased from 48.92 at admission to 39.5 at discharge, and further to 27.6 at long-term follow-up. This is a reduction of 21.25 points compared to the time of admission. The EQ-5D, a measure of quality of life, increased from 0.59 to 0.75.
In the patient satisfaction survey, the average satisfaction score for Korean medicine inpatient treatment was 1.76±0.8, with a lower score indicating higher satisfaction. In terms of treatment preference (on a scale of 1-10), Korean medicine treatment scored 7.32±2.03, higher than Western medicine treatment, which scored 5.99±2.19.
Vertebral compression fracture is a condition in which the vertebral body collapses, often due to trauma or osteoporosis. It is common among the elderly. In cases of severe pain or significant instability, cement surgeries such as percutaneous vertebroplasty or balloon kyphoplasty may be considered. However, complications such as cement leakage or adjacent vertebral fractures have been reported. Therefore, conservative treatments such as bed rest, wearing a brace, and physical therapy are often recommended as the primary approach.
The research team stated, "This study is significant in that it analyzes the long-term clinical outcomes of integrative Korean medicine treatment in patients with vertebral compression fractures."
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