‘Bertolotti’ treatment innovation through acupuncture, herbal acupuncture, and Chuna therapy

Just as each person’s appearance is different, the shape of the spine is also not the same. There are five normal lumbar vertebrae, but in some cases, the number of vertebrae is congenitally different or the structure is abnormal. This spinal deformity is called ‘transitional spine’. Transitional spine is divided into two types: ‘sacralization’ and ‘lumbarization’. Sacralization refers to a phenomenon in which the enlarged lumbar vertebrae (lumbar vertebrae) attach to the sacrum (sacral vertebrae), reducing the number of vertebrae to four. Lumbarization refers to the separation of part of the sacrum, increasing the number of vertebrae into six.

Transitional spine reduces spinal stability and increases fatigue. The likelihood of suffering from degenerative diseases such as spinal stenosis also increases. The phenomenon of back pain and lower extremity pain caused by transitional spine is called ‘Bertolotti syndrome.’

The number of patients suffering from Bertolotti syndrome is approximately 4-8% worldwide. Bertolotti syndrome can be easily confirmed through X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Treatment is divided into surgical treatment and non-surgical treatment depending on the specific symptoms. Surgical treatments include resection, decompression, and fusion, and non-surgical treatments include physical therapy, painkillers, and steroid injections. Surgical treatment for Bertolotti is more complicated than that for general spinal diseases and carries a risk of side effects, so conservative treatment is being given priority.

Recently, the Spine and Joint Research Institute of Jaseng Oriental Medicine Hospital conducted a study on how effective Bertolotti’s conservative treatment is. The subject observed by Cho So-hyun’s oriental medical doctor’s research team was Mr. A, a back pain patient in his early 30s who was diagnosed with Bertolotti syndrome on MRI. Mr. A has been complaining of severe back pain and lower extremity pain, including difficulty walking normally and sleep disturbance due to nighttime pain. Accordingly, the research team conducted treatment for about a month and observed changes in symptoms through follow-up observations for the next 5 months.

The patient was given integrated Oriental medicine treatment, including acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment to quickly relieve inflammation and pain, and prescription of herbal medicine to strengthen the tissues around the spine, including nerves. In addition, movement acupuncture (MSAT), which involves placing needles at specific acupuncture points and inducing movement, and Chuna therapy, where an Oriental medicine doctor directly balances the spine and joints, were also provided.

Enlarge photo As a result, starting on the 10th day of hospitalization, the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NRS; 0~10) and back dysfunction (ODI; 0~100) scores for back pain and radiating pain began to gradually decrease. Specifically, the lower extremity pain NRS decreased from a moderate level of 5 points at the time of admission to 2 points at the time of discharge. The ODI improved from around 58 points to 40 points. As muscle strength recovered and the range of motion of the lumbar spine and hip joints increased, the function of the lumbar and sacral region also improved significantly. This improvement remained stable even at follow-up five months later.