Clinical Outcomes of Integrative Korean Medicine Treatment in Patients with Neck Pain Following Cervical Disc Surgery: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study.

Many patients continue to experience neck pain and limited function even after undergoing cervical disc surgery. In Korea, traditional Korean medicine treatments—including acupuncture, herbal medicine, pharmacopuncture (herbal injection therapy), and manual therapy—are commonly used to manage spinal conditions, but few studies have examined their effectiveness specifically for post-surgical neck pain.

This study reviewed medical records from 142 patients who were hospitalized with neck pain following cervical disc surgery at four Korean medicine hospitals between 2015 and 2022. All patients received a combination of integrative Korean medicine treatments during their hospital stay, which averaged about two weeks.

The results were encouraging. Patients experienced significant reductions in both neck pain and radiating arm pain. On a 0-10 pain scale, average neck pain decreased from 5.6 at admission to 3.5 at discharge—a reduction of about 2 points. Physical function also improved, with disability scores decreasing by approximately 9 points on the standard Neck Disability Index. Quality of life measurements showed improvements as well. Patients who stayed in the hospital for 14 days or longer tended to show greater benefits. No serious side effects were reported during the treatment period.

While this study has limitations—it was retrospective and lacked a control group—the findings suggest that integrative Korean medicine approaches, including acupuncture, may offer safe and effective options for managing persistent symptoms after cervical disc surgery. If you're considering acupuncture or other complementary treatments for post-surgical neck pain, seek care from a licensed acupuncturist or qualified Korean medicine practitioner with experience treating spinal conditions.

This multi-center retrospective study evaluated integrative Korean medicine treatment outcomes in 142 patients with post-surgical neck pain following cervical disc surgery. Patients were hospitalized at four Korean medicine hospitals (2015-2022) and received acupuncture, herbal medicine, pharmacopuncture, and manual therapy. Primary outcome was NRS for neck pain; secondary outcomes included NDI, EQ-5D-5L, PGIC, and ROM. Results demonstrated statistically significant improvements: mean neck pain NRS decreased from 5.61±1.41 to 3.52±1.4 (difference: -2.09, 95% CI -2.32 to -1.85, p<0.001); NDI improved from 40.61±18.44 to 31.3±17.05 (difference: -9.31, 95% CI -11.74 to -6.87, p<0.001); radiating arm pain decreased -2.11 points (p<0.001); EQ-5D-5L increased 0.07 points (p<0.001). Patients hospitalized ≥14 days showed greater improvements. No significant differences were observed by disc degeneration grade. Clinical takeaway: Integrative Korean medicine demonstrates short-term efficacy for managing post-cervical disc surgery symptoms, though controlled trials are warranted.