APRIL 28, 2025
AUSTIN, Texas—Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) is a common and painful condition characterized by the displacement of a lumbar vertebra relative to an adjacent vertebral body. This occurs due to chronic degenerative changes in the spine, without any defect in the pars interarticularis. A significant need remains for new and effective treatments for patients with this condition.
In a study presented during the American Academy of Pain Medicine 2025 PainConnect conference, a
AUSTIN, Texas—Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) is a common and painful condition characterized by the displacement of a lumbar vertebra relative to an adjacent vertebral body. This occurs due to chronic degenerative changes in the spine, without any defect in the pars interarticularis. A significant need remains for new and effective treatments for patients with this condition.
In a study presented during the American Academy of Pain Medicine 2025 PainConnect conference, a team of investigators evaluated the effectiveness and safety of a novel nonsurgical integrative treatment called Mokhuri Chuna (MC) in patients with symptomatic DLS.
The prospective, multinational, randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Mokhuri Oriental Medicine Hospital in Seoul, South Korea, and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
The study enrolled adult patients aged 19 to 78 years who experienced neurologic claudication or radicular pain for at least one month, along with clinical and radiographic evidence of DLS. Patients were excluded if they had hip joint disorders severely limiting ambulation, specific spinal diseases, severe neurologic deficits or radiographic sagittal rotation of at least 20 degrees at L4/L5 or at least 25 degrees at L5/S1. Those with a history of peripheral vascular disease (<0.9), prior lumbar surgery or a body weight more than 250 pounds were also excluded.
Each patient was randomized in an equal ratio in the modified intention-to-treat analysis.
The standard-of-care group received oral pain medications, epidural steroid injections, heat packs and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). The treatment group received MC therapy, acupuncture and education on daily living and exercise.
The investigators sought the primary end point of back pain relief and secondary end points of safety, leg pain relief, physical function of walking capacity without pain and improvements in quality-of-life measures.
The results show the treatment group saw a significantly greater improvement in both back and leg pain relief compared with the standard-of-care group. In addition, neither group saw treatment-related serious adverse events.
“MC is a safe and effective nonsurgical conservative treatment option for symptomatic DLS,” the authors wrote.
—Kenny Walter
