Ayurvedic management of recurrent lumbar pain, disability, and leg pain after posterior decompression with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in prolapsed intervertebral disc: A case report.

Abstract

Prolapsed intervertebral disc (PIVD) can lead to debilitating pain and functional limitations. While surgical interventions like Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) are often employed, recurrence of symptoms is not uncommon. This case report presents the successful Ayurvedic management of a 45-year-old female who developed recurrent lumbar radiculopathy six months after TLIF for PIVD. The patient presented with severe lumbar pain, disability, and bilateral leg discomfort. Diagnosed with "Prushthagraha" according to Ayurvedic principles, she underwent a 43-day treatment regimen. This included Ayurvedic medications and an initial eight-day course of Sarvanga Abhyanga-Mardana (therapeutic massage) and Swedana (sudation therapy). Post-treatment, the patient demonstrated significant clinical improvement, evidenced by a substantial reduction in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores for both lumbar and leg pain. Furthermore, her walking distance increased from 80 m to 1000 m. This case highlights the potential of Ayurvedic interventions as a complementary approach for managing recurrent lumbar radiculopathy following surgical intervention for PIVD. However, further research with larger sample sizes and controlled study designs is warranted to validate these findings.