Chronic Low Back Pain

Recovery from chronic lower back pain depends on the regenerative capacity of damaged fascia and ligaments, which is significantly influenced by systemic factors such as sleep, hormones, levels of chronic inflammation, and sarcopenia. After middle age, the rate of tissue regeneration slows, resulting in slower recovery even with the same treatment. Many herbal medicines have been studied for their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and microcirculation-improving effects, and an approach combining local and systemic treatments is utilized as a strategy to lower the recurrence rate in chronic musculoskeletal pain compared to single treatments. In Korean medicine, the lower back is governed by the kidneys; kidney energy nourishes the bones, while liver energy nourishes the muscles and ligaments. Chronic lower back pain in individuals over 50 is mostly rooted in kidney deficiency pain—that is, a condition where the supply of materials supporting the lower back is insufficient—composed of blood stasis caused by repetitive labor, such as working in a restaurant. While acupuncture and moxibustion serve as external treatments to clear blockages, herbal medicine serves as an internal treatment to fill empty spaces and expel accumulated substances. Dongjedang utilizes external treatments to release adhesions and strengthen ligaments, while simultaneously employing constitution-tailored herbal medicine to clear internal blood stasis and dampness, and replenish the energy of the kidneys and liver. Since repeated local procedures often lead to recurring pain, our goal is to restore both blood and energy circulation and organ function to create a back that does not recur.