Q I was advised to have surgery by an orthopedic surgeon. Can I avoid surgery through Korean traditional medicine treatment?
A If the condition is in the stage of degenerative tendinosis rather than a complete tendon rupture, surgery can often be avoided through conservative treatment. Korean traditional medicine treatments, such as needle acupuncture and thread embedding, directly stimulate tendon regeneration, allowing for the non-invasive achievement of adhesion release effects similar to surgery. However, it is important to assess whether the condition is at a stage where Korean traditional medicine treatment is feasible after confirming the extent of the rupture using ultrasound or MRI.
Detailed Answer
Indications for surgery (epicondyle release, tendon debridement) are cases where there is no response to conservative treatment for more than 6 months. Partial Tendon Rupture (< 50%) 단계까지는 도침·PRP·체외충격파 등 비수술적 치료로 충분한 효과를 기대할 수 있다는 연구들이 있습니다. 완전 파열이나 연골 손상이 동반된 경우에는 수술이 불가피할 수 있으므로, 영상 진단으로 상태를 정확히 파악하는 것이 선행되어야 합니다.
Perspective of a Korean Medicine Clinic
In Korean medicine, it is believed that removing blood stasis through tendon surgery does not resolve the root causes, namely the deficiency of Qi and blood and weakness of internal organs. This is the reason why there are cases of recurrence even after surgery. Dochim (severed needle acupuncture) has the advantage of restoring Qi and blood circulation without damaging adjacent tissues, while achieving effects similar to surgical tendon dissection percutaneously. If the condition is not at a stage of complete rupture, there are many cases of recovery without surgery through a combination treatment of Dochim, thread embedding, bee venom acupuncture, and constitution-tailored herbal medicine. I recommend trying Korean medicine treatment at least once before deciding on surgery.
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