COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONVENTIONAL WESTERN MEDICINE AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE METHODS IN THE TREATMENT OF LUMBAGO
Authors: Nikolovski Kristijan , Nikolovska Lence 
Published: August 2019

The Statistical data regarding musculo-skeletal complaints, shows that lower back pain is the most common. By "lower" back pain is meant ache anywhere in the back region (including the buttocks) below the lower border of the rib cage. There are many types of lower back pain of which the most commonly mentioned in practice are: Acute lumbar sprain, Lumbago, Sciatica and Discus hernia.Lower backache and lumbago can be discussed together as they share similar etiology, pathology and treatment.In this study, a special attention will be devoted to lumbago as one of the most frequently reported complaints, which affects quality of life and reduces social and economic efficacy.Purpose of the research in this study is to compare the effects achieved with the conventional Western medicine methods and the traditional Chinese medicine methods in patients with lumbago.Meaning of the research is to assess and prove the benefits and advantage of acupuncture versus Conventional Western medicine in the treatment of lumbago.Material and MethodsResearch was conducted in the Republic of Macedonia, at the Public Institution "Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine" and in the Department of Applied Physical Medicine and Kinesitherapy at the University "Goce Delcev" in Stip.General dataThe study include 59 patients with diagnosed sciatica (35 men and 24 women), aged from 22 to 74 years.The mean age of patients is 54.6 years.Respondents are divided into two groups: Control Group - A and Experimental Group B;Participants in the control group was applied a conservative treatment Participants in the experimental group were treated with traditional Chinese medicine methods, including acupuncture, moxibustion, capping therapy and tuina massage.Special emphasis is placed on acupuncture treatment.Treatment MethodsConservative treatment include medication therapy, physical therapy and kinesitherapy.Traditional Chinese Medicine methods include acupuncture, moxibustion, capping therapy and tuina massage.ResultsThe Visual Analog Scale of pain in Table 1 shows that, patients in the control group at the end of the treatment achieved a 50% reduction in pain compared to the start of treatment at 80%. A pain relief has been achieved by 30%.From the Visual Analog Scale of pain presented in Table 2, it can be noticed that at the end of treatment in patients in the experimental group, pain relief was achieved at 30% compared to 80% at the start of treatment. A pain relief has been achieved by 50%.It can be concluded that the two groups of examinees achieved a significant reduction in pain, which is more pronounced in the experimental group.Conclusion: Western medical treatments for lumbago includes medications, physical therapy and exercise, which is a long-term process with short-term effects and often recurrence of symptoms.For these reasons, more and more patients are interested for alternative methods of treatment of lumbago pain, and the most attractive is TCM and acupuncture. Lumbago can be treated perfectly, adequately and successfully according to the Chinese diagnosis and treatment, without any reference to Western medicine.Acupuncture can be extremely effective in the treatment of both acute and chronic backache, more so than Western medical treatments. It produces extraordinary results when there are severe structural imbalances in the spine. Many cases of very chronic backache, over years' duration are cleared in a few sessions. Acute attacks from sprain or invasion of Damp-Cold can be cleared in a few treatments, sometimes even only one. If the acute attack is a recurrence of a chronic problem, the treatment will take longer, usually about 10-15 sessions