Before deciding on disc surgery, consider intensive inpatient care
When a herniated disc in the neck or back or spinal stenosis makes daily life difficult, you can be admitted and receive intensive treatment several times a day. Rather than cutting away structure, we address the cause of pain from a perspective of preserving it.
For those in severe pain or unable to move, and for those whose recovery is slow with outpatient care alone, we operate intensive inpatient care.
Cervical discLumbar discSpinal stenosisSevere painPain unrelieved by opioid painkillers
1When we consider admission
When pain makes it hard to sleep, when pain does not settle sufficiently even with painkillers, or when you are considering surgery.
2Sandol's approach
We apply combined Korean medicine therapies such as acupotomy, thread embedding (maeseon), pharmacopuncture, Chuna manual therapy, and herbal medicine intensively, twice a day, to support recovery.
3A preserving perspective
We carefully distinguish cases that truly require surgery and, where possible, preserve the structure while addressing the underlying cause of pain.
Before you conclude that "surgery is the only option"
It is reported that in about 70% of disc-herniation patients treated conservatively without surgery, the protruding disc is reabsorbed naturally. Interestingly, severely herniated discs have also been found to tend to reabsorb more readily (though emergencies such as paralysis or loss of bowel and bladder control are exceptions).
So at Sandol we carefully distinguish cases that truly require surgery, while considering conservative treatment first where possible.
Whether to admit you and your treatment plan are advised after consultation, based on your individual condition.
Head & Face
Pain in the head and face
Headaches and migraines, jaw joint pain, and facial pain often appear together with tension in the neck and jaw and postural imbalance. We treat the cause by examining the balance of the jaw–skull–cervical complex.
Many of the causes of head and facial pain are related to tension in the neck and jaw and to structural imbalance.
2Treatment methods
We restore jaw symmetry with an intraoral appliance and ease excessive neck tension with acupotomy, Chuna manual therapy, and pharmacopuncture, aiming to relieve pain at its root.
Head and facial pain that begins with the collapse of the neck and thoracic spine
First, loss of the cervical curve or excessive tension is transmitted directly to the head and face.
Second, loss of thoracic mobility not only worsens an already disrupted cervical curve but is also linked to various internal conditions (indigestion, stomach cramps, impaired respiratory function, palpitations, chest pain, and more).
Third, the goal of treatment lies in restoring spinal function.
We will advise you on care tailored to your symptoms.
Neck
Neck pain and stiffness
Neck stiffness, forward-head posture, and cervical disc problems can also lead to headaches or arm numbness. We examine neck alignment and the balance of the surrounding muscles together.
In severe cases, we will also advise you on intensive inpatient care (inpatient disc care).
Shoulder & Arm
Pain in the shoulder, arm, and hand
We treat the whole upper limb, from frozen shoulder and rotator-cuff problems to elbow, wrist, and finger pain. We examine the movement of the entire upper limb rather than the shoulder alone.
The root of restoring shoulder movement lies in the spine.
2Treatment methods
We ease the flow of nerves down to the shoulder through cervical correction, release adhesions with spinal acupotomy, and reinforce the injured area with shoulder thread embedding (maeseon).
Three prerequisites for shoulder treatment
First, the cervical curve must be restored, because nerves from the neck control the shoulder.
Second, thoracic mobility must be restored, because the movement of the rib cage governs shoulder mobility.
Third, movement of the sacroiliac joint must be restored, because solid force transfer from the lower body to the upper body reduces the load placed on the shoulder.
If a tendon or ligament injury is suspected, we will also advise you on the necessary tests.
Back & Waist
Pain in the back and lower back
We treat pain that appears along the spine, including upper-back stiffness, low back pain, lumbar disc, and spinal stenosis. We examine spinal alignment together with whole-body balance.
Upper-back stiffnessLow back painLumbar discSpinal stenosis
1Sandol's approach
We do not look at the lower back in isolation. Considering the spine's influence on the whole body, we provide treatment that restores whole-body balance.
2Treatment methods
We reduce pain and support stability around the spine with acupotomy, pharmacopuncture, Chuna manual therapy, herbal medicine, and more.
Recurrence-free back and lower-back pain treatment begins with Dual-Axis Alignment.
The Dual-Axis Alignment Technique (DAAT) is Sandol's signature treatment method.
We treat with a corrective protocol that realigns the Cranio-Pelvic Axis.
Only by addressing both causes at once — descending factors coming down from the skull–cervical–jaw complex and ascending factors coming up from the pelvis–lower-limb complex — can it be treated properly.
For severe pain or difficulty moving, we will also advise you on intensive inpatient care (inpatient disc care).
Chest
Pain in the chest area
Chest pain of musculoskeletal origin — such as intercostal neuralgia, pain around the thoracic spine and ribs, and stiffness when breathing — is a sign that poor lifestyle habits are overworking the thoracic spine.
Intercostal neuralgiaThoracic painStiffness around the ribsPostural chest painShortness of breathChest/abdominal paresthesiaChest pain
1Sandol's approach
We address the cause of pain by examining the tension and alignment of the thoracic spine, ribs, and surrounding muscles together.
2Treatment methods
We restore rib-cage mobility by improving breathing and spinal movement with diaphragm-release Chuna therapy, breathing correction, acupotomy, and more.
The mechanical cause of chest-area pain: thoracic overuse injury
There is chest-area pain that stems from musculoskeletal causes.
When poor posture accumulates over time and causes an overuse injury to the thoracic spine, pain can arise around the chest.
For pain of visceral origin, we will advise you on the relevant tests.
If an internal cause involving the heart or lungs is suspected, we recommend having the relevant tests first.
Pelvis & Leg
Pain in the pelvis and legs
We treat the whole lower limb, including pelvic imbalance, sciatica, and pain in the knee, ankle, and foot. Twisting and loss of mobility along the axis running from the head to the pelvis leads to imbalance of the pelvis, affecting even the knees and feet.
If a ligament or cartilage injury is suspected, we will also advise you on the necessary tests.
Could you be making the mistake of chasing only the results of pain?
The areas differ, and so do the symptoms.
Yet if you follow the pain inward, it all meets at the same root.
Our View · Understanding the cause
The area of pain differs, but the root is the same
Focusing only on where the pain appears tends to let it recur. A fundamental approach that restores the root is needed.
Our body's natural shock-absorbing spring = the spinal curves
The spine is made of three curves and absorbs shock much like a spring. This spring-like cushioning structure supports the body's dam that holds back external shock.
The spine that holds firm like a dam
The three-curve structure of the spine firmly defends against most of the shocks we encounter in daily life.
When the curves collapse, the dam collapses
The sequential collapse of the three curves is the cause from which pain begins. Each time one curve loses its function, the capacity the dam can withstand also drops.
A collapsed dam = flooding water Collapsed curves = flooding pain
Just as a broken dam causes a flood, when the spinal curves that served as the body's dam collapse, shock that was not absorbed overflows throughout the body.
Just as water floods toward the lowest point, pain heads toward the weakest point.
That is why the area where pain appears differs from person to person, yet its root is the same.
Is repairing only the flood-damaged area really a fundamental solution?
If you repair only the flood-damaged area, the flooding recurs every year.
To prevent repeated flooding, "rebuilding the dam" is essential
Repair of the flood-damaged area and rebuilding of the dam must happen at the same time to fundamentally lower the risk of recurrence.
Rebuilding the dam = preventing repeat flooding Rebuilding the spine = preventing recurring pain
Just as a solid dam calms a vast body of water, only by restoring sound spinal function can the body's pain be calmed as well.
It is not over yet the last hidden card of pain
The hidden regulator of the spine: the jaw joint
A subtle misalignment of the jaw joint can affect the balance of the entire spine.
The chain collapse that begins at the jaw
A misalignment of the jaw can affect, in a chain, the balance of the neck, shoulder, back, waist, pelvis, knee, and foot.
At Sandol we approach the underlying cause of pain through the jaw joint, the regulator of the spine, and through methods that directly restore spinal mobility.
Q. I have pain in several areas. Does each area need to be treated separately? ＋
Even when pain appears in different areas, it often shares the same root. Rather than looking only at where it hurts, Sandol also examines spinal alignment and whole-body balance to address the underlying cause of the pain.
Q. My shoulder hurts, so why do you examine the neck and spine as well? ＋
The shoulder does not move on its own. Nerves from the neck control the shoulder, and the movement of the thoracic spine and sacroiliac joint influences the load placed on it. That is why we look for the root of shoulder pain in the spine as well.
Q. What does the jaw joint have to do with pain? ＋
A subtle misalignment of the jaw joint can affect the balance of the entire spine. Sandol regards the jaw joint as a hidden regulator of the spine and examines it together when needed. This is covered in more detail at the TMJ Balance Medicine Clinic.
Q. I have pain in my chest or around my ribs. How is that treated? ＋
We treat chest pain of musculoskeletal origin, such as intercostal neuralgia and pain around the thoracic spine and ribs. For neuralgia caused by shingles, we apply pharmacopuncture. However, if an internal cause involving the heart or lungs is suspected, we recommend having the relevant tests first.
Q. Why does pain improve and then return? ＋
If only the visible pain is calmed without restoring spinal function at its root, pain tends to recur. Along with relieving symptoms, Sandol works to restore spinal function, aiming to lower the risk of recurrence.
Q. Do a herniated disc in the back or neck always require surgery? ＋
Surgery is not always necessary. It is reported that in about 70% of disc-herniation patients treated conservatively without surgery, the protruding disc is reabsorbed naturally. Emergencies such as paralysis or loss of bowel and bladder control are exceptions, and the decision to have surgery should be made carefully through consultation with a specialist.
Q. I was told my disc is severely herniated. Is that more dangerous? ＋
Interestingly, several studies have observed that severely herniated discs actually tend to be reabsorbed more readily. That said, the degree of pain and any nerve symptoms must be assessed separately, so we base our judgment on both the imaging findings and the symptoms together.
Q. In what cases would I receive inpatient treatment? ＋
We consider intensive inpatient care when pain makes it hard to sleep, when pain does not settle sufficiently even with painkillers, when movement is difficult, or when recovery is slow with outpatient care alone. Whether to admit a patient is advised after consultation, based on each individual's condition.
Q. What kind of treatment do I receive as an inpatient? ＋
We apply combined Korean medicine therapies such as acupotomy, thread embedding (maeseon), pharmacopuncture, Chuna manual therapy, and herbal medicine intensively, several times a day. Sandol operates a 20-bed inpatient ward.
Q. What exactly are acupotomy, pharmacopuncture, and Chuna therapy? ＋
Acupotomy is a treatment that releases adhered tissue, pharmacopuncture injects herbal medicine into acupuncture points, and Chuna manual therapy uses the hands to restore structural balance. We apply these in combination according to the nature and cause of the pain.
Q. What kind of treatment is thread embedding (maeseon)? ＋
Thread embedding (maeseon) is a treatment that strengthens weakened tissue, used to reinforce ligaments and promote collagen formation.
Q. Does the treatment hurt a lot? ＋
For most patients the stimulation is well within a tolerable range, and we adjust the intensity to suit each patient's condition.
Q. I am taking conventional medication. Can I receive Korean medicine treatment alongside it? ＋
If you are taking any medication, please be sure to tell us at your consultation. We will review your condition and advise you on how to combine or adjust treatment safely.
