Evaluation of effectiveness of hot mustard pack with fomentation on patients with lumbar spondylosis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Hot Mustard Pack with Fomentation (HMPF) on Low Back Pain (LBP) in patients with Lumbar Spondylosis. BACKGROUND: Lumbar spondylosis can be described as all degenerative conditions affecting the disks, vertebral bodies, and associated joints of the lumbar vertebrae and neurologic claudication, which includes: lower back pain, leg pain, numbness when standing and walking. Previous literatures have reported that mustard plasters are very effective in the reduction of pain among patients with various types of arthritis, knee pain, aching backs, etc. Present study envisioned towards evaluating the effect of HMPF on LBP. DESIGN: Pre and post Experimental study STUDY SETTING: Outpatients of Government Yoga and Naturopathy Medical College and Hospital (GYNMCH), Arumbakkam, Chennai. METHOD: The study included 30 subjects with lumbar spondylosis. The patients were randomly selected from the outpatient department of GYNMCH. The subjects abiding the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited to study the effect of hot mustard pack with fomentation. The pre-test and post-test data from the patients were collected and assessed with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Revised Oswestry Disability Index (RODI) and additionally with Neural Tension Test (NTT) and Range Of Motion (ROM). RESULT: The study showed significant detraction in the pain and inability variables of the study participants. The post intervention data showed significant reduction of pain, disability, NTT, and ROM comparatively to that of the pre intervention data. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that the effect of Hot Mustard Pack with Fomentation was very effective in reducing the severity of low back pain and disability in patients with lumbar spondylosis