Potentials Of The Bi-Digital O-Ring Test In Spine Problems

An early, dearly defined diagnosis of back pain benefits both the patient and the Practitioner. Significantly advances in technology have failed to produce diagnostic accuracy. Despite the advantages of sophisticated imaging, the origin of back pain often remains speculative. Patients with back pain can have normal imaging studies. Conversely, individuals with no hack problem can show worn facets or bulging discs. Relatively rare spine problems associated with neurological deficit require surgical interventions. Myelography, computerized tomography and MRI should be used as part of a surgical examination. But most common clinical situations are the so-called reflexogenic syndromes when neurological manifestations are conditioned by the nociceptive imputation related to vertebral structures without a direct neural or vascular damage. In this cases, imaging studies can reveal only structural abnormalities. Also affordability of imaging methods is a next difficult question. Meanwhile each patient not only needs a complete examination of organic and functional changes on the corresponding level but also special consideration in view of his overall clinical condition which determine the appropriate therapy. In this direction, the reflexodiagnostic methods (Akabane test, Ryodoraku method, diagnostics according to Voll) can be useful in screening pathologies and abnormal conditions. Special interest represents the Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (BDORT) which has been discovered and developed by Y. Omura from late 1970s. BDORT is characterized by vast potentials for detecting various medical problems. It is spreading in the differed fields of medicine gradually. The main advantage of BDORT is its high efficiency and affordability. The aim of the present investigation was to specify the diagnostic possibilities of the above mentioned methods in spine clinic. Our clinico-functional study included 187 patients (89 women and 98 men) with vertebrogenic syndromes. The criteria for their selection were as follows: the presence of certain clinical syndrome (reflexogenic, radicular or neural); a vertebrogenic character of neurological manifestations, i.e. painfulness of the vertebral-motor segments, tension of the paravertebral muscles and deformations and limitations of movements in the cervical, thoracal or lumbar regions. Comparative analysis of information value for different diagnostic methods showed that BDORT was the most precise and universal one. It allows to localize abnormal parts of spine and nervous system; to gain an understanding of the overall body condition; to diagnose the bodily tissues; to check the appropriateness of various medicines and doses; to select the appropriate stimulation zones including acupoints and physical factors (mechanical, thermal, electrical, soft-laser, etc.) for physiotherapy; to estimate the therapeutic effect in the course of treatment. This study indicated that BDORT is a very useful, powerful diagnostic tool for spine problems. A relevant and effective diagnosis is possible based not an anatomic location or pathologic description but rather on the clinical picture and data obtained by means of BDORT. Its additional application is in determination of an individual treatment policy.