Abstract
RATIONALE: Many side effects have been associated with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine. While most adverse events (AEs) are mild, serious adverse events are occasionally observed in the neurological and musculoskeletal systems. Nevertheless, articles reporting such serious adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination are limited, and only few case reports with detailed descriptions are available in the literature. PATIENT CONCERNS: Herein, we report the case of a 41-year-old male office worker who developed symptoms of recurrent disc herniation 2 days after COVID-19 vaccination; the patient had no other factors that may have caused the recurrence of disc herniation, such as excessively vigorous activities, following vaccination. DIAGNOSES: Consequently, the patient was suspected of having cauda equina syndrome owing to recurrent lumbar disc herniation, and he underwent surgery. INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent integrative Korean medicine treatment, including acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and Chuna manual therapy, for 8 months postoperatively. OUTCOMES: After treatment, the patient's postoperative complications improved; the Numerical Rating Scale score changed from 5 to 1, and the Oswestry Disability Index score changed from 30 to 3. A literature review showed various cases of adverse events related to musculoskeletal inflammation or immune-mediated pathogenesis. LESSONS: This paper confirmed the possibility that COVID vaccination is related to lumbar disc herniation recurrence and the possibility of integrative Korean medicine as an effective treatment option after lumbar disc herniation surgery.