Resolution of post-traumatic lumbar disc herniation following diamagnetic therapy: a case report

Lumbar disc herniation is a common cause of low back pain leading to significant functional impairment. High-intensity, low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (Diamagnetic therapy) gained attention to treating several diseases. We report a 47-year-old man with severe post-traumatic low back pain radiating bilaterally to the lower limbs (VAS: 8; Douleur-Neuropathique-4: 5/10). MRI showed an annulus fibrosus fissure and a partially extruded left paramedian L4-L5 disc herniation compressing the dural sac. Pharmacological treatments (NSAIDs, corticosteroids, opioids, muscle relaxants) and physical therapy (Capacitive and resistive electric transfer therapy) provided no benefit. At presentation to our Pain Room, clinical findings included positive Lasegue at 30°, bilateral Valleix signs, paraspinal tenderness, and significant quality-of-life impairment (SF-36). The patient underwent a full course of diamagnetic therapy after providing written informed consent and following ethics committee approval. After 16 sessions (twice weekly, 20 minutes each; high-intensity fluids off/biostimulation), the VAS score decreased to 0/10 and the Douleur-Neuropathique-4 to 0/10, with MRI evidence of herniation resorption. This case illustrates that diamagnetic therapy improved the patient's clinical condition in refractory post-traumatic low disc herniation, supporting its potential as a promising noninvasive option for selected patients, although further controlled studies are required to confirm its efficacy.