[Three patients with cervical disc herniation whose severe pain was relieved with oral mini-pulse therapy of betamethasone].

Three patients with severe neck and radicular pain due to cervical disc herniation was not relieved of pain by common drug medication such as NSAIDs and anticonvulsants. Patients underwent oral mini-pulse therapy of betamethasone as the initial dose of 8 mg x day(-1) in the form of 8 tablets of 0.5 mg in a single dose twice a day (after breakfast and after lunch). The daily dose was reduced by half every 4 days, and the therapy was continued for 16 days. In all patients, the pain disappeared completely within the opening 10 days of the therapy, and the pain did not relapse after the therapy. All adverse events of betamethasone including irritation, insomnia and overeating disappeared without medication within several days.