The Efficacy of Acupuncture and Acupoint Massage in Enhancing Lumbar Mobility and Alleviating Pain in Individuals with Lumbar Disc Herniation.

BACKGROUND

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a prevalent condition in spinal surgery, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture has gained clinical attention as a potential treatment for LDH in recent years.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture combined with acupoint massage in LDH patients.

METHODS

We enrolled a total of 135 LDH patients treated at our hospital from May 2021 to February 2023. Among them, 63 patients received acupuncture treatment (control group), while the remaining 72 received acupuncture combined with acupoint massage (observation group). We compared treatment efficacy and the time it took for lumbar stiffness, lower back and leg pain, bending and flexing difficulties, and other symptoms to disappear between the two groups. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopedic Association Scoring System (JOA) were used to evaluate patients' pain levels and lumbar vertebral function before and after treatment. Additionally, we assessed patients using the Generic Quality of Life Inventory-74 (GQOL-74) and recorded their treatment satisfaction.

RESULTS

The observation group exhibited a slightly higher total effective rate compared to the control group, with a shorter time for the resolution of lumbar stiffness, lower back pain, leg pain, and other symptoms (P < .05). Furthermore, the observation group had lower VAS scores and higher JOA scores (P < .05). They also achieved higher GQOL-74 scores and reported greater treatment satisfaction (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Acupuncture combined with acupoint massage effectively alleviated clinical symptoms and pain in LDH patients, demonstrating significant clinical utility.