ABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of warm needling moxibustion plus lumbar traction for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and its effect on Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, present pain intensity (PPI) score, and the degree of straight leg raising.Methods: A total of 146 patients with LDH were randomized into a combination group and a control group by the random number table method, with 73 cases in each group. The control group was treated with lumbar traction, and the combination group was treated with lumbar traction plus warm needling moxibustion. The curative efficacy of the two groups was compared. Also, the lumbar function, pain, straight leg raising degree, and inflammatory factor levels before and after treatment were compared. Results: The total effective rate of the combination group was 93.2％, which was higher than 78.1％ of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the lumbar ODI score, the PPI scores of lumbar pain and lower-limb pain, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 levels, and straight leg raising test score in both groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score significantly increased (P<0.05). The improvements of the above items in the combination group were all superior to those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Warm needling moxibustion plus lumbar traction in the treatment of LDH can improve lumbar function, relieve pain, and reduce inflammatory response of the body.