Acupuncture speeds recovery from lumbar disc herniations. Researchers tested a protocol that increased the efficacy of electroacupuncture procedures for disc herniations by adding Chinese herbal medicine iontophoresis. They discovered that the combined therapy of electroacupuncture plus herbal iontophoresis enhances clinical efficacy with a significant synergistic effect. 

Patients had greater pain relief and lumbar functional improvements with the combination therapy. The total effective rate of electroacupuncture only was 87.5%. The combined therapy approach had a total effective rate of 95.0%. 

A lumbar intervertebral disc herniation is a rupture of the annulus fibrosus that causes extrusion of the nucleus pulposus from the center of the disc. This often causes low back pain, weakness, or numbness that may radiate to the legs and feet. The researchers confirmed disc herniations for participants with diagnostic tests including CT scans, MRIs, and a positive Lasegue’s or Bragard’s sign. Patients were also evaluated with X-rays and an assessment of range of motion restrictions and pain levels. 

Acupuncture Points

--Jiaji (Ex-B2, affected vertebral levels, bilateral) 

--GB30 (Huantiao, affected side) 

--Ashi 

--GB34 (Yanglingquan, affected side for L4-5 herniations) 

--BL40 (Weizhong, affected side for L5-S1 herniations) 

Techniques

Disposable, single-use, sterile filiform needles of 0.30 mm diameter and a 40-75 mm length were used. Jiaji points were needled with 50 mm needles to a depth of approximately 40 mm. Needles were angled slightly towards the spine. Manual acupuncture was subsequently applied with an even reinforcing-reducing technique. The researchers note that the optimal response is if the patient reported a sensation radiating downwardly towards the buttocks and leg on the affected side. Electroacupuncture was then applied to the Jiaji points of the affected vertebral level. A sparse-dense setting was used with a 2 - 100 Hz frequency. Intensity was set to patient comfortability levels. 

GB30 was needled using 75 mm needles and the remaining points were needled with 40 mm needles perpendicularly with the addition of the even reinforcing-reducing technique. The treatment duration was thirty minutes per acupuncture session. Acupuncture treatments were applied once per day for 10 days followed by a three day break from treatments. Next, another course of ten acupuncture treatments over ten days was applied for a total of two courses of care. Lumbar disc herniations should be treated together with Chinese herbs. Learn more information TCM treatment, please click to read Chinese medicine Treatment for Lumbar Herniated Disc.