Efficacy observation on long snake moxibustion for lumbar disc herniation with cold-dampness syndrome

Abstrct Objectives To observe and compare the clinical efficacy difference among long snake moxibustion, acupuncture and western medication for treating lumbar disc herniation with cold-dampness syndrome, and to provide a preferred treatment for cold-dampness lumbar disc herniation. Methods A total of 90 patients with cold-dampness lumbar disc herniation were randomized into three groups according to the random number table, including the long snake moxibustion group (31 cases), the acupuncture group (28 cases) and the western medication group (31 cases). Treated with long snake moxibustion, patients in the long snake moxibustion group . The acupuncture group was treated with conventional acupuncture therapy, by adopting acupoints of Shenshū (肾俞 BL23), Dachangshū (大肠俞BL25), Yāoyangguān (腰阳关GV3), Wěizhōng (委中 BL40) and local Ashi points. Patients in the western medication group were given oral diclofenac sodium. Visual analogous scale (VAS), Oswestry Dysfunction Index (ODI) score, yang deficiency scale score and clinical efficacy were observed before and after treatment. Results (1) The VAS scores of the patients after treatment in each group decreased compared with those before the treatment. The long snake moxibustion group decreased from 7.22 ± 1.14 to 1.10 ± 0.75 ( P  P  P  P  P  P  P  P  yang deficiency scale score in each group were lower than those before treatment. The long snake moxibustion group decreased from 61.81 ± 15.49 to 32.26 ± 6.08 ( P  P  P  yang deficiency scale of the long snake moxibustion group was lower than those of the acupuncture and western medication groups after treatment, the differences were statistically significant (both P  P  Conclusion The long snake moxibustion therapy has a significant clinical effect for lumbar disc herniation with cold-damp syndrome, which is better than those of acupuncture and western medication groups, the therapy can effectively improve the patients’ physical constitution as a preferred solution for cold-damp lumbar disc herniation by acupuncture therapy.