Objective: To observe the effect of lumbar disc herniation treated with acupuncture at different time intervals.
Methods: A total of 180 patients of lumbar disc herniation were randomized into an observation group 1, an observation group 2 and an observation group 3, 60 cases in each one. All patients were treated with acupuncture at Jiaji L3-L5 (EX-B 2), Huantiao (GB 30), Weizhong (BL 40), etc. And then KWD-808 electroacupuncture instrument was connected, time intervals of acupuncture were once every day, once every 2 days and once every 3 days, 3 weeks were provided. At 1-week, 2-week and 3-week treatment, the visual analogous scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopedics Association (JOA) scale were observated, and the effects were evaluated.
Results: The effective rates in the observation group 1 and the observation group 2 were 96.7% (58/60) and 95.0% (57/60), there was no significant different between the two groups (P>0.05), which were superior to 88.3% (53/60) in the observation group 3 (both P<0.01). The VAS score in each group decreased to different degrees at 1-week, 2-week and 3-week treatment compared with those before treatment (all P<0.01), there was no significant different between the observation group 1 and the observation group 2 (all P>0.05) at 1-week, 2-week and 3-week treatment, however, they were significantly reduced compared with the observation group 3 (all P<0.05). The JOA score in each group increased to different degrees at 1-week, 2-week and 3-week treatment compared with those before treatment (all P<0.01), there was no significant different between the observation group 1 and the observation group 2 (all P>0.05) at 1-week, 2-week and 3-week treatment, however, they were significantly increased compared with the observation group 3 at 3-week treatment (both P<0.05).
Conclusion: Acupuncture once every day and once every 2 days in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation is equally effective, better than once every 3 days.
Keywords: Japanese Orthopedics Association (JOA) scale; acupuncture therapy; frequency; lumbar disc herniation; randomized controlled trial (RCT); time intervals; visual analogous scale (VAS).