Objective: To observe the clinical therapeutic effects and explore the mechanism of acupuncture at the xi (cleft) points combined with herbal intervention injection for treatment of prolapse of the lumbar intervertebral disc with TCM symptoms and signs of blood stasis.
Methods: The 60 cases in this series were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The patients in the treatment group were treated by acupuncture at Jiaji L4-S1, Waiqiu (GB 36), Weizhong (BL 40) and Xiaxi (GB 43) plus intervention injection of Gegensu Zhusheye (Puerarin Injectio). The patients of the control group were given the routine acupuncture combined with injection of Gegensu Zhusheye (Puerarin Injectio) into the Ashi points. The changes in interleukin-6 (IL-6) and hemodynamics were observed before and after treatment in both the two groups.
Results: The total therapeutic effect in the treatment group was obviously better (P < 0.05) and the treatment course was obviously shorter than that of the control group (P < 0.01). After the treatment, the total score, the visual analog scale (VAS) pain-evaluating score, and the score in straight-leg raising test were obviously improved in both the two groups, in which the improvement in the treatment group shown by the score in straight-leg raising test and the total score superior to that of the control group (P < 0.05). The IL-6 level, red blood cell ratio, K value of blood sedimentation equation, and whole blood high shearing specific viscosity were improved in both the two groups, but the treatment group showed better improvement than that of the control group in the red blood cell ratio, K value of blood sedimentation, and IL-6 level (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).
Conclusions: The treatment group was superior to the control group in improvement of the symptoms and signs, the daily life ability, and in pain alleviation. The mechanism is possibly related with the improvement in the IL-6 level and hemodynamic indexes, which may promote the subsidence of inflammation of the nerve roots.