[Comparative study on effect of acupuncture and lidocaine block for lumbar myofascial pain syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points mainly for lumbar myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). METHODS: Sixty-six cases of MPS were randomized into an acupuncture group and a lidocaine group, 33 cases in each group. The acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points combined with needling local myofascial trigger points (MTrP), and the lidocaine group was treated with local block at trigger points with lidocaine injection. The treatment was given once every 2 days. After three and five times of the treatment, the simplified McGill scale, Oswestry disability index (ODI) and pressure-pain threshold were assessed to compare the therapeutic effects between the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of simplified McGill and ODI of two groups were obviously reduced while the score of pressure-pain threshold was obviously increased (all P < 0.01). After three and five times of the treatment, there were no significant differences in above scores between the two groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points combined with needling MTrP is an effective and safe therapy for lumbar MPS, the therapeutic effect is equal to lidocaine block.