[Observation on the therapeutic effect of warming needle moxibustion on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of warming needle moxibustion on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc. METHODS: Seventy-eight cases were randomly divided into a test group and a control group, 39 cases in each group. The control group were treated with acupuncture at Shenshu (BIL 23), Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3) and Weizhong (BL, 40), etc. , and the test group with acupuncture at the same acupoints as in the control group plus warming needle moxibustion at Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3) and Weizhong (BL 40). RESULTS: The total effective rate of 94.9% in the test group was significantly better than 71.8% in the control group (P < 0.01). The incidence rate of needling sensation propagating along the channel (84.6%) in the test group was significantly higher than 56.4% in the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The warming needle moxibustion stimulating the needling sensation propagating along the channel has a better therapeutic effect on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.