Efficacy of acupuncture for lumbar disc herniation: changes in paravertebral muscle and fat infiltration – a multicenter retrospective cohort study

This study demonstrates that acupuncture treatment is significantly more effective than traditional rehabilitation therapy in improving paraspinal muscle function, reducing muscle fat infiltration, and alleviating lumbar and leg pain in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Specifically, acupuncture significantly increases the cross-sectional areas (Sm, Se, Sp) of the paraspinal muscles and reduces muscle fat infiltration, showing superior long-term results in pain relief and functional improvement. Future research should further explore the long-term effects of acupuncture on the function and structure of paraspinal muscles, assess its potential in preventing the recurrence of LDH, and delve deeper into how acupuncture affects paraspinal muscles at the molecular level, to better understand its therapeutic mechanisms and enhance its clinical application.