Observation of the Therapeutic Effect of Fu's Subcutaneous Needling on Residual Lower Back Pain in Elderly Patients after PVP Surgery

This prospective randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Fu' s Subcutaneous Needling (FSN) for residual pain in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) after percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). Fifty patients with residual low back pain occurring after PVP in the Department of Orthopedics of Bazhong City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were prospectively included, and were divided into the control group and the FSN group according to the randomized numerical table method, with 25 patients in each group. The control group received oral alfacalcidol, calcium carbonate, and alendronate in accordance with the 2022 Chinese Guidelines for Primary Osteoporosis. In addition to these treatments, the FSN group received FSN. Outcome measures, including Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (M-JOA) scores, were assessed at baseline (t0), immediately post-intervention (t1), and at multiple follow-up time points: 2 days (t2), 3 days (t3), 4 days (t4), 1 week (t5), 1 month (t6), and 3 months (t7) post-intervention. Compared with the control group, the FSN group demonstrated significantly higher total efficacy (68.0% vs. 95.8%, P < 0.05), lower VAS scores at t1–t3, t5–t6 (P < 0.05), and improved ODI and M-JOA scores (P < 0.05). FSN alleviates residual post-PVP pain, enhances functional recovery, and improves quality of life.