Comparison of the Effects of Ultrasound-Guided Versus Non-Guided Pharmacopuncture in Patients with Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Study

Objectives This study compares the efficacy of ultrasound-guided and non-guided pharmacopuncture for low back pain.It focuses on the functional recovery of key lumbar muscles and the therapeutic advantages of ultrasound guidance.Methods A retrospective review was conducted on 20 patients with low back pain treated at Sangji University Hospital in 2024.Ten patients received ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture targeting the quadratus lumborum and iliopsoas muscles.The other 10 underwent non-guided pharmacopuncture based on trigger point palpation.Pain levels were measured using the numerical rating scale (NRS), and lumbar function was evaluated using range of motion (ROM) tests.Statistical analysis was performed using non-parametric tests.Results The ultrasound-guided group showed significant pain reduction, with NRS scores dropping from 6.8 to 2.7 by day 5 (p<0.01).The non-guided group exhibited smaller and less significant improvements.ROM tests showed greater functional recovery in the ultrasound-guided group, particularly in side bending.Conclusions Ultrasound-guided pharmacopuncture is more effective in relieving pain and improving lumbar function than non-guided methods.Further large-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings and expand clinical applications.(