Effects of Acupuncture Combined with Massage and Acupoint Application Intervention on Pain, Lumbar Physiological Curvature, and ODI Scores in Patients with Lumbar Disc Herniation

Objective To observe the effects of acupuncture combined with massage and acupoint application interventions on pain, lumbar physiological curvature, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), and to provide a treatment method. Methods We selected 100 LDH patients who were treated in our hospital from December 2018 to June 2020 and randomly divided them into two groups (n = 50 each). The control group received acupuncture intervention, while the observation group received massage plus acupoint application intervention in addition to acupuncture. The lumbar range of motion, JOA scores, VAS pain scores, lumbar physiological curvature, and ODI scores were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results After treatment, in the observation group, the extension, flexion, and right and left lateral flexion ranges of motion were significantly greater than those in the control group (P < 0.05); while after treatment, the JOA score was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and the VAS score was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05); after treatment, the lumbar physiological curvature in the observation group was significantly greater than that in the control group, and the ODI score after treatment was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture combined with massage and acupoint application intervention can effectively improve lumbar physiological curvature, reduce the severity of pain, and promote the recovery of motor function in LDH patients, which may provide a reference for comprehensive clinical treatment.