title: [Comparative research of lumbar disc herniation treated with acupuncture and snake moxibustion].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects on lumbar disc snake herniation between acupuncture in combination of snake moxibustion with simple acupuncture or snake moxibustion.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty cases of lumbar disc herniation patients were randomly divided into an acupuncture and snake moxibustion group (group A, 60 cases), a acupuncture control group (group B, 30 cases) and a snake moxibustion control group (group C, 30 cases). In group A, acupuncture was applied to Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25) and tender points bilateral to the spine, once a day. Additionally, at the end of acupuncture on the 1st day of a week, snake moxibustion was applied for one time. In group B and group C, acupuncture or snake moxibustion was applied respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The excellent rate was 95.0% (57/60) in group A, which was superior to that of 70.0% (21/30) in group B and 66.7% (20/30) in group C (both P < 0.05). JOA scores in each group after treatment increased apparently (all P < 0.01), of which, the scores in group A increased much more apparently as compared with those of the other two groups after treatment (both P < 0.01). The efficacy in group A was relevant obviously with the duration of sickness, the shorter the duration of sickness was, the higher the excellent rate would be. The age of patients in group A was relevant obviously with the efficacy, the younger patient was, the higher excellent rate would be.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The efficiency on lumbar disc hernation treated with acupuncture and snake moxibustion is superior to that with either acupuncture or snake moxibustion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Yidu Central Hospital of Weifang City, Weifang 262500, China. csmlr8@sohu.com
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jing-Nian
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Xiao-Su
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009071:Moxibustion; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult