The warming acupuncture for treatment of sciatica in 30 cases

Chen, M. R.

Wang, P.

Cheng, G.

Guo, X.

Wei, G. W.

Cheng, X. H.

Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan / sponsored by All-China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine

2009

29(1)

50-53

RCT

RCT

Back Pain

Sciatica

Warming Needle

Acu Versus CAM Control

Herbal Injection

Fixed Acupuncture Protocol

Restricted Modalities, Acupuncture Only

Usual Care Control, Pharmaceutical

TCM Acupuncture Style

CAM Control

Acu Versus > 1 Control

Acu Versus Usual Care

Acupuncture

OBJECTIVE: To observe the relation between the pain threshold and the therapeutic effects of acupuncture for sciatica. METHODS: 90 sciatica patients were equally divided at random into the following 3 groups: a warming acupuncture group treated with the needles warmed by burning moxa, a western medicine group administered Nimesulide tablets and a point-injection group with Anisodamine injected. The pain threshold was tested before treatment and after the first, second and third treatment courses. RESULTS: The warming acupuncture therapy showed better therapeutic effects than the other two groups with significant differences in the change of pain threshold and the improvement of clinical symptoms and signs (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can relieve the symptoms of sciatica with the increase of pain threshold.

Back Pain

>1/WK

90

5 Weeks