Clinical Study Of The Combined Use Of Xiao Sui Hua He (Disc Dissolving) Decoction And Acupuncture For Treatment Of Ruptured Lumbar Disc Herniation

Objective:To find out and compare the efficacy of the combined use of Xiao Sui Hua He(Disc Dissolving)decoction and acupuncture treatment,and the individual use of each treatment,on patients with ruptured lumbar disc herniation through this clinical study.To find out if the combined use of Chinese medication and acupuncture can increase the efficacy of treatment,as well as to analyse the advantages and shortcomings of each individual treatment so as to improve the efficacy of using conservative Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)methods in the treatment of ruptured lumbar disc herniation.Methods:We collected 60 patient cases with ruptured lumbar disc herniation that fulfil the scope of the study,from Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and Singapore Renda TCM Clinic between May 2015 and November 2016.Based on the patient's consent,we divided them into Chinese medication(Xiao Sui Hua He decoction as the main form of Chinese medication)group(20 cases),acupuncture group(20 cases)and the combination group(20 cases).Through follow up treatments in the duration of 2 months,we collected and recorded the data on JOA pain score as well as changes in the MRI images,before doing statistical analysis on the data.Results:(1)While the Chinese medicine,the acupuncture and the combination group all showed significant improvements on their JOA pain score(P<0.05),the combination group showed the biggest improvement(P<0.05).Regarding the level of improvement of the JOA pain score,the Chinese medicine group had 7 cases(35%)with good to excellent results,the acupuncture group had 2 cases with good to excellent results(10%)while the combination group had 9 cases(45%)with good to excellent results.(2)While the Chinese medicine,the acupuncture and the combination group all showed resorption of the ruptured disc(P<0.05),the combination group showed the biggest resorption rate(P<0.05).Based on the level of resorption,the Chinese medicine group had 1 case of complete resorption,1 case of obvious resorption,15 cases of partial resorption,1 case of no resorption and 2 cases of increased protrusion of the disc,the overall resorption cases being 85%(17/20);the acupuncture group had 0 case of complete resorption,4 cases of obvious resorption,12 cases of partial resorption,1 case of no resorption and 3 cases of increased protrusion of the disc,the overall resorption cases being 80%(16/20);the combination group had 2 cases of complete resorption,5 cases of obvious resorption,11 cases of partial resorption,0 cases of no resorption and 2 cases of increased protrusion of the disc,the overall resorption cases being 90%(18/20).Conclusion:(1)The 3 treatment groups showed improvement in the JOA pain score;the MRI imaging showed decrease in the size of the ruptured disc,implying that through conservative TCM treatment,there can be an improvement in the pain score as well as the amount of resorption.(2)The combination group showed the biggest improvement in the JOA pain score as well as greatest decrease in the size of the ruptured disc,followed by the Chinese medicine group,and lastly the acupuncture group showed the least improvement.This implies that combining both Chinese medicine and acupuncture treatment can achieve better results than when both are used individually.