Can herniated lumbar disc be treated with acupuncture?

Lumbar disc herniation is treated with acupuncture, which improves the symptoms by improving the inflammatory irritation caused by the herniation, i.e., improving local blood circulation, thereby reducing inflammation to nerve irritation. Lumbar disc herniation belongs to the category of lumbar pain in Chinese medicine and is often associated with trauma, strain, cold, kidney deficiency, etc. The main lesion meridians include the Governor, Bladder and Gallbladder meridians. For patients whose symptoms are not very serious and whose prominence is not very heavy, conservative treatment, including acupuncture, can be used. Acupuncture treatment means to improve the symptoms of lumbar disc herniation such as pain and numbness by unblocking the meridians and relieving pain. Early intervention is generally recommended for patients with lumbar disc herniation, and the earlier the intervention, the better the effect. Commonly used acupuncture points are selected according to the different symptoms of the patient. If the pain is on the posterior side, the lumbar pinch points are often used, together with the bladder meridian points, such as Cheng Fu, Cheng Shan, Wei Zhong and Kun Lun. If the pain is in the lateral Shaoyang Bile meridian, it can be combined with Shaoyang meridian points, such as Feng Shi, Yang Ling Quan, and Hang Zhong. If the pain is on the anterior side, the symptoms of the foot Yangming meridian can be treated with the corresponding acupuncture points. For particularly severe lumbar disc herniation, surgical treatment is still recommended.