Riassunto dello studio

Three hundred twelve patients with low back pain due to lumbar disc herniation were randomized to receive Ma’s bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion (MBMM; n=156) or acupuncture (AT; n=156). The primary outcome of interest was the change in the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score on the 14th day compared to the baseline. Secondary outcomes included VAS score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (M-JOA) score, and serum levels of β-endorphin (β-EP) and substance-P (SP). Outcomes were assessed at baseline and on the 7th, 14th, and 28th days. Overall, the results of the study revealed no significant difference between MBMM and AT in reducing VAS scores on the 14th day. However, MBMM showed superior outcomes in ODI and M-JOA scores on the 28th day. This suggests that MBMM is a viable alternative to acupuncture for managing low back pain in lumbar disc herniation, with additional benefits in lumbar function improvement.