Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Warm Acupuncture Combined with Acupoint Injection and Intermediate-Frequency Infrared Therapy on Pain and Cytokines in Patients with Lumbar Disc Herniation

Abstract

Background

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common degenerative spinal disease in clinical practice. Its main clinical manifestations include pain, dysfunction, and inflammatory responses. Seeking safe and effective comprehensive treatment options is of significant importance.

Objective

This work aimed to investigate the effects of warm acupuncture (WA) combined with acupoint injection (AI) based on intermediate-frequency infrared (IFI) therapy on pain level, lumbar function, hemorheological parameters, and serum cytokines in patients with LDH.

Methods

Clinical data of 96 LDH patients were retrospectively analyzed and divided into an IFI group (n = 45) and an IFI + WA + AI group (n = 51) under actual treatment modalities. Pain level was assessed with the visual analog scale (VAS), and lumbar function was assessed with the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scale. An automated hemorheology analyzer was employed to measure plasma viscosity (PV), whole blood high-shear viscosity (WBHSV), hematocrit (HCT), and whole blood low-shear viscosity (WBLSV). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). The total clinical effectiveness rate was evaluated for both groups.

Results

The total clinical effectiveness rates for the IFI group and the IFI + WA + AI group were 77.78% and 94.12%, respectively, with the IFI + WA + AI group being greater than the IFI group (P < 0.05). Compared to the IFI group, the IFI + WA + AI group showed a significant decrease in posttreatment VAS score; a significant increase in JOA score; significant reductions in the hemorheological parameters PV, HCT, WBHSV, and WBLSV; and significant decreases in serum cytokine levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, hs-CRP, PGE2, and 5-HT (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

WA combined with AI based on IFI therapy can significantly alleviate pain, improve lumbar function, and enhance overall therapeutic efficacy in LDH patients by regulating hemorheological status and suppressing inflammatory responses.