AIM: To observe the change of pain scores and its intervention effect after treatment with acupuncture combined with cupping in patients with chronic lumbar muscle strain and compare the curative effect with the method of medium frequency electrotherapy combined with ultrashort wave electrotherapy. METHODS: Totally 67 patients with chronic lumbar muscle strain treated in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from March to October 2003 were involved. Informed consent was obtained. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, treatment group (n = 34) and control group (n = 33). (1) Jiaji points in the lumbar part and 3 to 5 Jing points in the bladder and Weizhong point were selected in the treatment group. 5.0 cm No.30 stainless needle was used to perform acupuncture with the in-depth of 1 inch, soreness, swellness and heavy were set as the degrees. Retaining the needle was for 30 minutes, needling manipulation was performed once to twice. After withdrawing the needle, 4 to 6 cupping glasses were used to at the Ah shih, retaining the cupping glass for 20 minutes. Acupuncture and cupping method were performed once each day for 20 days. (2) Medium frequency electrotherapy combined with ultrashort wave ececltrotherapy were used in the control group once each day, 20 minutes each time for 20 days. Pain score evaluation was performed before and after treatment (0 to 10 stands for the degree of the pain, 0 for painless and 10 for twinge). Intervention effect was evaluated after treatment. Soreness of waist, pain of waist disappearing and no morning pain indicated ameliorated significantly and they can do common work and house work; soreness of waist and pain of waist and morning pain lighten obviously or the symptom of any item of them disappeared indicated ameliorated; the symptom improved a little or aggravated indicated no effect. RESULTS: All the 67 patients entered the stage of result analysis. (1) Comparison of the pain score before and after treatment: the pain scores of the patients in the control group and patients group were significantly decreased before treatment than those after treatment (2.88 +/- 2.07, 4.03 +/- 2.16; 7.00 +/- 1.79, 6.82 +/- 1.89; t = 10.72, 9.27, p < 0.01). (2) Comparison of the intervention effect after treatment: 19, 12 and 3 cases of the treatment group got obvious amelioration, amelioration and no effect respectively; and 8, 19 and 6 cases in the control group respectively. The intervention effect in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (Chi2 = 7.05, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with cupping and medium frequency electrotherapy combined with ultrashort wave electrotherapy both can reduce the pain of patients with chronic lumbar muscle strain. But the treatment of acupuncture combined with cupping has better effect. Acupuncture combined with cupping can promote qi and blood circulation, remove obstruction in the channels to relieve pain and promote the lumbar muscle strain focus recovered as soon as possible.

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