OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of Huolong moxibustion in the treatment of discogenic low back pain (DLBP) and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: One hundred and forty-eight patients with DLBP treated in the Orthopedics Department of Tangshan Gongren Hospital were selected and randomly divided into the observation group and control group. Patients in the control group were treated with regular treatment such as conventional traction and manual massage physiotherapy, while those in the observation group were treated with Huolong moxibustion based on the treatment in control group for 3 weeks. The two groups were compared in the treatment effect of DLBP, and visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, oswestry disability index (ODI) score, 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) score and serum inflammatory factors. RESULTS: At 3 weeks after treatment, the total effective rate was 97.37% in observation group and 88.39% in control group, and there was a statistical difference between two groups (p = 0.04). At 3 weeks after treatment, VAS score and ODI score in the observation group were remarkably lower than those in the control group (both p < 0.001); JOA score and SF-36 score were also significantly increased (both p < 0.001). Additionally, interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in the observation group was significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Huolong moxibustion shows efficacy in the treatment of DLBP, which is helpful to alleviate the symptoms of lumbago and improve the quality of life of patients. This might be associated with lower serum IL-6 and TNF-alpha expression levels.

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