Is acupuncture effective for lumbar vertebral bone spurs?
Disease description:
I have been experiencing frequent lower back pain recently, especially after standing or sitting for prolonged periods, with the pain becoming more noticeable. After visiting the hospital for an examination, I was diagnosed with lumbar vertebral bone spurs (osteophytes). I have heard that acupuncture can treat many medical conditions—would it be effective for my lumbar vertebral bone spurs? Can acupuncture really relieve the pain caused by lumbar vertebral bone spurs?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Chen Jian
Acupuncture can achieve certain therapeutic effects in treating lumbar vertebral osteophyte formation. Lumbar vertebral osteophyte formation is a common degenerative condition, mainly characterized by pathological changes such as degeneration of the lumbar intervertebral discs and osteophyte formation at the edges of the vertebral bodies. There are many treatment methods for lumbar vertebral osteophyte formation, including pharmacological treatment, physical therapy, and surgical treatment. As one of the traditional Chinese medical therapies, acupuncture also plays a certain role in treating lumbar vertebral osteophyte formation.
Benefits of acupuncture treatment:
1. By stimulating specific acupuncture points on the body, acupuncture can regulate the circulation of qi and blood, improve local blood circulation, and relieve muscle tension and pain, thereby helping to alleviate symptoms caused by lumbar vertebral osteophyte formation.
2. Acupuncture can reduce local inflammatory edema, thus relieving the patient's discomfort.
However, acupuncture is not a cure-all, and its effectiveness is influenced by multiple factors, such as the severity of the condition, duration of the disease, and individual differences. For patients with severe lumbar vertebral osteophyte formation or those presenting with nerve root compression symptoms, acupuncture alone may not achieve the desired therapeutic effect, and other treatment methods, such as pharmacological treatment or surgical intervention, should be considered.
