Can cupping therapy be used for lumbar disc herniation?

Lumbar disc herniation can be treated with cupping therapy. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), cupping helps regulate yin and yang, relaxes tendons and activates blood circulation, and dispels wind, cold, and dampness. From a Western medical standpoint, cupping can alleviate muscle spasm, accelerate blood circulation, and enhance immune function. Surgical treatment may involve removal of part of the lamina and facet joints via a posterior lumbar incision, or discectomy performed through the interlaminar space. In cases complicated by lumbar instability or lumbar spinal stenosis, spinal fusion must be performed simultaneously. Minimally invasive surgical techniques—including microsurgical discectomy, microendoscopic discectomy, and percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy—have reduced surgical trauma and yielded favorable clinical outcomes.