Can lumbar disc herniation be treated with acupuncture?

Lumbar disc herniation can be treated with acupuncture. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture stimulates meridians, modulates peripheral nerve and humoral functions, alleviates muscle weakness, and relieves muscle spasm. Moreover, by stimulating specific acupoints, acupuncture induces vigorous muscular contractions, generating energy that facilitates the repositioning (reduction) of the herniated disc material. On this basis, except for centrally located (midline) posterior protrusions of the nucleus pulposus, massage therapy (tuina) can be combined to dilate surrounding capillaries, improve local blood circulation, enhance regional metabolism, increase the production of endogenous pain-inhibiting substances, and promote the transformation or neutralization of pain-inducing substances. Concurrently, traction therapy is applied alongside acupuncture and tuina to widen the intervertebral space. Through the integrated application of these three modalities—acupuncture, tuina, and traction—the spatial relationship between the herniated disc and the affected neural structures is altered. This promotes absorption of hematoma and edema by surrounding tendons and nerve roots, thereby achieving anti-inflammatory and edema-resolving effects.