PAIN MANAGEMENT IN LUMBAGO: ROLE OF ACUPUNCTURE IN ADDITION TO LOCAL STEROID INFILTRATION AT TRIGGER POINTS

Abstract

Objective: To know the effect of Acupuncture in addition to local steroid infiltration at trigger points in

patients of lumbago.

Material and Methods: All patients who reported to Pain and Plegia Centre with lumbago were

included in the study. Majority among them gave the history of treatment by various surgeons, orthopedic

surgeons and neurosurgeons. Patients with caries spine, ankylosing spondylitis and those who had under

gone spinal surgery were excluded. Acupuncture and ancillary techniques were used as primary modality

to relieve chronic diffuse pain. Trigger spots were identified by deep palpation and were injected with

steroid for complete cure.

Results: Total number of patients studied was 400. Among them 371 (92.75%) cases of low back pain of

muscular origin responded well with complete relief of symptoms. In the remaining 29 (7.25%) cases of

low back pain with radiological findings of marginal disc prolapse 20 (5%) recovered completely, four

(1%) could live with residual symptoms while 5 cases (1.25%) were uncomfortable and were referred for

surgery.

Conclusion: Nonspecific chronic low back pain is due to spasm of paraveretebral muscles in the

lumbosacral region and its primary cause is trigger spots in the muscles. This spasm is effectively relieved

by acupuncture form of treatment unmasking trigger spots, which heal to local pinpointed injections of

steroids.