[Clinical research on elongated needle combined with herb-partitioned moxibustion in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation].

Objective: To optimize the best acupuncture therapy in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and to explore its mechanism in terms of immunology.

Methods: One hundred and eleven cases were randomized into an acupuncture-moxibustion group, an elongated needle group and a herb-partitioned moxibustion group, 37 cases in each group. In acupuncture-moxibustion group, penetration needling with elongated needle was applied at Dachangshu (BL 25), Guanyuanshu (BL 26) and Huantiao (GB 30), which was followed with herb-partitioned moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) and Yaoyangguan (GV 3), etc, once a day.