“Doctor, can Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) completely cure a herniated lumbar disc?” Ms. Zhou, aged 36, inquired at the clinic. Over the past month, Ms. Zhou had experienced lower back pain and radiating pain and numbness in her left thigh and calf. After examination, she was diagnosed with a herniated lumbar disc (referred to as “herniated disc” hereafter). Despite rest and medication, the effects were not significant, and some hospitals recommended surgery. She came to the TCM hospital, hoping for TCM treatment. Based on her condition, the doctor provided integrated TCM therapy, and after three weeks, her symptoms completely disappeared. According to Dr. Ma Hongwei, director of the Department of Orthopedics at the Ningxia Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Research Institute of TCM, once a disc protrudes, it is difficult to return it to its original position. The goal of TCM treatment is to achieve harmony between the body and the herniated disc.
Why Does the Lumbar Disc Protrude?
A disc is like an elastic “washer” between two vertebral bodies, with its edge surrounded by fibrous rings and a soft collagenous nucleus in the middle, separated from the vertebral bodies above and below by thin layers of cartilage plates. When external force damage, chronic strain, or other reasons cause damage to the outer fibrous ring, some of the nucleus pulposus may break through the fibrous ring's constraints and protrude from the weaker areas—this is known as a herniated lumbar disc. The protruding nucleus can produce inflammatory stimulation or mechanically compress the sinuvertebral nerves that innervate the lumbar spine and the sciatic nerve roots that innervate the lower limbs, causing a series of symptoms such as lower back and leg pain.
Dr. Ma Hongwei explained that discs have elasticity, which can buffer pressure and bear the weight of the head while stabilizing the spine, and also have certain motion functions. A normal disc nucleus contains 80% water, and the annulus fibrosus contains 65% water; as age increases, the water content gradually decreases, and the disc loses its elasticity and toughness, making it prone to degeneration. Herniated discs occur on the basis of degeneration and commonly occur in the L4-L5 and L5-S1 intervertebral spaces, where the lumbar spine bears the greatest and most concentrated force.
Symptom Elimination Is Equivalent to Cure
According to Dr. Ma Hongwei, based on the clinical changes seen in CT imaging of a large number of cases, although conservative treatment can eliminate symptoms and signs, achieving clinical cure standards, it cannot fundamentally eliminate the herniated disc, and the protrusion still exists. This is because once a disc ruptures and protrudes, the intervertebral space becomes narrower than before, and since the protrusion adheres to the surrounding tissues, it is difficult to return to its original position. However, this does not mean that conservative treatment is ineffective. In fact, the human body has a strong self-repairing ability. When the disc is damaged, various treatments merely help it repair more quickly, so the spine reaches a new state of balance.
Clinical observations have found that many patients with imaging showing bulging or protrusion do not have obvious lower back or leg pain, or only mild discomfort, indicating that humans can often coexist harmoniously with herniated discs. On the other hand, some patients experience severe lower back and leg pain despite a not particularly serious protrusion, significantly impacting their quality of life. What is going on? Studies have found that mild nerve root compression alone does not cause significant pain, but the protruding nucleus can trigger immune and inflammatory reactions, suggesting that the severity of pain symptoms is closely related to the degree of inflammation produced by the individual.
Therefore, patients should not overly worry about whether the protrusion has been completely eliminated or returned to its original position. As long as active and standardized treatment is received, the inflammation subsides, and the symptoms naturally disappear; the vast majority of herniated discs can coexist harmoniously with the patient. Some people might say that surgical treatment is better and can achieve a complete cure. However, this is not necessarily true. Even if surgery is performed, only part of the protruding disc tissue can be removed, and it is impossible to completely excise it. When the lumbar spine is subjected to force post-surgery, the remaining disc tissue may still protrude, leading to recurrence. Only in rare cases where conservative treatment is ineffective or when the nucleus pulposus has entered the spinal canal would surgery be considered.
TCM Treatment Has Its Own Methods
The internal cause of this disease is insufficient congenital kidney qi, and the external cause is repeated trauma, chronic strain, and invasion by wind-cold-dampness. The primary pathogenesis is kidney deficiency, obstruction of the meridians by evil, stagnation of qi and blood, and disharmony of the nutritive and defensive qi, leading to blockage of the meridians of the waist and legs and resulting in pain. Dr. Ma Hongwei believes that treatment should primarily involve comprehensive TCM therapy, including bed rest, traction, oral TCM, massage, etc.
Oral TCM
For qi stagnation and blood stasis type, treatment should aim to promote the circulation of qi and blood, soothe the liver, and unblock the meridians, using modified Fuyuan Huoxue Decoction. For cold-dampness obstruction type, treatment should aim to dispel cold and dampness and warm the meridians and unblock the meridians, using modified Ganjiang Ling Zhu Decoction. For damp-heat obstruction type, treatment should aim to clear heat and dampness, unblock the meridians, and relieve pain, using modified Si Miao Powder. For liver-kidney deficiency type, treatment should aim to replenish the kidney essence and strengthen the tendons and bones; for those with yang deficiency, use modified Yougui Pill as the main formula; for those with yin deficiency, use modified Zuogui Pill as the main formula. All these formulas need to be taken under the guidance of a professional TCM practitioner.
Massage and Meridian Adjustment
Commonly, massage techniques are used, rubbing, pinching, rolling, and pushing along the meridians to relax the muscles of the waist and legs, relieve muscle spasm, unblock the meridians, and promote blood circulation; then, spinal manipulation techniques can be used to adjust joint spacing, release adhesions of the nerve roots, and improve the relationship between the nerve roots and the protruding disc.
Patients can also perform acupressure on the following points: Shenshu (on the waist, 1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the second lumbar spinous process), Yaoyangguan (on the waist, in the depression below the fourth lumbar spinous process), Weizhong (in the center of the popliteal fossa, between the biceps femoris tendon and the semitendinosus tendon), Yanglingquan (on the lateral side of the lower leg, in the depression anterior and inferior to the head of the fibula), Sanyinjiao (on the medial side of the lower leg, 3 cun above the tip of the inner malleolus, posterior to the tibial border), Kunlun (on the lateral side of the ankle, in the depression midway between the tip of the lateral malleolus and the Achilles tendon), etc., applying finger pressure for about 2-3 minutes per point, 1-2 times daily.
In addition, moxibustion with moxa sticks can be used on the above points until the skin appears flushed. This can have the effect of replenishing kidney essence, dispelling wind and dampness, and unblocking the meridians and activating circulation.
Functional Exercise
Functional exercise is also known as exercise therapy. Dr. Ma Hongwei emphasized that TCM treatment emphasizes the holistic view, considering the human body as a unified organic whole. Both whole-body movement and back muscle exercise are important to better promote recovery. Exercise therapy, as part of the overall treatment and rehabilitation for herniated discs, has become increasingly valued. It has the role of preventing initial onset and recurrence, alleviating pain symptoms, and preventing deterioration of the condition.
It is recommended to engage in moderate whole-body exercise, such as walking, jogging, swimming, practicing Tai Chi, etc., to prevent muscle atrophy. At the same time, strengthening the back muscles and lower limb muscles is important, practicing movements such as flying swallow touching water, five-point support, straight leg raising, supine cycling, etc.
Dietary Therapy Recommendations
Angelica and Ginger Lamb Soup
Ingredients: 500 grams of lamb, 30 grams of angelica, 30 grams of ginger, 10 jujubes.
Method: Wash the lamb, cut into pieces, blanch in boiling water, and drain; wash the angelica and ginger, slice the ginger. Put the lamb, angelica, ginger