One common source of both low back and leg discomfort is a herniated disc in the Lumbar Spine (PLID). Prevalence estimates for PLID range from 1.9% in men to 7.6% in women, with no clear pattern emerging [1]. Patients with PLID are more prone to have back pain, lower back pain (including sciatica), quadra equines syndromes and radicular discomfort as a result of nerve root compression [2,3]. This causes pain to go through the leg. Collagen, proteoglycan and glycosaminoglycan are all components of lumbar discs. As a consequence, spinal cord pressure is reduced. Degenerative disc disease is characterized by impaired fatty acid synthesis by fibrochondrocytes [4,5]. When a disc dries out and compresses, it puts more stress on the surrounding annulus fibrosus. When subjected to extreme stress, a disc's elasticity might break down, perhaps allowing its contents to spill out. Under severe biomechanical loads, the annular fibers of a healthy disc may rupture and allow some of the disc's contents to flow out. When the annulus fibrosus or annulus ossificans ruptures from an intervertebral disc owing to a pathology known as condiververtebral dissection, this condition is referred to in the medical community as a slipped or sliding disc (PLID). Bowel and bladder dysfunction are considered medical emergencies and should be treated as such. Possible causes of your leg and back discomfort include a slipped or herniated disc in your lower back. In certain cases, leg discomfort, numbness and tingling might be caused by a herniated disc. These factors further exacerbate the already dire situation. When the matrix of the intervertebral disc dries out, prolapsed disc disease may ensue. Degeneration of the lumbar disc is only one of the disorders that falls under the umbrella term "lumbar disc disease," which also includes other potential sources of lower back and sciatic nerve pain. This illustration shows a herniated disc in the lumbar region of the spine. About a third of all cases of back pain may be traced back to lumbar disc degeneration. Muscle weakness and numbness might occur if the herniation puts pressure on the nerves that provide sensation to the skin. Pain that travels down one leg and into the foot is a common symptom of nerve damage, often starting in the buttocks or hips (sciatica). However much expertise a motorist may have, their probability of being involved in an accident rises when PLID is present. One of the most hazardous jobs for women is that of a domestic worker, private sector service provider, or seamstress. These women are just as common as males in their professional sectors. Worker hospitalization rates are higher when PLID is present, according to medical statistics.

A 45-year-old male patient who had been experiencing steadily increasing low back pain for the previous seven years sought treatment at our facility. In this experiment that took place in a laboratory setting under controlled conditions, the measuring tool that was used was the MRl of the lumbosacral spine. The MRI results thecal sac indentation with bilateral lateral recess effacement at L4-L5 level due to posterior disc bulge with facet-flaval hypertrophy. Thecal sac indentation at L1-L2 level due to posterior disc herniation. Thecal sac indentation at L5-S1 level due to posterior disc bulge. Early degenerative change was seen in lumber spine. The presence of PLID is consistent with these findings.

Low back pain is often treated initially using mobilization, manipulation and stretching of the lumbar spine, as well as acupuncture of the lower back. Lumbar motion and manipulation are among the methods we utilize to put the patient at ease. Results from the follow-up study were encouraging and the overall conclusion reached was upbeat as well. A 12^th session of acupuncture on the patient's lower back resulted in a noticeable improvement in his condition, he said. To the patient's complete surprise, his chronic lower back pain suddenly started to subside (Figure 1A and B).

The majority of complaints are related to the spine, with back pain and prolapsed intervertebral discs being the most prevalent causes of discomfort. As a result, back pain has surpassed all other orthopedic conditions in prevalence (lower back pain). Lumbar intervertebral disc prolapse is often treated surgically by fenestration of the vertebral lamina [6]. Clinical trials show that this medicine is safe to use and effective at reducing inflammation, decreasing tumor size, increasing blood flow and clearing up collateral vessels and arteries [7]. The concepts of channels and collaterals are fundamental to the practice of acupuncture and moxibustion and should not be underestimated by practitioners. We'll go even further into these ideas in the next paragraphs. The muscles and the neurological system operate in tandem to create communication and functional routes. This has been shown via joint work between the two systems. A 60-year-old woman attended our clinic complaining of low back pain she'd been having for nearly seven years. Adjusting to such excruciating pain was a difficult process. Many of the tests were conducted by us, but we did it independently and paid for the materials ourselves. The lumbar spine was measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in this controlled laboratory study. The patient's MRI findings reveal that he or she has a posterior disc bulge with facet-flaval hypertrophy at the L4-L5 level, causing thecal sac depression with bilateral lateral recess effacement. A herniated disc in the lumbar spine causes an indentation in the thecal sac between the L1 and L2 vertebrae. A posterior disc bulging at the L5-S1 level causes an indentation of the lateral ventricular wall of the thecal sac. Lumbar spine degeneration was detected at an early stage. These results are consistent with PLID being present.

Someone involved in this scenario is denoted by the acronym PLID. Acupuncture and physical therapy, used together, helped alleviate the patient's symptoms. When all factors were considered, it was clear that this was the best option. After 12 sessions of acupuncture, the patient reported a substantial reduction in their lower back pain. Even so, the illness was successfully treated with medicine.

                               (A)

                         (B)

Figure 1A, B: Giving Acupuncture at the Lumber Region

Experts were taken aback by the findings of the follow-up study. After the twelfth acupuncture session, the patient reported decreased discomfort in her lower back. The pain in my back has fully subsided. The use of acupuncture for the treatment of prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc has been shown to be successful (PLID).

1. Wu, J.P. et al. Surgery. Beijing: Public Health Publishing House, 2000, pp. 2216–2221.

2. Kim, K.H. et al. "Acupuncture for Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomised Pilot Trial." Acupuncture in Medicine: Journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, vol. 34, no. 4, 2016, pp. 267–274. https://doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2015-010962.

3. Glazov, G. et al. "Low-level laser therapy for chronic non-specific low back pain: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials." Acupuncture in Medicine: Journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society, vol. 34, no. 5, 2016, pp. 328–341. https://doi.org/10.1136/acupmed-2015-011036.

4. Zhang, Y. et al. "Chinese massage combined with core stability exercises for nonspecific low back pain: A randomized controlled trial." Complementary Therapies in Medicine, vol. 23, no. 1, 2015, pp. 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2014.12.005.

5. Tang, S. et al. "Treating low back pain resulted from lumbar degenerative instability using Chinese Tuina combined with core stability exercises: A Randomized Controlled Trial." Complementary Therapies in Medicine, vol. 25, 2016, pp. 45–50.

6. Shin, B.J. "Risk factors for recurrent lumbar disc herniations." Asian Spine Journal, vol. 8, no. 2, 2014, pp. 211–215. https://doi.org/10.4184/asj.2014.8.2.211.

7. Su, G. et al. "The clinical observation of treating lumbar disc herniation resulted from stagnancy of both blood and Qi using acupuncture." Chinese Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, vol. 23, 2011, pp. 320–322.