Lumbar disc herniation is a common age-related disease. Although it is not life-threatening, it seriously affects the work and life of patients. Generally, it can be relieved by cupping therapy. So, what are the cupping positions for lumbar disc herniation?
Locations for Cupping on Intervertebral Disc Herniation
Kidney Yu Acupoint
1. Location of Kidney Yu Acupoint:
Kidney Yu Acupoint is located in the lower back, 1.5 inches below the spinous process of the second lumbar vertebra.
2. Method of Acupoint Selection for Kidney Yu Acupoint:
The patient lies prone, and the acupoint is located 1.5 inches beside the lower border of the second lumbar vertebra, beside the Gate of Life (Du Channel).
3. Functions of Kidney Yu Acupoint:
It disperses heat from the kidneys. Kidney Yu Acupoint benefits the kidneys, aids in yang energy, strengthens the lower back, promotes urination, regulates kidney qi, strengthens the waist and spine, and improves hearing and vision.
Large Intestine Yu Acupoint
1. Location of Large Intestine Yu Acupoint:
Large Intestine Yu Acupoint is located in the spine area of the lower back, 1.5 inches beside the spinous process of the fourth lumbar vertebra.
2. Method of Acupoint Selection for Large Intestine Yu Acupoint:
Large Intestine Yu Acupoint is located in the spine area, 1.5 inches beside the spinous process of the fourth lumbar vertebra. The patient lies prone.
3. Functions of Large Intestine Yu Acupoint:
Large Intestine Yu Acupoint regulates and harmonizes the intestines, and promotes the movement of qi.
Ba Liao Acupoint
1. Location of Ba Liao Acupoint:
Ba Liao refers to the combination of Upper Liao, Second Liao, Middle Liao, and Lower Liao. The specific location corresponds to the four pairs of posterior sacral foramina on the sacrum, making a total of eight acupoints.
2. Method of Acupoint Selection for Ba Liao Acupoint:
Ba Liao Acupoint is located on the sacrum. It is also known as Upper Liao, Second Liao, Middle Liao, and Lower Liao. The eight acupoints are located in the first, second, third, and fourth sacral foramina respectively, collectively known as the "eight acupoints."
3. Functions of Ba Liao Acupoint:
Ba Liao Acupoint treats diseases of the lumbar and sacral regions, lower back pain, sciatica, lower limb paralysis, difficulty urinating, irregular menstruation, abdominal distension and pain, pelvic inflammation, and other conditions.
Massage sensation: Local pressure produces a tingling sensation. Using rubbing can generate local heat and disperse it towards the lower abdomen.
Huan Tiao Acupoint
1. Location of Huan Tiao Acupoint:
Huan Tiao Acupoint is located on the outer side of the thigh. When lying on the side with the knee flexed, it is at the intersection of the outer one-third and middle one-third of the line connecting the most prominent point of the greater trochanter and the fissure of the sacral canal.
2. Method of Acupoint Selection for Huan Tiao Acupoint:
The patient lies on the side with the knee flexed, extends the lower leg, and flexes the upper leg to select the acupoint. Huan Tiao Acupoint is located in the hip area, at the intersection of the outer one-third and inner two-thirds of the line connecting the most prominent point of the greater trochanter and the fissure of the sacral canal.
3. Functions of Huan Tiao Acupoint:
Huan Tiao Acupoint is mainly used to treat diseases in the lumbar, leg, and lower limb areas. It is effective for conditions such as lumbar and hip pain, lower limb paralysis, knee and leg soreness, rheumatism, rubella, and edema.
Ju Jiao Acupoint
1. Location of Ju Jiao Acupoint:
Ju Jiao Acupoint is located at the midpoint of the anterior superior iliac spine and the most prominent point of the greater trochanter of the femur.
2. Method of Acupoint Selection for Ju Jiao Acupoint:
Touch the upper end of the pelvis from the waist to the abdomen, and you will find the most anterior side of the pelvis. This acupoint is located about 1 finger's breadth below the front side. When selecting the acupoint, lie on your side, extend the lower leg, and flex the upper leg.
3. Functions of Ju Jiao Acupoint:
Ju Jiao Acupoint benefits the kidneys, strengthens tendons, and promotes blood circulation.
Cheng Fu Acupoint
1. Location of Cheng Fu Acupoint:
Located at the back of the thigh, at the midpoint of the gluteal crease.
2. Method of Acupoint Selection for Cheng Fu Acupoint:
Lie prone, and the acupoint is below the gluteal crease, at the junction of the thigh and buttocks, precisely at the midpoint of the gluteal crease. Pressing on the acupoint will produce a tingling sensation.
3. Functions of Cheng Fu Acupoint:
Cheng Fu Acupoint relaxes tendons, promotes blood circulation, and relieves hemorrhoids and constipation. It mainly treats pain in the waist, sacrum, buttocks, and thighs, sciatica, sequelae of infantile paralysis, hemorrhoids, constipation, and urinary retention.
Wei Zhong Acupoint
1. Location of Wei Zhong Acupoint:
Wei Zhong Acupoint is located at the midpoint of the popliteal crease, between the tendons of the biceps femoris and the semitendinosus muscle.
2. Method of Acupoint Selection for Wei Zhong Acupoint:
The patient should adopt a prone position, and Wei Zhong Acupoint is located at the midpoint of the popliteal crease, between the tendons of the biceps femoris and the semitendinosus muscle, specifically in the middle of the inner side of the knee.
3. Functions of Wei Zhong Acupoint:
Wei Zhong Acupoint clears heat, cools blood, relaxes tendons, improves blood circulation, dispels wind and dampness, relaxes tendons, promotes blood circulation, clears heat and summer heat, cools blood, and detoxifies.
Cheng Shan Acupoint
1. Location of Cheng Shan Acupoint:
Cheng Shan Acupoint is located in the middle of the back of the calf, between Wei Zhong and Kun Lun, where there is a triangular depression when the calf muscle is raised by lifting the foot or the heel.
2. Method of Acupoint Selection for Cheng Shan Acupoint:
The patient lies prone, extends the lower limbs, and raises the toes or heels to create a triangular depression in the lower part of the calf muscle. The acupoint is selected at the lower end of the triangle.
3. Functions of Cheng Shan Acupoint:
Cheng Shan Acupoint promotes the transformation of water and dampness, strengthens the spleen, relaxes tendons, activates blood circulation, regulates qi, relieves pain, relaxes tendons, activates blood circulation, and treats hemorrhoids.
A Shi Acupoint
For this type of acupoint, the location is generally determined based on the condition and can be near the lesion or at a distant site. There is no fixed location or name for these acupoints. The method of acupoint selection is based on pain, as people often say, "where there is pain, there is the acupoint."
Cupping Methods for Intervertebral Disc Herniation
Stationary Cupping Method
The patient lies prone and a moderately sized fire cup or vacuum cup is applied to the tender point, Kidney Yu, Large Intestine Yu, Ba Liao, Huan Tiao, Ju Jiao, Cheng Fu, Wei Zhong, Cheng Shan. The cup is left in place for 15-20 minutes. Treatment is administered once a day, with 10 treatments constituting one course.
Needle Cupping Method
The patient lies prone, and the affected side is first needled at the Kidney Yu, Large Intestine Yu, Ba Liao, Huan Tiao, Ju Jiao, waist tender point, and Wei Zhong, Cheng Shan acupoints. Then, a moderately sized fire cup is applied to the aforementioned acupoints and left in place for 10-15 minutes.
Moving Cupping Method
The patient lies prone, and a suitable amount of massage cream or ointment is applied to the waist area. A properly sized fire cup is applied to the area of pain in the waist while using a sliding movement up and down along the tender points to generate a redness in the local skin.
Pricking Meridian Cupping Method
The patient lies prone, and a plum blossom needle is used to tap the tender points in the waist until pinpoint bleeding occurs on the skin. Then, the cup is immediately applied to extract a small amount of blood to remove stasis. After cupping, the blood on the skin is wiped clean, and iodine is used to disinfect.
Exercises to Prevent Lumbar Disc Herniation
Prone Head Lift
The patient lies prone with the lower limbs extended and hands placed on both sides of the body. The head and upper body are lifted forcefully until the limit is reached, holding for 4-10 seconds. This exercise is performed 3 times in the morning, afternoon, and evening, with 8-20 repetitions each time. This movement primarily exercises the muscles of the lower back.
Prone Leg Lift
The patient remains prone with the lower limbs extended. The hands can be placed under the chin or on both sides of the body. The exercise involves forcefully lifting one leg while keeping the hip and knee joints extended, holding for 4-10 seconds at the limit. Then, switch to the other side for exercise. This exercise is performed 3 times in the morning, afternoon, and evening, with 8-20 repetitions each time. This movement mainly exercises the muscles of the lower back and glutes.
Abdominal Extension and Hip Stretch
The patient lies supine with the hips and knee joints flexed, using the soles of the feet to push against the surface of the bed. Then, the abdomen is extended and the hips are stretched, lifting the lower back off the bed into a bridge position until the limit is reached, holding for 4-10 seconds. This exercise is performed 3 times in the morning, afternoon, and evening, with 8-20 repetitions each time. This movement primarily exercises the muscles of the lower back and lower limbs.
How to Prevent Lumbar Disc Herniation
Prevention of lumbar disc herniation should start from school, home, work, and occupational training. It is necessary to understand the correct posture, pay attention to labor protection, and avoid accelerating degeneration of the intervertebral discs and injuries based on degeneration. Prevention measures should be taken from the following aspects:
(1) Many people feel more tired doing housework at home than working. This is because we often concentrate on a certain day to do a lot of housework, which is not advisable. Doing housework should balance work and rest.
(2) When washing vegetables, washing rice, or washing small items, it is best not to place the basin directly on the ground or at a too low position. It should be placed at a height that does not require excessive bending of the waist, reducing the burden on the waist. When picking vegetables, the vegetables should be placed on a suitable height table or sit on a stool of appropriate height to avoid excessive forward bending of the waist.
(3) When cutting vegetables or meat, it should be placed on a surface at an appropriate height to avoid excessive bending of the waist or twisting of the waist. It is best to keep the spine straight without leaning left or right, relying on any side. Try to avoid bending the waist.
(4) When sweeping or mopping the floor, the broom or mop handle should be lengthened to avoid excessive bending of the waist and strain on the lower back muscles. If the living space is too large, it can be cleaned in several sessions, and during the interval, the waist can be appropriately exercised to avoid back pain.
(5) When hanging clothes or cleaning high windows, a low stool should be used, as hanging clothes on a high clothesline or cleaning high windows requires standing on tiptoe, which increases the extension of the waist and can easily cause back pain. Standing on a low stool can help avoid this.
(6) The ironing board should be at the right height to avoid excessive bending of the waist.
(7) When picking up objects, avoid bending or twisting the waist. For example, when putting a baby into a stroller or on a bed, squat down and then place the baby, which reduces the load on the waist.
(8) When washing up, it is important to do some gentle exercises for the waist after getting up, such as back extension, rotation, and "stretching the laziness" to prevent the waist from going from a relatively static state to a sudden increase in waist load. Then, proceed with the morning routine. The correct posture for washing up is to squat with slightly bent knees and then bend forward, which can greatly reduce the pressure on the intervertebral discs and reduce the load on the waist. In addition, the position of the washbasin should not be too low to avoid excessive forward bending of the waist and increase the load on the waist.
(9) Correct way of putting on shoes: Place one foot on a small stool or adopt a squatting or sitting position to avoid injuring the back muscles and ligaments.
(10) When sneezing or coughing, if not careful, it can strain the back muscles and increase the pressure on the intervertebral discs. At this time, slightly flexing the knees and hip joints can avoid injury to the lumbar spine.
Lifestyle Care for Lumbar Disc Herniation
1. To prevent disc herniation, exercise should be strengthened to improve physical fitness, especially focusing on the exercise of the back muscles to improve blood circulation, promote metabolism, enhance muscle strength and stress resistance, and improve the stability, durability, and flexibility of the spine, especially the lumbar spine.
2. Develop good postures in daily life and work, and pay attention to the rationality of standing, sitting, and working postures, as well as the proper sleeping posture.
3. Follow the principles of human biomechanics, change positions reasonably, and avoid overloading in a single position, combining work and rest. For those who stand or sit for a long time, they should take the opportunity to change positions, even if it's just for a few minutes, which is very beneficial.
4. For patients with lumbar disc herniation, cupping therapy has a certain therapeutic effect in improving symptoms. For those who have the conditions, it is recommended to combine cupping therapy with massage reduction, acupuncture, physiotherapy, and other comprehensive treatments.
5. During the acute phase, rest on a hard bed and use a waistband to fix the waist.
6. Lumbar disc herniation has a certain recurrence rate. Once prodromal or recurrent signs appear, effective self-treatment methods can be used to control the condition.
