Curative effect of scraping therapies on lumbar muscle strain

In this study of scraping therapy 210 patients with lumbar muscle strain were divided in five groups (n=42). Two groups – the ‘scraping therapy at acupoint (Shenshu BL-23 and Weizhong BL-40) until appearance of skin eruptions’ group and the ‘scraping therapy along channel (Bladder channel in lower back and legs) until appearance of skin eruptions’ group – received treatment in courses of four days until the skin eruptions had disappeared, and represented the ‘reducing’ type of scraping therapy (with strong force and rapid strokes for a short duration). Two other groups – the ‘scraping therapy at acupoint without appearance of skin eruptions’ group and the ‘scraping therapy along channel without appearance of skin eruptions’ group – were treated for courses of two days, and represented the ‘reinforcing’ type of scraping (with gentle force, slowly and for a long time). Finally, an acupuncture group (needling at Shenshu BL-23 and Weizhong BL-40) received treatment in courses of two-days. All groups were assessed after seven treatment courses, and treatment was stopped if symptoms disappeared. Results were measured according to a visual analogue scale, the Oswestry Disability Index and a ‘lumbago score’ after each treatment and at follow-up one and three months post-treatment. All five groups were found to improve, but scraping along the channel until the appearance of skin eruptions was found to be significantly more effective than the other therapies. The authors conclude that scraping along channels (rather than at points) to elicit skin eruptions is necessary for scraping therapy to be effective. [Aug 2013]