OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects, safety and tolerance of TCM, western medicine and integrated Chinese and western medicine for treatment of acute lumbosacral pain induced by prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.

METHODSNinety cases were randomly divided into 3 groups, 30 cases in each group. They were treated respectively with western medicine, TCM and combined TCM and western medicine, and the pain intensity, activity, muscular tension, and other indexes were monitored after 7 days and 30 days of treatment.

RESULTSAfter treatment of 7 days, the combined treatment group in improvement of VAS scores of lumbosacral pain and radiating pain of the lower limbs was superior to the TCM group with no significant difference between the two groups, and in improvement of VAS scores of lumbosacral pain and radiating pain of the lower limbs, Lasegue's sign, activity of spinal column (Schober test and distance from finger tip to floor), etc. were superior to the western medicine group (P < 0.05). After treatment of 30 days, there was no significant differences in the therapeutic effect among the 3 groups. The patients in the 3 groups had good tolerance with no severe adverse reaction.

CONCLUSIONCombined TCM and western medicine treatment has rapid effects and definite therapeutic effect in alleviating pain, improving activity for acute lumbosacral pain induced by prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.