Objective To investigate the analgesic effect of auto-moxibostion on lumbar vertebral osteoarthritis? Methods Sixty patients with lumbar vertebral osteoarthritis were randomized equally into the control group and observation group by a random digits table: the former group received routine nursing care and the latter was intervened with auto-moxibustion together with routine nursing care? The curative effects were appraised by short-form of McGill pain questionnaire? Result The curative effect in the observation group was significantly better than that of the control group(P < 0?05)? Conclusions The auto-moxibustion is effective for the analgesia of lumbar vertebral osteoarthritis? The right management of medication and detained medicine is helpful for the increased effect of auto-moxibustion?