The Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture in Relieving Neurogenic Claudication Among Patients With Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: a Randomized Controlled Trial
The clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in alleviating neurogenic claudication symptoms among patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).
• Meet the diagnosis criteria of LSS;
• Aged between 50-80 years;
• Neurogenic claudication (NC) for more than 3 months;
• Able to walk for at least 20 meters continually without device assistance, and forced to stopped walking out of NC within 30 mins in the meanwhile;
• The average pain of buttocks and/or legs scores≥4 on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) when walking, standing, or extending the back in the past week;
• More severe pain in the buttock and/or leg than in the lower back;
• Score at least 7 on Modified Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire（RMDQ）;
• Central sagittal diameter stenosis of lumbar spinal canal as manifested by MRI or CT scan;
• Volunteer to participate the trial and provide written informed consent.