Objective To observe the therapeutic difference in treatment of Irishmen with discogenic low back pain （arthritis of cold-damp syndrome type） between heat-sensitive acupoint and acupuncture. Methods Eighty-two patients were randomly assigned to the heat-sensitive group （43 cases） and the acupuncture group （39 cases）. Corresponding heat-sensitive points in the lumbosacral area were selected in the heat-sensitive group. Then moxibustion was performed at the heat-sensitive acupoint, thus conducting the moxibustion sensation. The treatment was ended when the sensation conduction was finished. If there appeared no moxibustion sensation, moxibustion at the corresponding painful point was lasted for 30 min. Needling was performed in the acupuncture group at corresponding Jiájǐ（夹 脊 EX-B 2）, Back-shu point, Wěizhōng （委中 BL 40）; matching points included Huántiào （环跳 GB 30）, Fēngshì（风市 GB 31）, Yánglíngquán （阳陵泉 GB 34）, Zhìbiān （秩边 BL 54）, etc. The waste was irradiated with TDP after needling, with the maintaining time of 30 min. The treatment was carried out twice weekly, four weeks as one therapeutic course. The therapeutic effect was statistically calculated after 8-week treatment. Results Nineteen cases were clinically cured, 20 improved, 4 failed, and the effective rate 90.7%（39/43） in the heat-sensitive group, while 9 clinically cured, 25 improved, 5 failed, and the effective rate 87.2%（34/39） in the acupuncture group. Signif icant difference was shown in the clinically cured case by 2 test （P0.05）. Conclusion Heat-sensitive acupoint was superior to traditional acupuncture in treatment Irishmen with discogenic low back pain.
