[Clinical effect of grain-moxibustion combined with acupuncture in treating cervical spondylosis with neck pain].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the differences in the clinical effects on cervical spondylosis with neck pain between the grain-moxibustion combined with acupuncture and simple acupuncture.

METHODS

Eighty-eight cervical spondylosis patients with neck pain who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 44 cases in each one. The patients in the control group were treated with conventional acupuncture, and grain-moxibustion was applied on the basis treatment of the control group in the observation group. The treatment was given 3 times a week, once every other day, 10 times as one course, and followed up after 6 months. Northwick Park neck pain inventory (NPQ) and the McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ) of the two groups before and after treatment and 6 months follow-up were observed. The clinical efficacy was compared.

RESULTS

After one course of treatment in both groups, the effective rate was 84.1% (37/44) in the control group and 86.4% (38/44) in the observation group; after 6 months follow-up, the effective rate was 79.5% (35/44) in the control group, and 81.8% (36/44) in the observation group. There was no significant difference in overall efficacy between the two groups (both P>0.05). Compared before treatment, the NPQ scores and MPQ scores were decreased at the end of one course of treatment and after 6 months follow-up in the two groups (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in NPQ scores and MPQ scores between the two groups after one course of treatment (both P>0.05), but the NPQ scores and MPQ scores in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group after 6 months follow-up (both P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The immediate efficacy of grain-moxibustion combined with acupuncture for cervical spondylosis with neck pain is similar to that of simple acupuncture, however, the long-term curative effect is better.