Effects of Different Electroacupuncture Frequencies in Young Adults with Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND

Chronic neck pain (CNP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder and a major contributor to disability. Although acupuncture is beneficial for CNP, evidence on the optimal treatment frequency, particularly in young adults, remains limited.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical efficacy of different electroacupuncture treatment frequencies in young adults with CNP.

METHODS

In this single-center, three-arm randomized controlled trial, 90 young adults with CNP were randomized 1:1:1 to three sessions per week (TSWA), one session per week (OSWA), or a waiting-list control (WL). Both acupuncture groups received bilateral electroacupuncture at Jingbailao (EX-HN15) and Jianzhongshu (SI15) for 30 min per session for 4 weeks. Participants and the treating acupuncturist were not blinded; outcome assessors and statisticians were blinded. The primary outcome was the Northwick Park Questionnaire (NPQ). Secondary outcomes were VAS, SF-MPQ, PPT, and PTO. Analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle with multiple imputation.

RESULTS

All 90 randomized participants were included in the analysis. Significant group-by-time interactions were observed for all outcomes (all P < 0.001). At week 4, both acupuncture groups were superior to WL. TSWA was also superior to OSWA for NPQ (P = 0.0196), VAS (P = 0.0042), SF-MPQ (P = 0.0200), and PTO (P = 0.0038), but not PPT (P = 0.0869). At 4-week follow-up, TSWA remained superior to OSWA only for VAS (P = 0.007); NPQ and SF-MPQ no longer differed significantly between groups.

CONCLUSION

Both treatment frequencies improved pain, functional disability, and selected pain-threshold outcomes compared with WL. Three sessions per week produced greater short-term benefit, but its longer-term advantage was limited and was retained only for VAS at follow-up.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry, ITMCTR2025001658.