[Rolling needle pricking-cupping therapy and traditional pricking-cupping therapy for cervical spondylosis of neck type: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical efficacy between rolling needle pricking-cupping (RNP-C) and traditional pricking-cupping (TP-C) for cervical spondylosis of neck type.

METHODS

A total of 96 patients with cervical spondylosis of neck type were randomly divided into an RNP-C group, a TP-C group and an electroacupuncture (EA) group, 32 cases in each group. Each group was treated with EA at Jingbailao (EX-HN 15), Fengchi (GB 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Jianjing (GB 21) and points with continuous wave and 2 Hz of frequency; each EA treatment lasted for 20 min, once every 3 to 5 days, totaling 6 treatments. On the basis of EA treatment, the patients in the TP-C group were treated with bloodletting by seven-star needle, followed by fire cupping; the patients in the RNP-C group were treated with bloodletting by rolling needle, followed by fire cupping. The treatment was given once a week for 4 weeks. The follow-up was 1 month. Before treatment, 2 and 4 weeks into treatment and follow-up, the Northwick Park neck-pain questionnaire (NPQ) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were evaluated. The acupuncture pain degree was recorded at the first treatment and 2 and 4 weeks into treatment. The efficacy was evaluated after 4 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

Compared before treatment, the scores of NPQ and VAS in each group were all reduced at 2 and 4 weeks into treatment and follow-up (<0.05). The scores of NPQ in the TP-C group and the RNP-C group were lower than those in the EA group at 2 and 4 weeks into treatment (<0.05). The scores of VAS in the TP-C group and the RNP-C group were lower than those in the EA group at 2 and 4 weeks into treatment and follow-up (<0.05). The differences of NPQ and VAS scores between the TP-C group and the RNP-C group at each time point after treatment were not significant (>0.05). The acupuncture pain degree in the RNP-C group was lower than that in the TP-C group (<0.05). The total effective rates were 79.3% (23/29) in the TP-C group and 75.0% (24/32) in the RNP-C group, which was superior to 63.3% (19/30) in the EA group (<0.05), but there was no statistical significance between the TP-C group and the RNP-C group (>0.05).

CONCLUSION

TP-C and RNP-C could both improve the cervical pain symptoms in patients with cervical spondylosis of neck type, and improve the overall function of the cervical spine, and the curative effect is similar.