Evaluation of the clinical effect of acupuncture in treatment of neck pain in cervical spondylosis based on propensity score matching / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical effect and safety of acupuncture in treatment of neck pain due to cervical spondylosis.@*METHODS@#According to the patients' preference and acceptance for the interventions of neck pain induced by cervical spondylosis, an acupuncture group (221 cases) and a non-acupuncture group (251 cases) were divided. After the control of confounding factors with propensity score matching, 218 cases were included in either acupuncture group or non-acupuncture group. In the acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to Dazhui (GV 14), Baihui (GV 20), ashi points, bilateral neck-Jiaji (EX-B 2), Fengchi (GB 20), Houxi (SI 3), Shenmai (BL 62), etc. The treatment was given once daily, one course of intervention was composed of 5 treatments and 3 courses were included. In the non-acupuncture group, the oral administration of imrecoxib tablets and cobalt tablets was prescribed for 2 weeks. Before and after treatment, the scores of Northwick Park questionnaire (NPQ) and the simplified McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) were observed, and the safety was assessed in patients of the two groups.@*RESULTS@#After treatment completion, the scores of NPQ and SF-MPQ were all reduced when compared with those before treatment in each group (P<0.001), and the scores of NPQ and SF-MPQ in the acupuncture group were lower than those of the non-acupuncture group (P<0.001). The incidence of adverse reactions was 6.0% (13/218) in the acupuncture group and was 10.1% (22/218) in the non-acupuncture group, without statistical significance in comparison (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture is effective and safe in the relief of neck pain and the improvement of comprehensive quality of life in the patients with cervical spondylosis.

Mechanical properties of cervical spine manipulation with fine adjustment / 医用生物力学

Objective To analyze mechanical properties of cervical spine manipulation with fine adjustment, so as to provide mechanical data for popularization of such manipulation in clinic. Methods The founder, a skilled practitioner and a beginner of fine-adjusting manipulation operated the spinal fine-adjusting manipulation on two cervical vertebral segments of healthy subjects, respectively. The force data of thumbs were collected by FingerTPS Wireless System to analyze force differences between two thumbs while the force of right thumb was in its peak value, as well as regular pattern of the thumb force in relation with time. Results Significant differences were found between the maximum force of two thumbs in each subject (P＜0.001). The process of force application (from trough to peak, T1) was longer than that of force reduction (from peak to trough, T2) when all the subjects operated spinal fine-adjusting manipulation, showing significant differences (P＜0.001). Conclusions There exists the main and auxiliary hand during cervical spine manipulation with fine adjustment, which is actually a process of slow force application and rapid force reduction.