Objective: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of cervical spondylosis treated with massage and needle pricking.

Methods: (l) Massage. The traction and rotation manipulation were applied to the cervical vertebrae. The patient was in a sitting position. The operator stood behind the patient with one hand stabilizing the occiput and the other elbow supporting the lower jaw. The cervical vertebras were pulled up gently and rotated for 5 times, then the neck was turned to one side with traction and when the neck was turned to the limit, a sudden turning in certain solitude was given, at this moment a click was heard in one or more vertebras. The same manipulation was repeated with the neck turning to the other side; (2) Needle Pricking. I. Needle: The reformed the hook needle was designed, composed of the handle and needle. II. Location: The points were selected on the affected area, i.e. the tip of the spinal process of the affected vertebra, the crossing points formed by the bilateral lines of the tip of the spinal process of C7 and the lateral superior border of the superior posterior serratus muscle. Those three points were taken as the basic (experienced) points, and called "neck take points". The supplementary points were selected based on the symptoms. For headache, dizziness and tinnitus, the point located in the midpoint of the posterior hairline was added. For numbness and radiating pain of the upper extremity, the point located in the depression of the posterior inferior of the head of humerus in front of the axilla was added. III. Manipulation: The patient was asked to take a sitting position. After routine sterilization in the pricked area, the local anesthesia was given the about 2% procaine 0.2ml. The hook needle was inserted to the deep subcutaneous region and the subcutaneous tissues were hooked. The pulling, lifting, rotating, vibrating and impacting methods were applied. The rhythmic movement, small amplitude and high frequency were required without emphasis on breaking fiber tissues and bleeding amount. The pricking on each point lasted for 4 minutes. After treatment, the local area was dressed. The massage and needle-Pricking therapy was applied once every 5 to 7 days and 2 treatments made one course. During the treatment the patient was advised to do some functional exercise. In the acute stage, resting was required and in the chronic stage, the functional exercise, as anteflekion, hypsokinesis, rotation and lateral flexion of the neck should be done.

Results: of 500 cases, 335 cases were cured, 98 cured in 2 course treatment and 237 cases in 3 to 4 courses; 100 cases were remarkably effective, 60 cases effective and 5 cases had no effect. The curing rate was 67% and the total effective rate was 99%. The following-up survey was given for the cases, which were cured and remarkably effective for more than two years and showed that 7 cases of cured patients (2%) and 35 cases with remarkable effect (35%) were recurred. The comprehensive treatment with medicine involved was applied for those recurred cases and the better results were received again.

By Lian Changhua