OBJECTIVETo probe into clinical value of comprehensive program of acupuncture, moxibustion and massage as main for treatment of cervical spondylopathy of the nerve root type.

METHODSFive centers, single blind, randomized controlled method were used, 660 cases were divided into a treatment group of 317 cases and a control group of 311 cases. They were treated respectively with comprehensive program of acupuncture, moxibustion and massage as main, and comprehensive program of physical therapy as main. Establish syndrome detection scale and multiply dimensional effect assessment indexes, and evaluate the therapeutic effects and safety.

RESULTSThe cured rate, the cured-markedly effective rate were 42.9%, 64.4% in the treatment group, respectively, better than 16.7%, 36.3% in the control group (P<0.01); after treatment of 2 weeks, clinical symptoms improved in the both groups, but the treatment group was better than the control group in the improvement degrees of neck-shoulder-limb pain, neck rigidity, abnormality of cervical anteflexion, etc. (P<0.01 or P<0.05); the treatment group was shorter than the control group in the time of producing the effect and therapeutic course (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONComprehensive program of acupuncture, moxibustion and massage as main is safe and effective for treatment of cervical spondylopathy, with a better therapeutic effect compared with the comprehensive program of physical therapy.