OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects of needle-knife therapy and acupuncture on cervical spondylosis.

METHODSMulti-central clinical randomized controlled trial was adopted. The patients were divided into a needle-knife treatment group treated with needle-knife therapy at the upper and lower interspinal ligaments of the affected vertebral body and bilateral posterior joint capsules; and the acupuncture control group were treated with acupuncture at Laozhen, Ashi points and cervical Jiaji points, etc. The short-term and the long-term therapeutic effects were observed at the end of the therapeutic course and 6 months after the end of the therapeutic course.

RESULTSThe short-term therapeutic effect and the long-term therapeutic effect were 91.3% and 94.7% in the needle-knife treatment group and 59.4% and 56.6% in the acupuncture control group, respectively, with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe needle-knife treatment in the therapeutic effect on cervical spondylosis is superior to acupuncture treatment.