OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the clinical efficacy on cervical spondylosis between acupuncture at three lines of cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) and oral administration of jingfukang granules.

METHODSThree hundred cases of cervical spondylosis were divided into an acupuncture group and a medication group, 150 cases in each one. In the acupuncture group, according to the different types of cervical spondylosis, acupuncture was applied at three lines of cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2), once a day. In the medication group, jingfukang granules were prescribed for oral administration, one bag each time, three times a day. The treatment of ten days made one session in the two groups and two sessions were required totally. Before and after two sessions of treatment, the clinical assessment scale for cervical spondylosis (CASCS) was adopted to evaluate the score of subjective symptoms, clinical physical signs and adaptability as well as the total score in the patients of the two groups and the efficacy was compared.

RESULTSThe patients' symptoms and physical signs were alleviated, the adaptability was improved and the score of each item and the total score were increased in the two groups after treatment (all P<0.01). The improvements in the acupuncture group were better than those in the medication group (all P<0.01). The curative and markedly effective rate was 90.7% (136/150) in the acupuncture group, better than 66.0% (99/150) in the medication group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at three lines of cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) achieves the significant clinical efficacy on cervical spondylosis. This therapy is superior to relieving symptoms and physical signs and recovering adaptability as compared with jingfukang granules.