Objective To investigate the efficacy of sling-exercise therapy on cervicogenic headache. Methods 60 patients with cervicogenic headache were divided into 2 groups with 30 patients each. Group I received paravertebral block of C2 once a week for 4 weeks, and Group II received sling-exercise therapy 3 times a week in addition. The Visual Analogue Score (VAS), frequency of pain (per month) before and 1, 3, 6 months after treatment were recorded, and the incidence of improvement was observed. Results In group I, VAS significantly improved 1 and 3 months after treatment (P<0.001), while it lasted 6 months in group II (P<0.001). The VAS improved more in group II 3, 6 months after treatment (P<0.001). It was similar in pain frequency. The incidence of improvement was 33.3% (10/30) and 73.3% (22/30) in group I and group II, respectively (P<0.01). Conclusion Sling-exercise therapy may improve the efficacy of paravertebral block on cervicogenic headache, especially for the long-term.

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy difference in dysantonomia between transcutaneous electrical stimulation at Renying(ST 9) combined with stellate ganglion block(SGB) and simple SGB.

METHODSSixty patients in accord with the diagnostic criteria of dysantonomia were randomly divided into two groups,30 cases in each group. In the observation group,transcutaneous electrical stimulation at Renying(ST 9) combined with SGB were adopted; in the control group,simple SGB was applied. In the two groups, treatment was used three times a week,and nine treatments were considered as one course. There was an interval of one week between courses,and two courses were treated. Total seven weeks were required. Scores were evaluated according to subjective symptoms before treatment,one month and three months after treatment in the two groups.

RESULTSThe scores of subjective symptoms were not statistically different before treatment in the two groups(P>0. 05). The scores of subjective symptoms one month and three months after treatment were all lower than those before treatment(all P< 0. 01), and subjective symptoms scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group(both P<0. 01).

CONCLUSIONTranscutaneous electrical stimulation at Renying(ST 9) combined with SGB could obviously enhance the clinical effects for dysantonomia, and the control and improvement for clinical symptoms are apparently superior to simple SGB.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Anesthetics ; administration & dosage ; Autonomic Nerve Block ; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stellate Ganglion ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; Young Adult