OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the efficacy of cervical spondylosis between the combined therapy of spinal balancing and the intervention of pathway of qi and the conventional acupuncture and massage therapy.

METHODSTwo hundred and seventy-four cases of cervical spondylosis were randomized into a spinal balancing group and a conventional acupuncture group, 137 cases in each one. In the spinal balancing group, the points on the pathway of qi on the head and on the abdomen were selected [the pathway of qi on the head: Baihui (GV 20), Tianzhu (BL 10), Wangu (GB 12) and the others; the pathway of qi on the abdomen: Shenshu (BL 23), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3) and the others]. The bimanual needling technique was applied in combination with spinal balancing therapy. In the conventional acupuncture group, the points were Jiaji (EX-B 2) (C3-C7), Fengchi (GB 20), Wangu (GB 12), Baihui (GV 20), etc. The conventional acupuncture technique and massage therapy were adopted. The neck pain questionnaire (NPQ) was adopted to assess the clinical efficacy of the two groups before and after treatment.

RESULTSNPQ score was all improved significantly after treatment in the two groups (all P < 0.05). The result in the spinal balancing group was superior to the conventional acupuncture group (P < 0.05). The curative and effective rate was 83.2% (114/137) in the spinal balancing group, which was better than 69.3% (95/137) in the conventional acupuncture group (P < 0.05). In terms of the types of cervical spondylosis, from high to low, the efficacy sequence was cervical type, nerve root type, vertebral artery type, sympathetic nerve type and spinal cord type.

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of spinal balancing and the intervention of pathway of qi achieves the superior efficacy on various types of cervical spondylosis as compared with the conventional acupuncture and massage therapy. It apparently relieves the symptoms and improves the life quality of the patients.