Objective:To observe the clinical effect of‘setting fire on the mountain’ manipulation by Lu Shou-yan for cervical radiculopathy as well as the infrared thermographic changes of the cervical area before and after treatment.
Methods:A total of 120 eligible cases with cervical radiculopathy were randomly allocated into an observation group and a control group, 60 in each group. Cases in the observation group were treated with Lu Shou-yan’s ‘setting fire on the mountain’ manipulation, whereas cases in the control group were treated with even reinforcing-reducing manipulation. After two courses of treatment, the infrared thermographic changes and overall therapeutic efficacies in the two groups were compared.
Results: The recovery rate and total effective rate in the observation group were 68.3%and 98.3%respectively, versus 28.3%and 81.7%in the control group, showing statistical differences in recovery rate and total effective rate (both P<0.01). There was between-group statistical significance in comparing the infrared thermography after treatment (P<0.01).
Conclusion:‘Setting fire on the mountain’ manipulation by Lu Shou-yan is better than even reinforcing-reducing manipulation for cervical radiculopathy.