[Chronic neck pain of cervical spondylosis treated with acupuncture and moxibustion in terms of the heart and kidney theory: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion on chronic neck pain of cervical spondylosis in terms of the heart and kidney theory. METHODS: One hundred and eleven cases were randomized into a heart-kidney acupuncture group (55 cases) and a conventional acupuncture group (56 cases). In the heart-kidney acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to Bailao (EX-HN 15), Shenmen (HT 7) and Wangu (SI 4). Afterwards, the direct moxibustion was applied to Dazhui (GV 14), Xinshu (BL 15) and Shenshu (BL 23). After moxibustion, the intradermal needling therapy was provided at Bailao (EX-HN 15), Xinshu (BL 15) and Shenshu (BL 23). In the conventional acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to Bailao (EX-HN 15) and Zhongzhu (TE 3) at first. Afterwards, the direct moxibustion was done at Dazhui (GV 14), Bailao (EX-HN 15) and Jianzhongshu (SI 15). After moxibustion, the interdermal needling therapy was provided at Bailao (EX-HN 15) and Jianzhongshu (SI 15). The northwick park pain questionnaire (NPQ) was adopted as the main efficacy index for the evaluation. RESULTS: After the intervention and during the follow-up visit period, NPQ scores were all reduced remarkably as compared with those before the intervention for the patients in two groups (all P < 0.001), but the differences were not statistically significant in groups (all P > 0.05). By the age stratification analysis for the patients in two groups, the program in terms of the heart and kidney theory achieved the superior efficacy for the patients over 45 years old as compared with those in the conventional acupuncture group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). By the stratification analysis of the sick duration, the program in terms of the heart and kidney theory achieved the superior efficacy for the patients with over 7 years sick duration as compared with those in the conventional acupuncture group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The acupuncture and moxibustion therapeutic program in terms of the heart and kidney theory achieves the superior efficacy on chronic pain of cervical spondylosis for the patients over 45 years old and with over 7 years sick duration. It is one of the optimized programs for the treatment of this disease.