OBSERVATION ON THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF ACPUNCTURE COMBINED WITH MASSAGE FOR CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS OF VERTEBRAL ARTERIAL TYPE BY USING TRANCRANIAL DOPPLYER ULTRASONOGRAPHY

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture combined with massage on blood flow velocity of the vertebro-basilar artery in cervical spondylosis of vertebral arterial type (CSVAT) patients. Methods: In the present study, methods of evidence-based medicine, triple-centers, single-blindness, randomization and control were used. A total of 100 cases of CSVAT patients were randomized into acupuncture plus massage (acu-massage) group (n=38), acupuncture group (n=32) and massage group (n=30). Acupoints used were Fengchi (风池GB 20), cervical Jiaji (颈夹脊EX-B 2), Baihui (百会GV 20), and the methods of massage used were kneading-rolling, adhesion-separating and acupoint-digital pressing, topical digital pressing and rubbing, traction-extending and mild palm-rubbing. The treatment was conducted once daily, with 7 sessions being a therapeutic course and continuously for 2 courses. Changes of peak velocity (Vp), end-diastolic velocity (Vd), mean velocity (Vm) of blood flow of the vertebral artery (VA) and basilar artery (BA), etc were detected before and after the treatment by using transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography. Results: After the treatment, the abnormally low Vp of both VA and BA in acu-massage, acupuncture and massage groups, Vm of VA in acu-massage and acupuncture groups, Vm of BA in acu-massage and massage groups, and Vd of VA and BA in the 3 groups all increased significantly in comparison with their own pretreatment (P0.05, 0.01), and the therapeutic effects of acu-massage group in the 3 indexes were significantly superior to those of acupuncture group and/or massage group (P0.05, 0.01). The abnormally increased Vp of VA in acu-massage and acupuncture groups, Vm of VA in the 3 groups, and Vd of VA in acu-massage and massage groups decreased obviously after the treatment in comparison with their own pretreatment (P0.05, 0.01), and the therapeutic effects of acu-massage group were significantly superior to those of acupuncture and/or massage group in the 3 indexes of VA (P0.05, 0.01). In addition, the abnormally increased Vp, Vm and Vd of BA in the 3 groups showed a similar tendency. No significant differences between acupuncture and massage groups in 3 indexes (P0.05). Conclusion: The therapeutic effects of acupuncture plus massage is significantly superior to those of simple acupuncture and simple massage therapies in improving abnormal blood dynamics of vertebral and basilar arteries in CSVAT patients.