[Introduction]

Cervical spondylopathy, also known as cervical ver-tebral syndrome, is a syndrome due to long-term sprain, osseous hyperplasia, protrusion of intervetebral disc and thickening of ligament that compress the cervical spinal cord, nerve roots and blood circulation. The clinical mani-festations are pain in the head, neck, shoulder, arm and chest. This disease pertains to obstructive syndrome in TCM. It is usually caused by invasion of pathogenic wind, cold and dampness into the meridians, blocking the flow of qi and blood; or by asthenia of the liver and kidney as well as insufficiency of qi and blood in the aged, leading to malnutrition of the tendons; or by impairment of the ten-dons and vessels due to long-term strain.

[Syndrome differentiation]

1. Exogenous wind-cold attack

Stiffness and pain in the neck or involving the arm and shoulder, cold limbs and numbness of hands, or heavi-ness sensation, aggravation with wind and cold, accompa-nied by general aching, thin and white tongue fur, float-ing and tense pulse.

2. Stagnation of qi and blood

Aching, distending pain or prickly pain in the neck, shoulder and arm, or swelling and distension, or pain ra-diating to the arm, accompanied by dizziness and head-ache, mental depression, aggravation with nervousness, oppression and pain in the chest, dull tongue, thin and white tongue fur, taut and unsmooth pulse, or deep, thin and unsmooth pulse.

3. Insufficiency of the liver and kidney

Slow onset, numbness and vague pain in the neck, shoulder and back, prolonged duration, aggravation with overstrain, accompanied by dizziness, blurred vision, tin-nitus, deafness, aching and weakness of loins and knees, weakness of lower limbs, tender tongue with thin fur, deep, thin and weak pulse.

[Treatment]

1. Body acupuncture

Prescription: Cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2), Fengchi (GB 20), Dazhui (BL 11) and Ashi acupoints.

Modification: For exogenous wind-cold attack: Hegu (LI 4), Waiguan (TE 15), Fengmen (BL 12) and Jian-jing (GB 21 ) are added; for stagnation of qi and blood,

Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 11), Jianyu (LI 15), Geshu (BL 17) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) are added; for insufficien-cy of liver and kidney, Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23), Zusanli (ST 36), Xuanzhong (GB 39) and Taichong (LR 3) are added.

Performance: Reinforcing needling technique is used for the treatment of insufficiency of both the liver and kid-ney. The rest two syndromes are treated with the reduc-ing needling technique. The acupoints on the neck and back are needled with rotating and twirling manipulations. Moxibustion can be used with the addition of cupping.

2. Ear acupuncture

Prescription: Neck ( AH12 ), Cervical Vertebra (AH13), Shoulder ( SF4, 5 ), Kidney ( CO10 ) and Ear Shenmen (TF4).

Performance: Each time 2 - 3 acupoints are selected and needled with filiform needles and moderate and strong stimulation. The needles are retained for 20 - 30 minutes. The treatment is given once a day or once every other day. Or Wangbuliuxingzi (Semen Vaccariae) is used for ear point pressing.

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