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.
Treatment
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.
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.
