Clinical Observations on Acupuncture at Specific Points plus Kidney-reinforcing Chinese Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Cervical Spondylotic Vertebral Arteriopathy / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at specific points plus kidney-reinforcing Chinese herbal medicine in treating cervical spondylotic vertebral arteriopathy (liver-kidney deficiency type).MethodNinety patients with cervical spondylotic vertebral arteriopathy (liver-kidney deficiency type) were allocated, using a random number table, to a treatment group of 45 cases and a control group of 45 cases. One case dropped out in the control group. The treatment group received acupuncture at Baihui(GV20), Dazhui(GV14), Houxi(SI3), Sanyinjiao(SP6), Taixi(KI3) and Xuanzhong(GB39) plus oral administration of six ingredients with rehmanniaplus radix puerariae formula and the control group, oral administration of six ingredients with rehmannia plus radix puerariae formula alone. The clinical therapeutic effects were evaluated after eight consecutive weeks of treatment.ResultThe total efficacy rate and the cure rate were 91.1% and 62.2%, respectively, in the treatment group and 77.3% and 34.1%, respectively, in the control group; there were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). The therapeutic effect was better in the treatment group than in the control group. After treatment, the difference values ofthe vertigo severity, frequency and duration, headache, neck and shoulder pain, and life and work scores on the scale werehigher in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05).ConclusionAcupuncture at specific points plus Chinese herbal medicine is more effective than Chinese herbal medicine alone in treating cervical spondylotic vertebral arteriopathy (liver-kidney deficiency type).