Comparison of the Efficacies of Transverse Needling Versus Perpendicular Needling at Myofascial Trigger Points in Treating Cervical Spondylosis / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare the efficacies of transverse needling versus perpendicular needling at myofascial trigger points in treating cervical spondylosis and sift out a needling direction for a better improving effect on myofascial pain syndrome such as cervical spondylosis. Method One hundred and six patients with cervical spondylosis were randomly allocated to two groups. The transverse needling group received transverse needling at myofascial trigger points and the perpendicular needling group, perpendicular needling at myofascial trigger points. The symptoms and signs of cervical spondylosis were scored and the VAS score was recorded in the two groups before and after treatment. Result In the two groups, the VAS score had a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference (P0.05). In the two groups, the cervical spondylotic symptom and sign score had a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference (P<0.05) and decreased after treatment. The cervical spondylotic symptom and sign score was significantly lower in the transverse needling group than in the perpendicular needling group after treatment; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The total efficacy rate was 94.0% in the transverse needling group, which was higher than 79.6% in the perpendicular needling group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Both transverse needling and perpendicular needling can remove myofascial trigger points and treat cervical spondylosis, but transverse needling at myofascial trigger points is superior to perpendicular needling at myofascial trigger points.