Acupunctures in Complex Treatment of Cervical Pain Syndromes

To evaluate the effectiveness of the developed method of acupuncture in the complex of conservative treatment of pain in patients with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the neurosurgical Department of Irkutsk Scientific Centre of Surgery and Traumatology, 58 patients were under observation, 38 of whom were treated with acupuncture. The results of treatment were evaluated by the applying VAS testing and conducting stimulation electroneuromyography. The patients had 9–10 sessions of corporal and auricular acupuncture. Acupuncture was carried out according to 1st or 2nd variants of inhibitory action. When selecting points, the locally segmental principle was used, and the effect was carried out on symmetric points of general action (P7, GI4, GI 11 , E36 , RP6, VB34), on local pain ah shi points, in “near” and “far” points from the pain zone; on standard points of meridians of calming action: sympathetic, sedative and analgesic (points-cracks). Specific pain points were used: in pain in the area of the shoulder girdle – R5, E37, R4: in the rear surface of the chest and region of the scapula – T26, V43, V11; in neuralgia – V60, TR5, VB41. Corporal reflexology “enhance” auricular, we used impact on АТ 55, АТ 13, АТ 22, АТ 51, АТ 34. In cases of severe pain and musculotonic syndromes, treatment was initiated with effects on auricular points: АР 37 point of the cervical spine and АР 55 point Shen Men. When comparing the results of VAS testing before and after the treatment, in all patients we noted a decrease in the intensity of pain, and 16 of patients went into the category of “mild cases”. The positive dynamics is confirmed by the data of electroneuromyographic studies: an increase in the amplitude of the M-response and a decrease in latency, a change in the characteristics of the F-wave. The obtained data indicate the high efficiency of acupuncture in the treatment of pain and muscle-tonic syndromes in patients with spinal osteochondrosis.