Clinical efficacy observation of filiform needle combined with fire needle for cervical radiculopathy due to wind-cold obstructing the meridians

To observe the clinical efficacy of filiform needle combined with fire needles for cervical radiculopathy (CR) due to wind-cold obstructing the meridians.

A total of 60 patients with CR due to wind-cold obstructing the meridians were randomized into an observation group and a control group, with 30 cases in each group. The control group was treated with filiform needle treatment, and the observation group was treated with additional fire needle point-pricking treatment. The visual analog scale (VAS) and 20-point scale of CR developed by Yasuhisa TANAKA (YT-20) were scored before treatment and after 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks of treatments. The tenderness threshold was measured. The local skin temperature was measured by an infrared thermal imager. A safety evaluation was performed after treatment.

After treatment, the VAS score in the observation group at each time point was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The YT-20 score, tenderness threshold, and local skin temperature in the observation group were all higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The VAS score in the observation group at each time point after treatment was lower than that before treatment (P<0.05), and the YT-20 score, tenderness threshold, and local skin temperature at each time point were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05). After 3 and 4 weeks of treatments, the VAS score in the control group was lower than that before treatment (P<0.05), and the YT-20 score, tenderness threshold, and local skin temperature were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05). The group factor effects of VAS and YT-20 scores, tenderness threshold, and local skin temperature between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the time effect and the interaction effect between time and group (P>0.05).

Filiform needle combined with fire needle or applied alone both can relieve neck pain in patients with CR due to wind-cold obstructing the meridians, and improve the temperature of the neck. The combination of filiform needle and fire needle works more quickly and has better efficacy.