Efficacy of Three-Needle Dazhui and Electroacupuncture for Cervical Spondylosis With Wind-Cold Syndrome

Inclusion Criteria:

• Consent: Participants must voluntarily agree to participate and sign a written informed consent form.
• Age: Individuals aged 18 years or older.
• Pain Intensity: Patients with a baseline pain score of VAS ≥ 50 mm on the Visual Analog Scale.

• Modern Medicine Diagnosis (Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy - CSR) Patients must meet the diagnostic criteria for CSR due to cervical spondylosis according to Decision 361/QD-BYT, including:

  • Cervical Spine Syndrome: Localized neck pain, restricted range of motion, and tenderness upon palpation of the spinous processes or paravertebral areas.

Radicular Syndrome: Neck pain radiating to the occipital region, shoulder, arm, or hand.

• Physical Examination: At least one positive result from the following tests: Bell-ringer sign, Spurling's test, Shoulder abduction test, or Cervical distraction test.

• Imaging Criteria: X-ray findings (straight, lateral, or 3/4 oblique views) showing at least one of the following:

  1. Osteophytes (bone spurs) on the vertebral body.
  2. Intervertebral disc space narrowing ≥ 25%.
  3. Subchondral bone sclerosis.
  4. Spondylolisthesis. - Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Diagnosis (Wind-Cold Syndrome) Patients must satisfy at least one primary symptom and reach a total symptom score of ≥ 50% based on the following criteria:
• Primary Symptoms: Pain in the neck and shoulder radiating to the arm accompanied by numbness; pain is the dominant feature; pain increases with cold and decreases with warmth.
• Secondary Symptoms: Aversion to cold, aversion to wind, cold extremities, and presence or absence of sweating.
• Tongue and Pulse: Pale tongue with a thin white coating; floating-tight or slow pulse.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of neck trauma.
• Diagnosed with specific bone or joint diseases: Rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, Down syndrome, cervical spina bifida, or Scheuermann's disease.
• Severe neurological deficits: Progressive muscle weakness (motor loss) or acute, severe sensory loss indicating advanced nerve compression.
• Vertebral-basilar artery syndrome: Headache, dizziness, tinnitus, loss of balance, or fatigue.
• Autonomic nervous system disorders: Pain accompanied by tinnitus, visual disturbances, or vasomotor disorders in the occipital-shoulder region or arms.
• Central motor neuron lesions: Presence of Hoffmann's sign, Babinski's sign, hyperreflexia, spasticity, urinary/fecal incontinence, or sexual dysfunction.
• Symptoms suggesting systemic or malignant disease: Unexplained weight loss, fever, loss of appetite, personal or family history of malignant tumors, or diffuse pain and stiffness.
• Symptoms suggesting infection: Fever, meningeal signs, or photophobia.
• Symptoms suggesting serious acute medical conditions: Myocardial infarction (chest pain + sweating + shortness of breath) or arterial dissection (tearing pain sensation + headache + blurred vision).
• Local or systemic contraindications: Infection or ulceration at the acupuncture site; patients who are exhausted, emaciated, or suffering from severe accompanying internal medical diseases.
• Substance abuse: Alcohol or drug addiction.
• Recent medication use (within the past month): Currently using analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs that may affect results, such as Opioids, NSAIDs, Corticosteroids, Gabapentin, Pregabalin, or tricyclic antidepressants.
• Other ongoing treatments: Currently undergoing other therapies such as acupressure, massage, or physical therapy for the neck area.