Chuzhen Therapy as a Non-Invasive Traditional Chinese Therapy for Neck Pain

Summary

Chuzhen therapy has effectively addressed various conditions, with success in alleviating neck pain and enhancing patients' quality of life. This article presents Chuzhen as a safe and efficacious traditional Chinese method tailored specifically for the treatment of neck pain.

Abstract

Neck pain (NP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder that significantly diminishes patients' quality of life. While nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently prescribed for neck pain management, their use can result in side effects, such as peptic ulcers. Consequently, non-pharmacological treatments like acupuncture and massage serve as effective alternatives. Chuzhen therapy, an adaptation of the traditional Chinese Nine Needles, is a non-invasive treatment that combines the therapeutic benefits of acupuncture and massage by stimulating meridians and acupoints through specific techniques. This approach provides a safe and effective option for neck pain treatment. This paper outlines a comprehensive method for Chuzhen therapy application in neck pain treatment, detailing acupoint selection, material preparation, treatment duration, procedural steps, and safety precautions. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) are employed as assessment tools to evaluate this method's efficacy. Findings demonstrate that Chuzhen therapy effectively alleviates neck pain, improves patients' quality of life, and does not produce adverse effects.

Introduction

Neck pain (NP) has multiple etiologies, with cervical spondylosis being the most prevalent. Additional causes include trauma, inflammation, vascular diseases, and endocrine disorders¹. Clinically, neck pain manifests as neck and shoulder pain, stiffness, and restricted mobility, often accompanied by headaches and insomnia. According to the Global Burden of Disease database, neck pain affected over 203 million individuals globally in 2020, with an anticipated increase of 32.5% by 2050². In China, 87.3 million people are affected, which is the third largest cause of disability burden³. Neck pain adv....

Protocol

This study is a self-controlled, retrospective trial analyzing medical records of 74 patients with neck pain treated with Chuzhen therapy at the outpatient clinic of the Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM from March 2023 to June 2024. The cohort consisted of 48 females and 26 males, aged 18 to 82 years (43.22 ± 15.30 years), with neck pain duration ranging from 4 days to 8 years. All patients provided informed consent for this study. The clinical research protocol was reviewed and approved by the hospital's ethics committee (KY2022031).

1. Patient assessment

1. Use the following inclusion criteria: Diagnosis of cervical....

Results

Based on a comparison of pre-and post-treatment data, significant improvements were observed in the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) for the 74 patients treated (p < 0.001; see Table 2). The results presented here strongly prove the effectiveness of Chuzhen therapy. Further analysis revealed continued improvement in NDI and SF-36 scores 1-month post-intervention (p < 0.001), suggesting that Chuzhen therapy provides sustained th.......

Discussion

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, neck pain is referred to as cervical bi syndrome, characterized by posterior neck pain, rigidity, and restricted movement, presenting a significant public health issue with greater impact than conditions such as alcohol use disorder²¹. TCM attributes neck pain to factors such as blocked qi and blood flow, invasion by cold and dampness, or liver and kidney deficiencies. For chronic cervical pain management, conservative treatments ha.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
75% alcohol	Chengdu Xinbohao Technology Co., Ltd	Q667758098-X3-2022
blanket	Sanli Co., Ltd	50945
chuzhen	Maoyu (Qingdao) Medical Technology Co., Ltd	89213016.4
medical hand disinfectant	3M Company (China) Limited	Q/0002CAL