[Warming-needle moxibustion for cervical headache: a randomized controlled trial]

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of warming-needle moxibustion on cervical headache.

Methods: Sixty-one patients of cervical headache were randomly divided into a warming-needle moxibustion group (30 cases) and an acupuncture group (31 cases). Tianzhu (BL 10), Fengchi (GB 20), Wangu (GB 12), Tianyou (TE 16), Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3) and Zulinqi (GB 41) were selected in the two groups. Patients in the acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture; patients in the warming-needle moxibustion group were treated with warming-needle moxibustion at Tianzhu (BL 10), Fengchi (GB 20) and Wangu (GB 12) and acupuncture at the remaining acupoints. The treatment was given once every other day, 3 times a week, and totally 4-week treatment was given. The duration and frequency of headache, numerical rating scale (NRS) of headache and cervical range of motion (ROM) were compared before and after treatment in the two groups; also the efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.

Results: After treatment, the duration and frequency of headache, headache NRS.and cervical ROM score were improved in both groups (all P < 0.05), which were more significant in the warming-needle moxibustion group (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 84.3% (25/30) in the warming-needle moxibustion group, which was significantly superior to 61.3% (19/31) in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The warming-needle moxibustion presents significant efficacy on cervical headache, which can obviously improve headache symptoms and cervical ROM.