NECK PAIN RESEARCH © JCM Ltd

ACUPUNCTURE FOR HEAD AND NECK PAIN
Myofascial jaw pain can be significantly reduced by a single acupuncture treatment at Hegu L.I.-4. Twenty-eight subjects with chronic myofascial pain of the jaw muscles were randomised to receive real or sham acupuncture. Prior to treatment, each subject clenched their teeth for two minutes. Acupuncture or sham acupuncture was then administered at Hegu L.I.-4 for 15 minutes. Real acupuncture was carried out through a sticky foam pad at the acupoint. Sham acupuncture was conducted by pricking the skin, without penetration, using a shortened, blunted acupuncture needle through a foam pad placed away from the acupoint. Subjects receiving real acupuncture experienced a significant reduction in jaw pain, jaw/face tightness and neck pain and a significant increase in pain tolerance of the masseter muscle. No significant pain reductions were observed in the sham acupuncture group. (Randomized clinical trial of acupuncture for myofascial pain of the jaw muscles. J Orofac Pain. 2009 Fall;23(4):353-9).    Another German study of patients with craniomandibular disorders found that acupuncture brought about immediate pain relief, increasing the chance of initiating other therapeutic measures. Twenty three patients with craniomandibular disorders, headache and, in particular, local pain in the orofacial, cervical and temporomandibular joint areas were randomised to receive acupuncture or placebo laser therapy. Applicable acupuncture points were searched and needled using the 'very-point' technique (in which the needle is used to probe the area around the point until a loss of resistance is felt and the patient reports an electrical sensation). Pain reduction measured by a visual analogue scale was significantly more pronounced after acupuncture than after placebo treatment. In addition, the sum of pain scores across 14 muscles - tested by palpation immediately before and after treatment - was considerably better in the acupuncture group compared to the placebo. (Immediate effects of microsystem acupuncture in patients with oromyofacial pain and craniomandibular disorders (CMD): a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Br Dent J. 2009 Oct 30. [Epub ahead of print]).
Finally, in Brazil researchers have shown that acupuncture resulted in decreased electromyographic (EMG) activation of the masticatory muscles, increased maximal molar bite force and reduction in pain for 17 individuals with temporomandibular disorder (tested before and after treatment). (Acupuncture and Temporomandibular Disorders: A 3-Month Follow-up EMG Study. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Dec 3. [Epub ahead of print]).

ACUPUNCTURE ENHANCES PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR NECK TENSION
Acupuncture combined with physiotherapy has been compared with acupuncture alone and physiotherapy alone as a treatment for tension neck syndrome. A prospective, comparative clinical trial involving 46 patients was carried out in Spain. Patients were allocated to three groups: Group-1 received physiotherapy (therapeutic exercises) combined with acupuncture; Group-2, acupuncture alone, and Group-3, physiotherapy alone; over a period of 10 weeks, with one or two sessions weekly. All were assessed using a visual analogue scale for pain intensity and muscle tension, the Neck Disability Index, and the cranio-cervical Flexion Test for isometric neck muscle strength (INMS); before treatment, after 10 weeks of treatment, and after six months of follow-up. All groups showed significant improvement in the outcome measures after 10 weeks of treatment and after six months of follow-up. Group-1 was superior to Group-3 in pain and functional disability improvements, and Group-1 was superior to both Group-2 and Group-3 in INMS. After six months of follow-up, all groups maintained the improvements. (Tension neck syndrome treated by acupuncture combined with physiotherapy: A comparative clinical trial (pilot study). Complement Ther Med. 2008 Oct;16(5):268-77).

QIGONG AND EXERCISE THERAPY BOTH REDUCE CHRONIC NECK PAIN
Qigong and exercise therapy are both effective at reducing chronic neck pain. 122 patients, mean age 44, with long-term, nonspecific neck pain were randomised to either group qigong lessons, or individualised exercise therapy. Patients received a maximum of 12 treatments over three months. Improvement was significant in both groups immediately after treatment for most outcome measures, and this was maintained at six and 12-month follow-ups. No apparent differences were detected on any outcome measure between qigong vs exercise therapy. (Qigong and Exercise Therapy in Patients With Long-term Neck Pain: A Prospective Randomized Trial. Spine. 2007 Oct 15;32(22):2415-22).

ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTIVE FOR NECK PAIN
A review of ten different trials has concluded that there is evidence that acupuncture can relieve chronic neck pain. Different trials found that i. Acupuncture offered better pain relief than sham Tens or sham laser or sham acupuncture (needles inserted in unsuitable locations), ii. Acupuncture provided better pain relief than just waiting, and iii. Acupuncture provided better pain relief than massage. (Trinh KV et al. Acupuncture for neck disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 3. Art. No. CD004870).

ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTIVE FOR CHRONIC NECK PAIN
A small Norwegian study has found that acupuncture can have significant long term effects in reducing neck pain. 24 female office workers with chronic neck and shoulder pain were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture to either true points or to non-points. All received 10 treatments over a 3-week period. The pain intensity had fallen by 70% in the true acupuncture group after treatment and remained at about half of its original severity 3 years later. The pain in the sham acupuncture group fell slightly by the end of treatment, whilst 3 years later they reported more severe pain than at original assessment. The true acupuncture group also showed a reduction in associated headaches which also lasted for 3 years. (Pain, July 2004; 109(3):299-307).

ACUPUNCTURE & NECK PAIN
A study published in the British Medical Journal shows that acupuncture is an effective short term treatment for patients with chronic neck pain. A total of 177 patients with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to five treatments of three different kinds over a three week period. 56 patients received needle acupuncture, 60 were given conventional massage, and 61 received “sham” laser acupuncture (a dummy procedure to provide a control group to compare with real acupuncture). The most commonly used points were Houxi SI-3, Tianzhu BL-10, Kunlun BL-60, Taichong LIV-3, Fengchi GB-20, Yanglingquan GB-34, Waiguan SJ-5, and the ear point “cervical spine.” Active myofascial trigger points were located predominantly in the trapezius and levator scapulae muscles. One week after the end of treatment, the acupuncture group showed a significantly greater improvement in movement-related pain compared with the massage (although not compared with the sham laser acupuncture group). Differences between acupuncture and massage or sham laser were greater in the subgroup who had had pain for longer than five years and in patients with myofascial pain syndrome. The acupuncture group had the best results in most secondary outcome measures. However, after three months follow up, there were no significant differences in mobility and pain between the groups. This is consistent with the experience of most acupuncturists who would expect a longer period of treatment to consolidate the benefits gained in the treatment of most chronic conditions. (Randomised trial of acupuncture compared with conventional massage and “sham” laser acupuncture for treatment of chronic neck pain, Irnich et al, BMJ 2001;322:1574).

ACUPUNCTURE & NECK PAIN
A randomised placebo-controlled study carried out at three University out-patient departments in Germany, compared the use of massage, acupuncture and sham laser on 177 patients with chronic neck pain. All patients received five treatments. The acupuncture group showed the best results in nearly all secondary outcome measures (Abstracted in Deutsche Zeitschrift für Akupunktur, Jg. 43, 1, 2000, p40).