Dose-effect relationship in treatment of chronic neck pain with the direct moxibustion of small moxa cone

Abstract

To evaluate the effectiveness in treatment of chronic neck pain with the direct moxibustion of small moxa cone and explore the dose-effect relationship in treatment of chronic neck pain with different small moxa cones. A total of 120 patients with chronic neck pain were randomized into a 3-moxa-cone group, a 5-moxa-cone group, a 7-moxa-cone group and a sham-moxibustion group, 30 cases in each one. Fengchi (GB 20), Tianzhu (BL 10), Jingbailao (EX-HN 15), Jianzhongshu (SI 15) and Jianjing (GB 21) were selected in each of the groups. The direct moxibustion with 3, 5 and 7 moxa cones as well as the sham-moxibustion therapy were provided successively in each of the above groups. In the sham-moxibustion group, the lower 1/3 section of moxa cone (about 1.5 mm in length) was soaked in wanhua oil before used in treatment. In each group, the treatment was given twice a week, for 10 treatments totally. Separately, before treatment, after treatment and in 1-month follow-up, the scores of the Northwick Park neck pain questionnaire (NPQ), the scores of McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ) and the local pressure pain threshold (PPT) were observed in each group. After treatment and in 1-month follow-up, the therapeutic effects were evaluated in each group. After treatment and in 1-month follow-up, NPQ scores and MPQ scores in the 3-moxa-cone group, the 5-moxa-cone group and the 7-moxa-cone group were reduced as compared with those before treatment separately (all P<0.01), PPT values were increased as compared with those before treatment (all P<0.01). But the differences were not statistically significant in the sham-moxibustion group as compared with those before treatment (all P>0.05). After treatment and in 1-month follow-up, NPQ scores and MPQ scores in the 3-moxa-cone group, the 5-moxa-cone group and the 7-moxa-cone group were lower as compared with the sham-moxibustion group separately (all P<0.05), PPT values were higher as compared with the sham-moxibustion group (all P<0.05). After treatment, the NPQ score and MPQ score in the 7-moxa-cone group were lower than the 3-moxa-cone group and PPT values was higher than the 3-moxa-cone group (all P<0.05). After treatment and in 1-month follow-up, the therapeutic effects in the 3-moxa-cone group, the 5-moxa-cone group and the 7-moxa-cone group were better than the sham-moxibustion group separately (all P<0.05). But, the therapeutic effects were not significantly different in comparison among the moxibusiton groups (P>0.05). The direct moxibustion therapy with different small-moxa-cones effectively relieves chronic neck pain. There is a trend of improvement of the therapeutic effects with increase of the numbers of moxa cones.