Experience in treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy by relaxing the sinew of hand three yang meridians with the tendon-bone needling therapy of Chinese medicine

Abstract

The clinical experience of professor WU Han-qing in treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) with the tendon-bone needling therapy of Chinese medicine is introduced. Professor WU believes that the pathogenesis of CSR is the damage on the neck and the sinew of hand three yang meridians, the formation of clustered nodules, obstruction in meridians and the stagnation of qi and blood. In treatment, the tendon-bone needling therapy is mainly adopted to relaxing clustered nodules and the sinew of hand three yang meridians and promoting qi and blood circulation. Regarding the acupoint selection, the "three-yangguan localization method" is used. The three hand-yangguan points and the three wrist-yangguan points are selected. The knotted points corresponding to the affected transverse processes of cervical vertebra are selected as well. Meanwhile, the adjuvant treatment points are selected on the base of the principle as "selecting the points along the affected meridian sinew". During treatment, according to needling sites and layers, the different needling techniques are optioned flexibly. Besides, the attentive experience in needling sensation in physician and the interaction between physician and patient are emphasized so as to improve the safety of treatment.