Efficacy of Acupuncture at Lieque (LU7) for Neck Pain in Cervical Spondylosis

ConditionsCervical Spondylosis Neck Pain

Trial statusNot yet recruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexAll

Age40+

SponsorNguyen Ngoc Doan Thuy

About this trial

Cervical spondylosis is a common degenerative disorder of the cervical spine that often leads to chronic neck pain, stiffness, and reduced daily functioning. Pain management in these patients remains challenging, and acupuncture is widely used as a non-pharmacological treatment option. However, the additional benefit of stimulating the Lieque (LU7) acupoint, based on the Six Command Points theory, has not been fully established.

This randomized controlled trial will evaluate whether acupuncture at Lieque (LU7), combined with electroacupuncture at Jiaji (Ex-B2, C4-C7) and cervical-shoulder points, provides greater pain relief compared to electroacupuncture at Jiaji (Ex-B2, C4-C7) and cervical-shoulder points alone.

A total of 130 participants with cervical spondylosis will be randomly assigned to two groups. Treatments will be delivered over 20 days. The primary outcome is the change in neck pain intensity, measured by a 0-100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), from baseline to the end of treatment.

The findings will provide clinical evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture at Lieque (LU7) for reducing neck pain and improving patient outcomes in cervical spondylosis.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Age 40 years or older

Diagnosis of cervical spondylosis based on clinical evaluation and imaging.

Neck and shoulder pain.

Limited range of motion in the cervical spine.

Disqualifiers

Patients who do not agree to participate in the study.

Acute torticollis, cervical disc herniation, spinal deformity, cervical spine trauma, or spinal tumors.

Neck and shoulder pain not caused by cervical spondylosis.

History of systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, severe cardiovascular disease, systemic infection, malignancy, or immunodeficiency disorders.

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

Acupuncture at LU7 (Lieque) + Electroacupuncture
Procedure/Surgery
Participants will receive filiform needle acupuncture at Lieque (LU7) combined with electroacupuncture at Jiaji (Ex-B2, C4-C7) and neck-shoulder acupoints including Fengchi (GB20), Jianjing (GB21), Tianzhu (BL10), and Dazhu (BL11). Sterile disposable filiform needles (0.3 × 25 mm) will be inserted at LU7 using standard manual acupuncture technique. Electroacupuncture will be delivered with continuous wave stimulation at 60 Hz for 30 minutes per session. Treatment will be performed once daily for a total of 20 sessions over approximately 4 weeks, excluding Sundays.
Electroacupuncture Only
Procedure/Surgery
Participants will receive electroacupuncture at Jiaji (Ex-B2, C4-C7) and neck-shoulder acupoints including Fengchi (GB20), Jianjing (GB21), Tianzhu (BL10), and Dazhu (BL11), without acupuncture at Lieque (LU7). Electroacupuncture will be delivered with continuous wave stimulation at 60 Hz for 30 minutes per session. Treatment will be performed once daily for a total of 20 sessions over approximately 4 weeks, excluding Sundays.

Treatment groups

130 Participants

are divided into 2 treatment groups

Group A: Lieque (LU7) + ElectroacupunctureExperimental treatment 1 intervention

Group B: Electroacupuncture OnlyActive comparator 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

Change in Neck Pain Intensity (VAS Score)

Pain intensity in the neck region will be assessed using a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), where 0 mm = no pain and 100 mm = worst possible pain.

Time frame

Baseline (D0), Day 10 (D10), and Day 20 (D20).

Secondary outcomes

Change in Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) Score

The NPQ (8-item version) will be used to assess disability related to neck pain. It covers 8 domains: pain intensity, pain and sleep, nocturnal paresthesia, duration of symptoms, carrying objects, reading/TV, work/housework, and social activities. Each domain is scored 0-4; total score ranges from 0 (no disability) to 32 (severe disability). Higher scores indicate greater disability.

Time frame

Baseline (D0), Day 10 (D10), and Day 20 (D20).

Change in Cervical Range of Motion (ROM)

Cervical spine ROM (flexion, extension, right/left lateral flexion, right/left rotation) will be measured in degrees using a goniometer (or inclinometer). Higher values indicate greater mobility.

Time frame

Baseline (D0), Day 10 (D10), and Day 20 (D20).

Other outcomes

Adverse Events Related to Acupuncture/Electroacupuncture

All adverse events will be systematically recorded, including but not limited to: nausea, fatigue, dizziness, heavy numbness of the limbs, and other unexpected events. Each event will be assessed for severity (mild, moderate, severe) and its possible relationship to the intervention.

Time frame

Throughout the 20 treatment sessions (approximately 4 weeks).

Distribution of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Syndrome Types

Participants will be classified into Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes according to TCM diagnostic criteria: Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Syndrome (WCDBS) Wind-Damp-Heat Bi Syndrome (WDHBS) Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis (QSBS) Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency (LKYD) The frequency and proportion of each syndrome type will be recorded.

Time frame

At baseline (D0), prior to intervention.

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Nguyen Ngoc Doan Thuy

Lead sponsor

School of Medicine - Vietnam National University at Ho Chi Minh city

Sponsor institution

Source ClinicalTrials.gov

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