Comparison of the effects of radiofrequency electrode needle and warm acupuncture on chronic soft tissue pain in patients with cervical spondylopathy

Objective To compare the effects of radiofrequency electrode needle therapy and warm acupuncture on chronic soft tissue injury pain in patients with cervical spondylopathy. Methods One hundred and twenty patients with cervical spondylopathy, both sexes, 45-65 years old, admitted to Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Zhangbei County from February 2016 to January 2017, were randomly divided into warm acupuncture group (group WA) and radiofrequency electrode needle group (group RFN) with 60 cases in each group. The patients of group WA were treated by moxibustion, and the points were selected according to syndrome differentiation, once a day, 7 days as a course of treatment, according to the condition for 2 to 3 courses. The patients were treated with target heat effect of radiofrequency electrode needle in group RFN, once 3 days, 2 times as a course of treatment, 2 to 3 courses of treatment according to the condition of the disease. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and present pain intensity (PPI) were observed before and immediately after the treatment, 3, 6, 12 months after the treatment. And adverse reactions and complications were also observed in all patients. According to the degree of pain changes before and after the treatment, the efficacy was evaluated at each observation point after the treatment, and the total effective rate of the two groups was compared. Results Compared with pretreatment, the VAS and PPI were all significantly decreased in the two groups at each time point after the treatment (all P<0.05). Compared with the group WA, the VAS and PPI were significantly low at each evaluation time point in the group RFN after the treatment (all P<0.05). Compared with the group WA, the total effective rate was significantly high in the group RFN at 6 and 12 months after the treatment (60.0% vs. 86.7%, 58.3% vs. 81.7%, all P<0.05). Conclusion Radiofrequency electrode needle and warm acupuncture are both safe and effective methods in the treatment of patients with soft tissue injury pain in cervical spondylopathy, and the latter is better. Key words: Radiofrequency electrode needle; Warm acupuncture and moxibustion; Cervical spondylosis; Soft tissue injury; Pain