Prospective

Professor Yuanqi GUO

School of Chinese Medicine, 1/F Sino Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, N.T., Hong Kong

(852) 3943 8131 / (852) 2479 2126

rct.aanp@gmail.com

School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Professor Yuanqi GUO

School of Chinese Medicine, 1/F Sino Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, N.T., Hong Kong

(852) 3943 8131 / (852) 2479 2126

rct.aanp@gmail.com

School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

腹針治療頸痛的臨床隨機對照研究

Yes

2014-01-21

Joint CUHK-NTEC Clinical Research Ethics Committee

CRE-2013.627-T

Other

Abdominal Acupuncture

Abdominal acupuncture treatment under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture meridian theory and new concepts developed by Dr Ziyun Bo

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Two weeks

Three times per week

Sham abdominal acupuncture treatment

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Two weeks

Three times per week

* Between 18 and 65 years of age with the ability to speak and understand Cantonese;
* Neck complaints on: (i) pain, stiffness or tenderness, with or without musculoskeletal signs including decreased range of motion and point tenderness; (ii) pain felt in the neck with radiation to the occiput or towards the shoulders, or both with limitation of neck motion; and (iii) neck pain with degenerative joint disease or cervical spondylosis, or both;
* 3 points or more on a 10-cm visual analogue scale for neck pain at the time of screening;
* No previous treatment with abdominal acupuncture for any reason;
* Agreed to be randomized; and
* Agreed to sign the informed consent form

* Visceral pain in the neck, including carcinoma of thyroid or larynx and tuberculosis of larynx;
* Serious spinal disorders, including malignancy, vertebral fracture, spinal infection and inflammatory spondylitis;
* Patients who previously had neck surgery or are scheduled to have one during the study;
* Other chronic diseases that could interfere with abdominal acupuncture treatment effects, including cardiovascular disease, diabetic neuropathy, active hepatitis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, dementia and epilepsy;
* Diagnosis of cancer of any nature;
* Chief musculoskeletal pain other than neck pain;
* Conditions that abdominal acupuncture might not be safe, including clotting disorders, administration of an anticoagulant agent, acute abdominal disorders, venous dilation of the naval, celiac tumor and pregnant women;
* Possess abdominal scar which will affect the proper selection of acupuncture points for abdominal acupuncture;
* Severe psychiatric or psychological disorder;
* Acupuncture treatment for neck pain during the previous month;
* Conflicting or ongoing co-interventions (drugs or alternative treatments, or both);
* Engage in any other clinical trial during the study period;
* Pending neck-related litigation or disability claims;
* Incapacity to complete the questionnaires or to answer the questions of the assessor in the study; and
* Pregnant and breast feeding women

18 years old

65 years old

Both Male and Female

Randomized

Random allocation is performed by a computer software

Placebo

Double-blind

Parallel

Other

Not Applicable

Yes

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0181360