Research progress on acupuncture intervention for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome: A review.

Abstract

With improvements in living standards and lifestyle changes, the prevalence of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) has significantly risen, severely impacting patients' quality of life. Currently, Western medicine primarily treats CSR with oral medications and surgical interventions. However, the condition often recurs, with a high risk of side effects, failing to provide a fundamental cure. As research in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on this condition deepens, acupuncture has made significant progress, demonstrating notable clinical efficacy. Acupuncture has been shown to be highly effective in treating radiculopathy associated with cervical spondylopathy, characterized by its simple procedure, high safety, and diverse treatment methods, and has gained widespread recognition. This paper reviews the clinical research literature on acupuncture for CSR, summarizing acupuncture interventions and related therapies from 4 perspectives: simple acupuncture therapy, combined acupuncture and external therapy, and pathogenesis mechanisms, thereby providing a reference for the clinical treatment of CSR.