Tuina and Yijinjing Exercise for Chronic Neck Pain
Acupuncture Today Staff
| DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
Evidence suggests a high percentage of neck pain cases to not resolve completely or become chronic. Pain medication remains a primary option for managing neck pain, but new research suggests tuina and yijinjing exercise are an effective combination to provide symptomatic relief.
The 12-week randomized, clinical trial (eight weeks of treatment, followed by four weeks of observation / follow-up) divided 102 adult patients (average age: 36.5 years at baseline) with nonspecific chronic neck pain into two groups for comparison.
One group received three weekly tuina sessions for eight weeks (24 total sessions); the second group received three weekly yijinjing sessions for eight weeks in addition to tuina (same frequency as group #1). The three weekly yijinjing sessions included one instructor-guided exercise session and two self-practice exercise sessions at home.
Tuina sessions consisted of three components: 1) soft-tissue manipulation, 2) clicking acupoint manipulation, and 3) and spinal manipulation. The five-step yijinjing exercise protocol featured "Third Aspect of Wei-tuo, taking away a star and changing the dipper for it, nine demons drawing their swords, bowing in salutation, and wagging the tail."
The primary outcome measure assessed: change in visual analog scale (VAS) score from baseline to week eight; secondary outcomes included changes in Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores, active range of motion, anxiety and neck tissue hardness.
After eight weeks of treatment, VAS scores improved in both groups, with the combination tuina plus yijinjing exercise protocol proving more effective than the tuina protocol alone (-1.2 difference from baseline; -4.1 vs. -5.4). Secondary outcome measures also improved to a greater degree in the combination treatment group. This superiority was observed at week-12 follow-up as well.
After a thorough examination to rule out the cervical and thoracic spine, what you have left is sharp, localized qi stagnation of the soft tissues causing the “rhomboid pain.” If it’s not the C or T spine causing the problem, then what could be causing this tissue issue? It can be a bunch of different reasons such as dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, poor posture, muscle imbalances, trauma, deconditioning, overuse, etc.
Christopher Chapleau, DAc, LAc, Dipl. Ac., AIT, IMT, MSHP, CES, HMS
The patterns expressed under the umbrella of a GERD diagnosis typically include various combinations of liver qi stagnation (potentially with depressive heat), spleen qi deficiency, rebellious stomach qi, stomach fire, food stagnation, and stomach yin deficiency. In long-term cases of GERD, it is not uncommon for three to four patterns to overlap at the same time.
As licensed acupuncturists with the ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat using a variety of modalities, including herbal medicine, we are entrusted with a high level of clinical responsibility. Yet in an age of professional forums, online groups and social media communities, there is a growing trend of practitioners asking for case-specific treatment advice instead of referring the patient in question to a trusted colleague.
