Overview
Cervical spondylopathy is caused by the degeneration of cervical intervertebral disc and secondary degeneration of intervertebral joints, which may affect spinal nerve roots, spinal cord, sympathetic nerves and vertebral arteries, resulting in a series of symptoms. Clinically, it is mainly manifested as localized pain on the head, neck, shoulder, arms and front chest, as well as progressive acrognosis and dyskinesia, for those having severe conditions, it can lead to paralysis of extremities. In TCM, it is called "stiffness of nape", "rheumatism involving the bone", "pain on the neck and shoulder", "pain on the shoulder and back". It is caused by failing to nourish tendons and bones due to the old age with weak constitution, deficiency of the liver and the kidney; or caused by qi exhaustion due to sitting too long, tendons and muscles hurting due to overfatigue; or caused by exopathogen affect the meridians; or caused by obstruction of the meridians of the neck due to sprain and injury which leading to stagnation of qi and blood. The main principle of treatment is expelling pathogenic wind and cold, activating the blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and dredging the tendon and meridian.

Treatment
1. Jiaji Points of The affected cervical vertebrae
According to the pathologic changing location, appropriate Jiaji points are selected. Ask the patient to sit in flexion with slightly bending head. After routine sterilization, a 30 gauge 1.5-2 cun filiform needle is used to puncture obliquely Jiaji points of the cervical vertebrae with a 75°angle or 0.5 inch lateral to Jiaji points with a 45°angle. When the feeling of resistance is obtained, lift the needle a little bit. Manipulation is done until getting arrival of qi. Even method is applied. The needling sensation should be conducted to the neck, shoulder and arms. The needle is retained for 30 minutes each time. Electrotherapy is also applicable. Disconnected-continuous wave is selected; the frequency should be 200-300 times per minute, and make sure that the patient could bear the intensity. The treatment is applied once every other day, 10-15 minutes each time, 10 times for one course

2. Dazhui (DU 14)
① Acupuncture therapy with the filiform needle is applicable. Ask the patient to lie in a prone position or to sit down with bowing head inclining forward a little bit. After routine sterilization, a 26 gauge 2 cun filiform needles is used to puncture perpendicularly DU14 1-1.5 cun until getting arrival of qi. Lift the needle a bit; the tip should be oblique to the affected side. Even method is applied, and the needling sensation should be conducted to the shoulder and arms. The needle is retained for 30 min. The treatment is applied once every other day, and 10 times for one course.

② Point injection therapy is applicable. The compound angelica injection 2 ml mixed with 10% glucose injection 5-10 ml is selected. After routine sterilization on the location 0.5 inch lateral to DU14, the lotion is injected in the area to the direction of DU14 with an angle of 45°. If there is prominence on local area, massage could be done to alleviate slowly. It is helpful for absorbing. The treatment is applied once every other day, 7 times for one course, 7 days interval between two courses.

3. Yingu (KI 10)
① Acupuncture therapy with the filiform needle is applicable. Ask the patient to sit in flexion with a 100-110°angle of the knee joints and to lay down the feet naturally and lightly on the ground. After routine sterilization on the bilateral points, filiform needles are inserted in quickly. Until getting arrival of qi, needles are retained for 30 minutes. The needles are twirled every 5 minutes, meanwhile ask the patients to rotate the neck to left and to right, incline it to left and to right and bend and stretch it forwards and backwards with big amplitude. After withdrawing the needle, the doctor should grasp and knead the tendons and muscles lateral to the cervical vertebrae several times with the thumb and the index fingers on the location where have obvious tenderness or appropriate pathologic change which showed clearly by the x-ray. The treatment is applied once every other day.

② acu-pressure therapy is applicable. Ask the patient to sit in flexion. The doctor squat in front of the patient, press the bilateral KI10 points with the tip of the two middle fingers crossing, until the sensation of sour, tingling, distending and pain is obtained. Make sure that the patient could bear the strength. Meanwhile, ask the patient to rotate the neck to left and to right, incline it to left and to right and bend and stretch it forwards and backwards slowly with big amplitude, 10 times for each direction. Then ask the patient to relax the neck, the doctor should grasp and knead the trapezius muscle 10 times quickly with the thumb and the index fingers on the location lateral to the cervical vertebrae where have obvious tenderness or appropriate pathologic change which showed clearly by the x-ray. Sedation with meridian homeotherapy is applied. 3-4 times for one course.

Note
Cervical Spondylopathy is a retrograde affection, acupuncture and moxibustion could alleviate pain and improve the symptoms but difficult to eradicate, and it is easy to attack again. When puncture the Jiaji points on the neck, pay attention to the needling depth and angle. Manipulation of lifting, thrusting, twisting and twirling the needle is done. Guiding the meridian-qi to conduct properly is critical for getting curative effect. Electrotherapy can be used to reinforce the effect of alleviating pain, and moxibustion is applicable for those having deficiency-cold with long history of illness. For those needing to do sedentary work for a long time, it is very important to protect their necks.