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Updated: May 31, 2026
04:24
Chuzhen Therapy as a Non-Invasive Traditional Chinese Therapy for Neck Pain
Published on: June 6, 2025
Botulinum toxin for subacute/chronic neck pain
Pierre Langevin1, Paul Michael J Peloso, Janet Lowcock
1Cliniques Physio Interactive, Département de réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, 1100 boul Chaudière, CP 75217, Quebec City, PQ, Canada, G1Y 3C7.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|July 8, 2011
Summary
Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injections do not appear to significantly improve chronic neck pain or associated symptoms. Evidence suggests BoNT-A offers no clear benefit over placebo for pain, disability, or quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Medicine
- Neurology
- Pain Management
Background:
- Neck disorders are prevalent, causing significant disability and healthcare costs.
- Intramuscular Botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections are a therapeutic option for neck pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of BoNT for neck pain, disability, perceived effect, and quality of life.
- Focus on adults with neck pain, with or without cervicogenic headache, excluding cervical radiculopathy and whiplash-associated disorder.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials.
- Searched multiple databases up to September 20, 2010.
- Meta-analyses performed using random-effects models; quality of evidence assessed.
Main Results:
- Nine trials (503 participants) using Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) were included.
- High-quality evidence shows little to no difference in pain at 4 weeks and 6 months compared to saline.
- Very low-quality evidence found no significant benefit for BoNT-A combined with other treatments or for cervicogenic headache.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence does not support a clinically important or statistically significant benefit of BoNT-A injections for chronic neck pain.
- No improvement in disability or quality of life was observed at 4 weeks and 6 months.
- Further research may be needed to clarify the role of BoNT in neck pain management.
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