[Effect of cervical paravertebral block combined with acupuncture intervention on cervicogenic headache]

To observe the therapeutic effect of cervical paravertebral block plus acupuncture treatment for cervicogenic headache.

Sixty cases of cervicogenic headache were randomly and equally divided into cervical paravertebral block (control) group and acupuncture plus cervical paravertebral block (acupuncture) group. Paravertebral block was performed by injection of 5 mL of 0.3% lidocaine solution containing triamcinolone (10 mg) into the 2nd cervical paravertebral tissue from the cross point between the posterior border of the sternomastoid muscle and the angle of jaw, once every week for three weeks. Manual acupuncture stimulation was applied to Baihui (GV 20), unilateral Fengchi (GB 20) and Jiaosun (SJ 20), once daily for 3 weeks. The patients' headache severity was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and their cervical vertebral activity assessed by range of motion (ROM) before and after the treatment.

Compared with pre-treatment in the same one group, the scores of both VAS and ROM at time points of one, two and three weeks after the treatment were significantly decreased in the control and acupuncture groups (P < 0.05), suggesting a marked improvement of both headache and cervical motion after the treatment. Comparison between the two groups showed that the VAS and ROM scores of the acupuncture group were evidently lower than those of the control group at each time point after the treatment (P < 0.05), displaying a better therapeutic effect of acupuncture plus paravertebral block for cervicogenic headache.

Acupuncture combined with cervical paravertebral block is effective in relieving cervicogenic headache and improving cervical vertebral activity in cervicogenic headache patients, and can strengthen the therapeutic effect of simple paravertebral block.