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Updated: Mar 12, 2026

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WITHDRAWN: Acupuncture for neck disorders.

Kien Trinh1, Nadine Graham, Dominik Irnich

  • 1DeGroote School of Medicine, Office of MD Admissions, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, MDCL-3112, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8N 3Z5.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|November 17, 2016
PubMed
Summary
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Acupuncture offers short-term pain relief and improved function for neck pain sufferers compared to sham treatments or wait-list controls. While generally safe with minor side effects, its long-term effectiveness requires further investigation.

Area of Science:

  • Evidence-based medicine
  • Complementary and alternative medicine
  • Pain management

Background:

  • Neck pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal complaint with diverse treatment options.
  • Acupuncture is frequently utilized as an alternative therapy for musculoskeletal pain.
  • This review updates the scientific evidence on acupuncture's efficacy for various types of neck pain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in adults experiencing neck pain.
  • To assess acupuncture's impact on pain intensity, disability, functional measures, and patient satisfaction.
  • To synthesize current scientific evidence on acupuncture for acute, subacute, and chronic neck pain.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

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  • Searched multiple databases including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, MANTIS, CINAHL, and ICL up to August 2015.
  • Included published RCTs with random assignment, excluding quasi-randomized trials; assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Back Review Group tool.

    • Main Results:

    • Acupuncture demonstrated benefits for mechanical neck pain, showing improved pain intensity and disability in the short term compared to sham acupuncture or inactive treatments.
    • Meta-analysis favored acupuncture over sham treatments for short-term outcomes (SMD -0.23, 95% CI -0.20 to -0.07).
    • The positive effects of acupuncture did not appear to be sustainable long-term, and further research on repeated sessions is needed. Acupuncture was found to be a safe modality with minor adverse effects.

    Conclusions:

    • Moderate-quality evidence supports acupuncture's effectiveness in relieving neck pain and improving function in the short term.
    • Acupuncture shows superior results compared to sham acupuncture and wait-list controls for pain and disability.
    • The long-term sustainability of acupuncture's benefits requires further investigation, though it is considered a safe treatment option.