Thunder-fire moxibustion for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Neurology
• Pain Management

Background:

• Thunder-fire moxibustion, a traditional Chinese medicine therapy, utilizes heat and medicinal properties at acupoints.
• It is frequently used for neck pain but lacks systematic efficacy data.
• Cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) is a common condition affecting the neck and radiating pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of thunder-fire moxibustion compared to ibuprofen sustained-release capsules for treating CSR.
• To provide a systematic demonstration of thunder-fire moxibustion's effectiveness in a randomized trial setting.

Main Methods:

• A randomized trial involving 100 patients with CSR, divided into two groups: thunder-fire moxibustion and ibuprofen.
• Intervention duration of 2 weeks with ten treatment sessions.
• Primary outcome measured by the Yasuhisa Tanaka 20 Score Scale; secondary outcomes include SF-MPQ-2, NDI, and SF-36 scores.

Main Results:

• Data collection includes baseline and weekly assessments over two weeks.
• Adverse events will be systematically recorded and reported.
• The study is registered under ChiCTR1800018820.

Conclusions:

• The trial aims to establish whether thunder-fire moxibustion is a more effective treatment option than ibuprofen for CSR patients.
• Findings will contribute to understanding the role of traditional Chinese medicine in managing radicular pain.