The construction and validation of a systemic acupuncture protocol with low-level laser therapy for chronic cervical...

Content validation is important for decision-making, and confirming the efficiency of a treatment. The study aims to develop and validate a systemic acupuncture protocol with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) for chronic neck pain.

The protocol was constructed based on a literature review and underwent content validation by 21 acupuncture experts. The pilot study was conducted using the proposed protocol with 20 volunteers randomized into two groups: intervention (IG, n = 10) and control (CG, n = 10). The IG received 10 sessions of acupuncture with LLLT at a dose of 4J/cm2 per point, at points gallbladder 20 and 34, bladder 10, governing vessel 14, small intestine 3, and large intestine 4, following the elaborated protocol. The CG received postural guidance through a messaging application. The both groups were evaluated at three moments: initial, end of treatment, and 15-day follow-up.

The level of agreement between the evaluators was ≥85.71% in all proposed items. In the analysis of the pilot study, there was an improvement in the IG in physical disability when comparing initial and final assessments (p ≤ 0.01) and initial and follow-up assessments (p ≤ 0.01). In the intergroup analysis, the IG showed a significant improvement in relation to the CG, in assessment 2 (p ≤ 0.01) related to physical disability.

Validation by experts and the pilot study demonstrated that the elaborated protocol is valid for the treatment of chronic neck pain by reducing physical disabilities and cervical disability.