Acupuncture is increasingly recognised as a potential treatment for managing neck pain, including conditions like chronic neck pain, cervical spondylosis, and radiating nerve pain.
By targeting sore or trigger points and stimulating meridians, acupuncture aims to relieve pain, reduce muscle tension, and improve mobility.
Studies suggest that acupuncture may offer noticeable short-term relief and functional improvement, though evidence quality varies.
Research findings
A Cochrane review found that acupuncture might help relieve neck pain in the short term, meaning effects are noticeable immediately after treatment and up to four weeks later (Sun et al., 2019). However, more high-quality studies are needed to confirm its long-term benefits.
Zhao et al. (2024) found that acupuncture has the potential to treat radicular cervical spondylosis, offering noticeable pain relief and functional improvement compared to control interventions. While the study highlights promising results, it also notes the need for more high-quality research to strengthen the evidence base and validate long-term efficacy.
Zuo et al. (2019) reviewed acupuncture and chiropractic treatments for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR), a condition causing neck pain and radiating nerve pain that may extend to the arm or hand. It found that both acupuncture and chiropractic care are potentially effective for reducing pain and improving function in CSR patients. However, the evidence quality was moderate, and more high-quality studies are needed to confirm these results.
Reference List
Sun, M., Geng, G., Chen, J., Ma, X., Yan, M., Liu, X., Du, J., Cai, D., Zheng, H., Zhao, L., & Liang, F. R. (2019). Acupuncture for chronic neck pain with sensitive points: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial. BMJ open, 9(7), e026904. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026904
Zhao, H., Wang, C., Wang, X., Ju, J., Yan, C., & Shi, B. (2024). Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Radicular Cervical Spondylosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening, 27(19), 2951–2962. https://doi.org/10.2174/0113862073265007231108050338
Zuo, G., Gao, T. C., Xue, B. H., Gu, C. C., Yan, Y. T., Zhang, Y. W., Liu, R. J., & Du, S. Q. (2019). Assessment of the efficacy of acupuncture and chiropractic on treating Cervical spondylosis radiculopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine, 98(48), e17974. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000017974