Tuina for Patients With Chronic Neck Pain

Inclusion Criteria: * female or male * 18 to 60 years of age * clinical diagnosis "chronic neck pain", i.e. neck pain for at least 12 weeks * if additional back pain is reported, neck pain has to be predominant * intensity of the average neck pain over the last 7 days had to be more than 40 mm on a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) * ability to give oral and signed written informed consent * patient's mental and physical ability to participate in the trial * willingness to be randomized, to attend visits, to complete questionnaires * written and oral informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * neck pain caused by a malignant disease * neck pain caused by trauma * rheumatic disorder * prior spinal column surgery * neurological symptoms, e.g. radicular symptoms because of a prolapsed vertebral disc * suspected osteoporosis * obesity with BMI ≥30 Kg/m2 * known vascular anomaly such as aneurysm * regular intake of analgesics (\>1x per week) because of a additional diseases * intake of centrally acting analgesics * current application for a benefit * pregnancy * severe acute and or chronic disease which does not allow participation in the therapy * other limitations which do not allow participation in the therapy * alcohol or substance abuse * tuina treatment during the six months before study entry * participation in another clinical trial during six months before the study and parallel to the study * anticipated new treatments which have a positive influence on the neck pain such as physiotherapy against neck pain, acupuncture, massage during the study * no sufficient German language skills