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Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture Combined With Chinese Herbal Fumigation for Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain

Not yet recruitingNot applicableNCT07515690
View the official record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Recruiting status changes often. Contact the study team listed on ClinicalTrials.gov, and talk to your doctor before joining a study.

This study has no listed site in Canada in this snapshot. It is included as part of the worldwide chronic pain corpus.

Brief summary (from the registry)

Chronic non-specific neck pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder that significantly affects quality of life and functional ability. Conventional treatments often provide limited relief and may be associated with adverse effects. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal fumigation are commonly used therapies in traditional Chinese medicine and have shown potential benefits in pain relief and functional recovery. This multicenter randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal fumigation in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain. A total of 120 participants will be randomly assigned to three groups: acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal fumigation, acupuncture combined with sham fumigation, and acupuncture alone. All participants will receive five treatment sessions within three weeks, followed by a four-week follow-up period. The primary outcome measure is pain intensity assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Secondary outcome measures include the Neck Disability Index (NDI), cervical range of motion, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), quality of life scale, and Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI). This study aims to provide high-quality clinical evidence regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal fumigation for chronic non-specific neck pain.

Study details

Official title
Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture Combined With Chinese Herbal Fumigation in the Treatment of Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Interventions
Sponsor
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
Start date
2026-05
Primary completion
2027-02
Sex
All
Age range
from 18 Years to 65 Years
Results posted
No results posted in this snapshot
Countries
Malaysia
Total sites listed
1

Eligibility criteria

Show eligibility criteria (verbatim from the registry)
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 to 65 years, any gender * Diagnosed with chronic non-specific neck pain lasting ≥ 3 months * Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score ≥ 4 * Cervical range of motion reduced by ≥ 20% compared to normal range * Conformity to both Western diagnostic criteria and Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern differentiation for "cold coagulation type" neck pain * Voluntarily participate and provide signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of confirmed cervical disc herniation, nerve compression, or other specific pathologies (e.g., infection, tumor, fracture, etc.) * History of cervical spine surgery or recent acute neck trauma * Concomitant severe systemic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, hematological, or psychiatric disorders) * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Known allergy to acupuncture needles or herbal fumigation components * Receipt of other neck pain-related treatments (e.g., physical therapy, medication, or acupuncture) within the past month * Presence of open wounds or skin lesions in the treatment area * Any patient not meeting the inclusion criteria

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (US National Library of Medicine), snapshot October 2026. Check the registry for current recruiting status. Record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07515690