The Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Doin (Conduction Exercise) for Chronic Neck Pain

The Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Doin (Conduction Exercise) for Chronic Neck Pain: A Multi-center Randomized Controlled Trial

A multi-center randomized controlled trial assessing the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Doin (conduction exercise) with acupuncture for chronic neck pain

A multi-center randomized controlled, parallel, assessor-blinded full-scale trial will be conducted based on the results of the pilot study to evaluate the comparative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Doin (conduction exercise) with acupuncture for chronic neck pain patients compared to acupuncture alone as assessed using pain, functional disability, health-related quality of life, economic evaluation, and safety measures.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Neck area pain duration of 6 months or longer
• Current Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for neck area pain of 5 or higher
• Patients who have agreed to voluntarily participate in the clinical trial and given written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with serious pathology(s) which may cause neck pain (e.g. malignant tumor, spinal infection, inflammatory spondylitis)
• Progressive neurologic deficit or severe neurologic symptoms (e.g. cauda equina syndrome, progressive muscle weakness)
• Pathologies of non-spinal or soft tissue origin or high severity which may cause neck or radiating arm pain (e.g. malignant tumor, spinal infection, inflammatory spondylitis, fibromyalgia, rheumatic arthritis, gout)
• Other chronic diseases which may interfere with treatment effect or interpretation of results (e.g. cardiovascular disorder, renal disease, diabetic neuropathy, dementia, epilepsy)
• Current intake of steroids, immunosuppressant medicine, psychiatric medicine or other medication which may interfere with treatment results
• Patients considered unsuitable or unsafe to receive acupuncture (e.g. patients with hemorrhagic diseases, blood clotting disorders, history of anti-coagulation medicine intake, severe diabetes with high risk of infection, severe cardiovascular diseases)
• Patients who were treated with invasive interventions such as acupuncture or injections, or with medicine that may potentially influence pain such as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs) within the past week
• History of cervical surgery within the past 3 months
• Pregnancy or plans of pregnancy
• Severe psychopathy
• Participation in other clinical studies
• Inability to give written informed consent
• Other reasons rendering trial participation inappropriate as judged by the researchers