AIM: Besides the total curative effect, synthetical scores on symptoms and functions, as well as improvement rates of syndromes, the Yi-Nao manipulation on head and face in treating cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type is investigated. METHODS: From June 2004 to February 2000, 160 cases with cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type were selected from the Out-patient Department, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and were divided into experimental group (n = 80) and control group (n = 80) according to the random digit table by SAS software. EXPERIMENTAL GROUP: On basis of routine manipulation, Yi-Nao manipulation was conducted in cervical in line with corresponding meridians, including Yintang (Extra), Taiyang (Extra), Sibai (ST2) and Baihui (DU20), etc in the suitable needling sensation; Bilateral Gallbladder Meridian was dispersed by thumb radial and tips of other four fingers in right hand from anterior to lower posterior, 10 times in each side; from anterior hairline to posterior for 6 times, and then the cervical vertebra in L3-4 was plucked stressing on spinous process at the angle of 15 degrees to 20 degrees for more than 1 minute, and repeated for 5 times. Afterward, the straight pushing manipulation was performed on cervical vertebra of Du Meridian and bilateral Urinary Bladder Meridian for 6 times in each side, totally 12 times. CONTROL GROUP: Routine manipulation was conducted in the same acupoints as experimental group, followed by plucking cervical vertebra. Both groups were treated for 25 minutes once daily for 15 days as a course. After treatment, the clinical curative effects, synthetical scores on symptoms and functions, and improvement rates of syndromes were evaluated in two groups, referring to standardization of diagnosis and curative effect on disease and syndrome of TCM established by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and evaluation sheet of symptom and function on cervical vertigo formulated by Wang Chu-huai et al. RESULTS: Totally 160 patients of cervical spondylosis were involved in the result analysis. (1) The marked effectiveness rate was respectively 71% in experimental group and 50% in control group, with the significant difference (Ridit analysis, u = 7.419 3, p < 0.05). (2) The synthetical evaluations on symptoms and functions were increased significantly in two groups after treatment (28.44 +/- 1.52, 13.93 +/- 2.14; 26.34 +/- 2.20, 14.07 +/- 2.19; t = 49.442, 8; 35.354, 0, p < 0.05), and better in experimental group than in control group (t = 6.083, 2, p < 0.05). (3) The improvement rates of syndromes (spinous process displacement and physical curvature) were markedly higher in experimental group than in control group (83.82%, 68.66%; 46.67%, 37.18%; p < 0.05). But there was no significant difference in the improvement rates of Luschka's joint hyperplasia and intervertebral foramen narrowing (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Yi-Nao manipulation is better than routine manipulation in increasing marked effectiveness rates, synthetical evaluation on symptoms and functions and improving syndromes, such as spinous process displacement and physical curvature. Therefore, it is worth being applied to treat cervical spondylosis for clinical practice.

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