7.1 Acute Musculoskeletal Pain
125
Description
■ Paravertebral, segment-specific pain, may radiate to the shoulders and occipital region
■ No motor deficits, rarely sensory deficits
■ Most common form: cervical myalgia following whiplash (car accident)
Signs and symptoms requiring a referral to a neurologist/neurosurgeon:
• progressive sensory and motor deficits (especially with prolapsed disc)
• difficulty swallowing.
While further treatment with exclusively auricular acupuncture may alleviate the pain, this
might mask the underlying disorder and therefore result in the delay of necessary surgery.
Point Prescription
French points
■ Local points:
Atlanto-occipital Joint, C3, C7
(
›
6.1.1),
Anterior Neck Musculature
(
›
6.2.1),
Inferior Cervical Ganglion
(
›
6.9.2) on the anterior ear;
Cervical Spine
(
›
6.11.1) on the posterior ear
■ Points in the
Vegetative Groove
(
›
6.9.1)
■ Analgesic points:
Diazepam
(
›
6.7.3),
PGE
1
/Thymus
(
›
6.7.6)
■ For restricted movement: relevant cervical spine points on the anterior ear; restricted
movement in one area of the spine often results in (compensatory) counter-blockages
in other parts of the spine; needling these points is therefore recommended: e.g.
T4,
T10, T12, L2
(
›
6.1.1)
Chinese points
■ Local points:
Cervical Spine (37)
(
›
6.1.1) on the anterior ear;
Cervical Spine (107)
(
›
6.11.1) on the posterior ear
■ Analgesic point:
Thalamus (26a)
(
›
6.7.4)
Treatment Intervals
■ Once daily until the pain has reduced significantly
■ Then once weekly until symptoms have subsided completely
Treatment Course and Prognosis
■ The sooner treatments commence after onset of the pain, the sooner there will be treat-
ment results, and, in case of whiplash, the lower the risk of long-term complications.
■ Generally, the pain diminishes or completely subsides within minutes to hours after ac-
upuncture but this effect tends to be short-lived; daily repeat treatments are necessary
for approximately 3 days.
■ The pain usually subsides completely after 4 weeks at the latest.
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