Silver needle therapy was used for 42 patients with severe soft tissue pain in region of neck

shoul-der and dorsum which was secondary to cervical canal stenosis (3 cases)

cervical disc herniation (20cases) and trauma sequelae(19 cases). The pain-relieving effect was evaluated according to patients'own description. The results showed that it was remarkably effective in 36 cases

effective in 4 and in-effective in 2

the total effective rate was 95. 24 %. The results suggested that the silver needle therapy was significantly effective on severe soft tissue pain

because it could not only relieve muscle spasm but also accelerate the activities of central and peripheral analgesic substences.