Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of blade needle therapy for cervicogenic dizziness(CD)and changes of blood flow of vertebral artery in patients with CD.Methods A total of 60 patients with CD were equally randomized into medication(16 women and 14 men

38.9±10.9 years in age)group and blade needle group(17 women and 13 men

40.1±12.4 years in age).Patients of the blade needle group were treated by performing blade needle stimulation(longitudinal cutting along the musculoaponeurotic layer)to the tender points(attachment points)of the bilateral superior and inferior oblique muscles of the head

major and minor posterior cephalic rectus

about 2/3 of suboccipital nuchal line

and near the cervical processes of C1—C2 segments.The treatment was conducted once every 3 days for 15 days.Patients of the medication group were ordered to take Flunarizine Hydrochloride capsules(10 mg)once every night for 15 days.Transcranial Doppler was used to measure changes of mean blood flow velocities of the left vertebral artery(LVA)

right vertebral artery(RVA)

and basilar artery(BA)before and after the treatment.The therapeutic effect was assessed according to the Criteria for Diagnosis and Therapeutic Effect Evaluation of Syndromes or Illnesses of Traditional Chinese Medicine(1994)and the Assessment Scale for Symptoms and Function of Cervicogenic Dizziness(2017).Results Following the treatment

of the two 30 cases in the medication and blade needle groups

5(16.7%)and 7(23.3%)were cured

16(53.3%)and 20(66.7%)were improved in their symptoms

9(30.0%)and 3(10.0%)failed

with the effective rate being 70.0%and 90.0%

respectively.The effective rate of the blade needle was significantly superior to that of the medication(P<0.05).The scores of vertigo

neck-should pain

daily living and work

psychology

social adaptation

and total score of the assessment scale

as well as the average blood flow velocities of LVA

RVA and BA were considerably increased in both groups in comparison with their own pre-treatment(P<0.05)

and obviously higher in the blade needle group than in the medication group(P<0.05).Conclusion Blade needle treatment has a good clinical effect in the treatment of CD patients

which is probably associated with its function in increasing blood perfusion of the brain tissue

and thus being worthy of clinical application.