Objective To observe the correlation between the thickness of superficial fascia at Dazhui(GV14) acupoint and cervical spondylosis

so as to explore the essence of its morphological and structural changes of acupoint sensitivity. Methods A retrospective study was conducted. According to the diagnostic criteria of “Guidelines for Diagnosis

Treatment and Rehabilitation of Cervical Spondylosis”(2017)

344 cases of cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) examination were included and divided into control group(73 cases) and observation group(271 cases). The control group was healthy population

and the observation group was patients with cervical spondylosis conforming to the diagnostic criteria

including cervical spondylosis of neck type

cervical spondylosis radiculopathy

cervical spondylotic myelopathy

cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type

and sympathetic cervical spondylosis. According to MRI images of cervical spine

the structure of GV14 acupoint including skin

superficial fascia layer and aponeurosis ligament layer were measured. Results The acupoint depth and the superficial fascia thickness at GV14 in the observation group were(56.6±8.8) mm and(22.8±7.6) mm

the acupoint depth and the superficial fascia thickness at GV14 were(49.8±7.0) mm and(16.6±6.6)mm in the control group

which were significantly greater in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.01). The superficial fascia thickness at GV14 of cervical spondylotic mye-lopathy

cervical spondylosis of neck type and cervical spondylosis radiculopathy in the observation group was(23.8±8.1)mm

(23.0±7.3)mm and(22.6±6.5)mm

the acupoint depth of GV14 was(58.7±8.8)mm

(56.2±9.1)mm and(55.8±6.4)mm

which were significantly thicker than the superficial fascia thickness and the acupoint depth in the control group(P<0.01). In the observation group

the superficial fascia thickness of GV14 of cervical spondylosis myelopathy was significantly thicker than those of sympathetic cervical spondylosis(17.8±8.1) mm and cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type(19.9±5.9) mm(P<0.01

P<0.05). In the observation group

the depth of GV14 of cervical spondylosis myelopathy was thicker than that of cervical spondylosis of neck type

cervical spondylosis radiculopathy

sympathetic cervical spondylosis and cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type(P<0.05

P<0.01); the depth of GV14 of sympathetic cervical spondylosis was thinner than that of cervical spondylosis of neck type and cervical spondylosis radiculopathy(P<0.01). Conclusion The superficial fascia thickness at GV14 was correlated with cervical spondylosis

and it is also related to cervical spondylotic myelopathy

cervical spondylosis of neck type and cervical spondylosis radiculopathy. The morphological and structural changes of GV14 in the state of cervical spondylosis were mainly the thickness of the superficial fascia.