A combination of acupuncture and massage is the cure for a specific kind of dizziness called ‘cervical vertigo’, according to research published in the Chinese Journal of Gerontology.

The study was carried out by researchers at the Peoples’ Hospital of Linhai City in China's Zhenjiang province.

Cervical vertigo causes patients to experience a sensation of spinning. It is usually caused by head or neck trauma, neck arthritis, surgery to the neck, Meniere’s disease, inner ear disorders, or other issues. This is different to other forms of ‘vertigo’ because it affects the body’s own ability to sense its position, motion and equilibrium.

The researchers randomly divided 84 patients with the ailment into two groups. The first received standalone Chinese medicine massage treatments only, while the other group received a combination of acupuncture and massage therapy. After two weeks, 95 per cent of patients in the second group experienced significant reduction of symptoms, compared to 79.95 per cent for the first group.

The duration of the massage therapy performed on each patient’s neck, shoulders and upper back was 30 minutes, every other day for two weeks. The group which also underwent acupuncture received 30 minutes of needling with each needle being inserted between 15 to 25mm into the skin around the neck muscles. This treatment was applied once daily for a course of two weeks.

Beneficial effects of the combined treatment identified by the researchers include improved blood oxygen supply, enhanced circulation of blood to the affected region, plus reduced muscle spasms and pain.