Objective  To observe the effect of acupotomy release combined with stellate ganglion block in the treatment of patients with cervical hypertension.

  Methods  A total of 136 patients with cervical hypertension were divided into experimental group (n=68) and control group (n=68) according to random number table method. The control group was treated with stellate ganglion block, and the experimental group was treated with acupotomy release on the basis of the control group. The total effective rate and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) score, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, hemodynamic indexes vessel diameter (VD), mean blood flow velocity (MFV), peak systolic blood flow (PSV) and end diastolic blood flow (EDV), blood pressure, serum inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score were compared before and after treatment between two groups.

  Results  After treatment, the NDI score, the VAS score, diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05), and these indexes in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After 2 courses of treatment and at the end of treatment, the levels of serum TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in both groups decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the levels of these indexes in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the MMSE score in both groups significantly decreased, but the MMSE score in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, VD, MFV, PSV and EDV in both groups significantly increased, and these indexes in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The total effective rate of the experimental group was 98.53%, which was significantly higher than 85.29% of the control group (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Acupotomy release combined with stellate ganglion block is effective in the treatment of patients with cervical hypertension, which can effectively reduce the levels of serum inflammatory factors, blood pressure and hemodynamic indexes, alleviate the degree of cervical dysfunction, and protect the cognitive function of patients.