A Review of Recent Progress Regarding the Mechanisms and Effectiveness of Acupotomy for Treating Cervical Spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis (CS) is a prevalent age-related degenerative condition of the cer-vical spine that often leads to neck pain, radiculopathy, and functional impairment. Acupotomy, a minimally invasive therapy that combines acupuncture theory with small scalpel-based intervention, has attracted increasing attention in recent years. This re-view explores the latest mechanistic insights into acupotomy’s therapeutic effects on CS, particularly focusing on neuromodulation, anti-inflammatory pathways, apoptosis regulation, and gut microbiota involvement. By integrating findings from both clinical trials and molecular studies, this paper aims to establish a comprehensive multidisci-plinary understanding of acupotomy’s value in managing CS. Furthermore, we em-phasize its potential role as a bridge between traditional Chinese medicine and modern biomedical approaches. Our findings suggest that acupotomy holds significant promise as a safe, effective, and integrative modality for CS treatment, meriting inclusion in future clinical practice guidelines and translational research.