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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies

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Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research article

The influence of a series of five dry cupping treatments on pain and mechanical thresholds in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain - a randomised controlled pilot study

Authors: Romy Lauche, Holger Cramer, Kyung-Eun Choi, Thomas Rampp, Felix Joyonto Saha, Gustav J Dobos, Frauke Musial

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2011

Abstract

Background

In this preliminary trial we investigated the effects of dry cupping, an ancient method for treating pain syndromes, on patients with chronic non-specific neck pain. Sensory mechanical thresholds and the participants' self-reported outcome measures of pain and quality of life were evaluated.

Methods

Fifty patients (50.5 ± 11.9 years) were randomised to a treatment group (TG) or a waiting-list control group (WL). Patients in the TG received a series of 5 cupping treatments over a period of 2 weeks; the control group did not. Self-reported outcome measures before and after the cupping series included the following: Pain at rest (PR) and maximal pain related to movement (PM) on a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS), pain diary (PD) data on a 0-10 numeric rating scale (NRS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and health-related quality of life (SF-36). In addition, the mechanical-detection thresholds (MDT), vibration-detection thresholds (VDT), and pressure-pain thresholds (PPT) were determined at pain-related and control areas.

Results

Patients of the TG had significantly less pain after cupping therapy than patients of the WL group (PR: Δ-22.5 mm, p = 0.00002; PM: Δ-17.8 mm, p = 0.01). Pain diaries (PD) revealed that neck pain decreased gradually in the TG patients and that pain reported by the two groups differed significantly after the fifth cupping session (Δ-1.1, p = 0.001). There were also significant differences in the SF-36 subscales for bodily pain (Δ13.8, p = 0.006) and vitality (Δ10.2, p = 0.006). Group differences in PPT were significant at pain-related and control areas (all p < 0.05), but were not significant for MDT or VDT.

Conclusions

A series of five dry cupping treatments appeared to be effective in relieving chronic non-specific neck pain. Not only subjective measures improved, but also mechanical pain sensitivity differed significantly between the two groups, suggesting that cupping has an influence on functional pain processing.

Trial registration

The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01289964).

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The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/11/63/prepub

Title: The influence of a series of five dry cupping treatments on pain and mechanical thresholds in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain - a randomised controlled pilot study
Authors: Romy Lauche
Holger Cramer
Kyung-Eun Choi
Thomas Rampp
Felix Joyonto Saha
Gustav J Dobos
Frauke Musial
Publication date: 01-12-2011
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-11-63

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

The influence of a series of five dry cupping treatments on pain and mechanical thresholds in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain - a randomised controlled pilot study

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Trial registration

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Trial registration

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