CUPPING THERAPY: A PRUDENT APPROACH IN PAIN MANAGEMENT-A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Cupping Therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine for treating variety of musculoskeletal disorders. Number of studies indicated the efficacy of various cupping methods in decreasing neck or back pain intensity within short duration and improves quality of life.

 DATABASES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The experimental studies were searched on the electronic databases including Google Scholar, PEDro, PubMed and Cochrane Library from June 2015 to December 2019. It was ensured that all articles were full-text in English language whereas screening was executed on relevant titles and abstracts, evaluated on the basis of cupping therapy and its effects on musculoskeletal pain.

 RESULTS

A total of eight out of ten experimental studies showed significant decrease (p<0.05) in spinal pain in result of cupping therapy except for the two studies that demonstrated no significant pre-post group differences (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that cupping therapy is effective in the management of pain due to various musculoskeletal ailments. Despite, high heterogeneity and low quality evidence limit the study findings therefore, the techniques required validation for the future implication for better understanding of the treatment outcomes.

 OBJECTIVES

To determine the therapeutic effect of cupping therapy on non-specific neck, and back pains.

DATA SOURCES

This systematic review include Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) for patients suffering from pain of neck and back. This article is retrieved from Google scholar and PubMed.

STUDY SLECTION

Data belonged to 2010 2017 were included. All RCT that focus on cupping therapy or its affecting rehabilitation of neck and back pain.

INTERVENTIONS

Wet, dry and pulsatile cupping on nonspecific pain in neck and back.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Nonspecific pain in neck and back.

RESULTS

8 RCT ,1 systemic review and 1 meta-analysis is used in this systemic review. There was very high evidence on cupping therapy in non - specific neck and back pain.

CONCLUSIONS                                                                                                                                           In many researches it is proving that cupping therapy is precise beneficial for dipping pain and functional deformities. Only one article shows adverse effect of cupping therapy immediately after treatment which will resolve after 24 hours.