The Use of Wet Cupping for Persistent Nonspecific XXXX : Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

@entity1 @entity1643 @entity158 @entity717 @entity1443
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of wet cupping therapy as a single treatment for persistent nonspecific @entity1643 (PNSLBP). DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial comparing wet cupping versus no treatment in PNSLBP. SETTING: Outpatient clinic in three secondary care hospitals in Saudi Arabia. @entity1 : Eighty eligible @entity1 with PNSLBP for at least 3 months were randomly allocated to an intervention group (n=40) or to a control group (n=40). INTERVENTIONS: Six wet cupping sessions within 2 weeks, each of which were done at two bladder meridian (BL) acupuncture points among BL23, BL24, and BL25. Only @entity1443 was allowed as a rescue treatment in both groups. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), McGill Present @entity158 Intensity (PPI), and @entity717 Questionnaire (ODQ) were used as outcome measures. Numbers of @entity1443 tablets taken were compared at 4 weeks from baseline. Adverse events were recorded. RESULTS: At the end of the intervention, statistically significant differences in the three outcome measures favoring the wet cupping group compared with the control group were seen: NRS score, 29.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.6-33.8) versus 57.9 (95% CI, 53.3-62.6), respectively; PPI score, 1.17 (95% CI, 0.96-1.4) versus 2.3 (95% CI, 2.1- 2.7); and ODQ score, 19.6 (95% CI, 16.5-22.7) versus 35.4 (95% CI, 32.3-38.5) (p=0.0001). This improvement continued for another 2 weeks after the end of the intervention. @entity1443 was used less in the wet cupping group, but this difference was not statistically significant. No adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Wet cupping is potentially effective in reducing @entity158 and improving disability associated with PNSLBP at least for 2 weeks after the end of the wet cupping period. Placebo-controlled trials are needed.
