Cupping Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Synthesis of Evidence

Abstract

Background: This systematic review was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cupping therapy for treating patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods: The following databases were searched from their inception until June 2017: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, and 4 Chinese databases (Wan Fang Data, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VeiPu, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of cupping therapy on KOA were included in this systematic review. A quantitative synthesis of the RCTs was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software. Study selection and data extraction and validation were performed independently by 2 reviewers. Cochrane criteria for risk of bias were used to assess the methodological quality of the trials. Results: A total of 5 studies met our inclusion criteria. We analyzed the data from these 5 RCTs involving 535 participants. All included studies were judged to be at high risk for bias. Dry cupping therapy plus Western medicine therapy was more effective than Western therapy alone in reducing the pain scores (mean difference (MD) = -1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) -2.40 to -1.18; p < 0.01). In addition, the study participants in the dry cupping therapy plus Western medicine therapy group showed significantly greater improvements in the pain (MD = -0.73, 95% CI -1.61 to -0.41; p < 0.01), stiffness (MD = -0.94, 95% CI -1.30 to -0.58; p < 0.01), and physical function (MD = -10.07, 95% CI -13.45 to -6.69; p < 0.01) domains of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) compared to participants in the Western medicine therapy group. Moreover, when compared with Western medicine therapy alone, a meta-analysis of 4 RCTs suggested statistically significant favorable effects of wet cupping therapy plus Western medicine on the Lequesne Algofunctional Index (LAI) (MD = -3.44, 95% CI -4.21 to -2.68; p < 0.01). Conclusion: There is weak evidence to support the hypothesis that cupping therapy has beneficial effects on reducing the pain intensity and improving the physical function in patients with KOA.

Holistic/Integrative Interventions Relieve Knee Osteoarthritis Pain in Older Adults

“…Cupping and moxibustion may create injuries. 16 Cupping may leave marks on the skin, which are usually temporary, and can cause bleeding. Moxibustion has been associated with infections, burns, and allergic reactions.…”

“…A systematic review was completed regarding cupping that consisted of 5 randomized controlled trials and 535 participants with knee OA. 16 WOMAC scores were used to evaluate pain and function. 16 The review concluded that there was only weak evidence to support cupping.…”

“…16 WOMAC scores were used to evaluate pain and function. 16 The review concluded that there was only weak evidence to support cupping.…”

Baguan Therapy Is an Alternative in Treating Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Systematic Review Based on Existing Randomized Controlled Trials

“…Previously, several systematic reviews have investigated the effects of Baguan therapy on chronic low back pain [14], stroke rehabilitation [15], hypertension [16], and osteoarthritis [17]. However, there has been no systematic review specifically focusing on the cupping therapy of AS.…”

The Crisis of Medicine and the Benefits of Complex Pain Therapy Procedures Such As Cupping: More Research Needed

“…In the two sham-controlled studies conducted so far [19, 22], there was, however, no evidence of specific efficacy in limitations in the methodology (insufficient statistical power). In recent years, several systematic reviews have also been published, which indicate the efficacy of cupping [24-26], but there is no methodologically well-conducted critical review of all pain disorders. All in all, we need larger multi-center studies on the efficacy of cupping and proof of its good tolerability.…”