Efficacy of Wet Cupping Therapy on Fibromyalgia
Condition: Fibromyalgia
MeSH terms: Fibromyalgia; Myofascial Pain Syndromes
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Background and purpose: Although wet cupping therapy (WCT) is in use, clinical investigations
      of its efficiency are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of wet
      cupping therapy (WCT) on fibromyalgia syndrome Methods: The patients will be randomized into
      two groups. WCT will be applied once a month to patients in the intervention group while the
      control group will be on standard therapy for fibromyalgia. An evaluation will be made before
      treatment and at the 3rd month using the Fibromyalgia Impact Survey (FEA), VAS, and
      EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D-3L) quality of life scale.
    

Detailed description: 
      Background: Cupping therapy is a traditional treatment method especially belonging to our
      geography. In addition to being on the agenda as a traditional treatment method all over the
      world in recent years, it has also been the subject of an increasing number of scientific
      studies in the medical literature. In addition to studies investigating positive effects on
      blood biochemistry such as reducing LDL and TGS levels (1,2), removing heavy metals from the
      blood (3), there are also studies showing that it is effective in the treatment of migraine
      (4) and in the treatment of nonspecific low back pain (5). As a result of clinical studies,
      it was determined that cupping is effective in painful conditions (headache, myofascial pain,
      fibromyalgia), calcification, gonorrhea, spondylosis.

      It has also been found to be effective in skin diseases (such as acne, herpes zoster),
      vascular diseases, blood pressure problems, lung and respiratory diseases, and some
      psychiatric disorders (as a tranquilizer in depression, schizophrenia)(6,7,8,9,10,11, 12,13).
      It has been suggested that wet cupping therapy stimulates healing by removing inflammatory
      mediators and toxins from the body. Some practitioners claim that it reduces or even seizes
      pain by regulating the autonomic nervous system. (13).

      Purpose: The aim of our study is to investigate how and to what extent wet cupping therapy
      will affect the patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

      Method: The patients who were referred to Umraniye Training Hospital Physical Therapy and
      Rehabilitation Polyclinic will be enrolled in the study.

      The inclusion criteria are being 18-65 years old, having been diagnosed with fibromyalgia
      (ACR 2016 diagnosis criteria), and consenting to participate in the study. Those who are
      accompanied with any chronic disease and on daily medication, contraindicated to WCT as
      determined in the routine blood tests that were routinely performed before the prior to
      application (Hgb <9,5; INR> 1,2,; Hgb <9,5, etc) and who received WCT in the last three
      months will be excluded.

      The volunteers will be randomized into two separate groups as study and control group Control
      group will not receive any intervention while the study group will undergo 3 successive WCT
      sessions once in a month throughout 3 months (On 0, 30, and 60 days). Vacuum cups will used
      on different acupuncture points to perform WCT: The one on the posterior median line, in the
      depression below the processus spinosus of the 7th cervical vertebra, was DU 14 (Dazhui)
      point; the ones on the back, 3.0 cm lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the
      3rd thoracic vertebra interscapulum region were UB 42 (Pohu) bilateral points; and the ones
      on the back, 3.0 cm lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th thoracic
      vertebra were UB 46 (Geguan) bilateral points and additionally the patient's trigger points
      which we detect during the examination. There will be 5-7 points in total. The technique used
      will be triple S (Sucking, Scarification, Sucking) in all sessions.

      At 0 and 3 months, to both patient groups those questionnaires: Fibromyalgia Impact Survey
      (FEA), VAS, and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D-3L) quality of life scale will be applied. Evaluation will
      be made between two groups regarding the scores of those scales
    

Intervention name(s): wet cupping therapy
Intervention type(s): Procedure
Intervention description(s): Vacuum cups will used on different acupuncture points to perform WCT: The one on the posterior median line, in the depression below the processus spinosus of the 7th cervical vertebra was DU 14 (Dazhui) point; the ones on the back, 3.0 cm lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 3rd thoracic vertebra interscapulum region were UB 42 (Pohu) bilateral points; and the ones on the back, 3.0 cm lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th thoracic vertebra were UB 46 (Geguan) bilateral points and additionally the patient's trigger points which we detect during the examination. There will be 5-7 points in total. The technique used will be triple S (Sucking, Scarification, Sucking) in all sessions.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Randomized controlled trial
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: wet cupping therapy; fibromyalgia