Trial reportPloS one2013
Effectiveness of home-based cupping massage compared to progressive muscle relaxation in patients with chronic neck pain--a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 28 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Randomised Controlled Study on the Effectiveness of Cupping Massage for Home Use in Chronic Neck Pain [Randomisierte Kontrollierte Studie Zur Wirksamkeit Der Schröpfkopfmassage Als Heimanwendung Bei Chronischen Nackenschmerzen]
The Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises on Pain and Disability After Spinal Surgery
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Vs Muscle Energy Technique on Nonspecific Neck Pain in Prolonged Computer Users. A Randomized Controlled Trial
Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 97 citations in OpenAlex.
- Update evidence of effectiveness on pain relieving of cupping therapy: a systematic review and Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan · 2025Pooled it
- Visual analysis of research hotspots and trends of external therapies in traditional Chinese medicine for chronic pain.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Massage for neck pain.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Cupping therapy and chronic back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis.Revista latino-americana de enfermagem · 2018Pooled it
- Is cupping therapy effective in patients with neck pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2018Pooled it
- Traditional Chinese medicine for neck pain and low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2015Pooled it
- Efficacy of cupping therapy in patients with the fibromyalgia syndrome-a randomised placebo controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2016Trial
- Trial
- Mindfulness-Based Meditation Versus Progressive Relaxation Meditation: Impact on Chronic Pain in Older Female Patients With Diabetic Neuropathy.Journal of evidence-based integrative medicineTrial
- Personalized immunization to optimize vaccine immunogenicity: exploring the multidimensional effects of host intrinsic factors, external intervention strategies, and the external environment.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- Effects ofPlants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- [Scientific shortcomings in the CME article on complementary medicine in pain therapy].Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) · 2023Article
- [CAM procedures in pain therapy: an evidence-based discourse is needed].Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) · 2023Article
- Using cross-correlation analysis of multi-channel near infrared spectroscopy to assess the hemodynamic response to cupping therapy.Biomedical optics express · 2023Article
- Suggested Integrative Approach for Hand Abscess with Cupping Therapy: a case study.Journal of pharmacopuncture · 2023Article
- Current Concept of Quantitative Sensory Testing and Pressure Pain Threshold in Neck/Shoulder and Low Back Pain.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Using Postmarket Surveillance to Assess Safety-Related Events in a Digital Rehabilitation App (Kaia App): Observational Study.JMIR human factors · 2021Article
- Relaxation techniques as an intervention for chronic pain: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Heliyon · 2021Review
- Standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of cupping (STRICTOC): extending the CONSORT statement.Chinese medicine · 2020Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
unlabelledChronic neck pain is a major public health problem with very few evidence-based complementary treatment options. This study aimed to test the efficacy of 12 weeks of a partner-delivered home-based cupping massage, compared to the same period of progressive muscle relaxation in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain. Patients were randomly assigned to self-directed cupping massage or progressive muscle relaxation. They were trained and asked to undertake the assigned treatment twice weekly for 12 weeks. Primary outcome measure was the current neck pain intensity (0-100 mm visual analog scale; VAS) after 12 weeks. Secondary outcome measures included pain on motion, affective pain perception, functional disability, psychological distress, wellbeing, health-related quality of life, pressure pain thresholds and adverse events. Sixty one patients (54.1±12.7 years; 73.8%female) were randomized to cupping massage (n = 30) or progressive muscle relaxation (n = 31). After treatment, both groups showed significantly less pain compared to baseline however without significant group differences. Significant effects in favor of cupping massage were only found for wellbeing and pressure pain thresholds. In conclusion, cupping massage is no more effective than progressive muscle relaxation in reducing chronic non-specific neck pain. Both therapies can be easily used at home and can reduce pain to a minimal clinically relevant extent. Cupping massage may however be better than PMR in improving well-being and decreasing pressure pain sensitivity but more studies with larger samples and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these results.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01500330.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.