SynthesisMedicine2022
Effectiveness of self-management of dry and wet cupping therapy for low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Medicine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 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.
The Effect of Cupping on Spasticity and Function of the Lower Extremity During Rehabilitation After Stroke
Dry Needling Versus Dry Cupping on Pain and Disability in Cervicogenic Headache Patients
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 26 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for low back pain in China: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.PloS one · 2025Pooled it
- Efficacy of cupping therapy on pain outcomes: an evidence-mapping study.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Pooled it
- Beyond levothyroxine: a narrative review of adjunctive management strategies for Hashimoto's thyroiditis.Gland surgery · 2026Review
- Impact of wet and dry cupping therapy on endurance, perceived wellness, and exertion in recreational male runners.Sports medicine and health science · 2026Article
- Cupping therapy for chronic non-specific low back pain.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025Article
- Efficacy and safety of wet cupping in the treatment of neurodermatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2024Review
- Effect of negative pressure therapy on the treatment response to scar thickness and viscoelasticity.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2024Article
- Using texture analysis of ultrasound images to assess the effect of cupping therapy on muscle quality of the triceps.PloS one · 2024Article
- Article
- Using cross-correlation analysis of multi-channel near infrared spectroscopy to assess the hemodynamic response to cupping therapy.Biomedical optics express · 2023Article
- Clinical and Research Implications of a Cochrane Systematic Review of Acupuncture for Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain.Global advances in integrative medicine and healthReview
- Evaluation of wet cupping therapy with medications versus standard treatment in the management of chronic cases of unspecified low back pain - A randomised controlled clinical trial.Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicineArticle
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 2 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLow back pain (LBP) can significantly affect a person's quality of life. Cupping has been used to treat LBP. However, various cupping methods are typically included in evaluating the efficacy of cupping therapy. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the evidence from the literature regarding the effects of dry and wet cupping therapy on LBP in adults. Dry and wet cupping therapy are analyzed categorically in this study.
methodsWe searched for randomized clinical trials with cupping in LBP published between 2008 and 2022. In dry or wet cupping clinical studies, pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale and present pain intensity, and the quality of life intensity was measured using the Oswestry disability index.
resultsThe 656 studies were identified, of which 10 studies for 690 patients with LBP were included in the meta-analysis. There was a significant reduction in the pain intensity score with present pain intensity using wet cupping therapy (P < .01). In addition, both cupping therapy groups displayed significant Oswestry disability index score reduction compared to the control group (both P < .01). The patients with LBP have a substantial reduction by using wet cupping but have not shown a considerable decrease by using dry cupping (P = .19). In addition, only wet cupping therapy groups displayed a significantly improved quality of life compared to the control group. The study had a very high heterogeneity (I2 > 50%). It means there is no standardization in the treatment protocol in randomized clinical trials. In the meta-regression, there was statistically significant evidence that the number of treatment times and intercepts were related (P < .01).
conclusionThe present meta-analysis shows that wet cupping therapy effectively reduces the pain intensity of LBP. Furthermore, both dry wet cupping therapy improved patients with LBP quality of life.
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.