Frontiers in medicine · 2026
Clinical study on the therapeutic effect of large-area cupping therapy for lumbar disc herniation of cold-damp type (a Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome).
Название и аннотация: Перевод в очереди
Обработка статьи · этапы, ошибки и управление
Загрузка состояния…
Ошибки и ограничения
История · было → стало
Состояние обновляется каждые 5 секунд, пока блок открыт. Процент показывается только там, где известен объём работы. Пауза останавливает продолжение этапа; текущий запрос к источнику может завершиться.
Ding Y, Li Q, Liu X, Liu M, Wang H, Zhao K, Xu K, Tian D
Аннотация
BACKGROUND: Cupping therapy is a commonly used Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) modality for treating lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and has gained increasing attention in recent years. Large-area cupping therapy is characterized by extensive and deep negative-pressure stimulation, which may exert analgesic effects by improving local circulation and modulating inflammatory mediators. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of large-area cupping therapy in patients with cold-damp type LDH and to explore its potential mechanisms of action.
METHODS: This prospective, randomized controlled trial enrolled 60 patients diagnosed with LDH of the cold-dampness type. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) using a random number table to either the observation group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). The observation group received large-area cupping therapy, while the control group underwent conventional infrared therapy. Both groups were treated once every other day for a total of six sessions. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and TCM symptom scores were recorded. Serum levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and β-endorphin (β-EP) were measured before treatment, after the first session, and after the final session.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups at baseline in terms of VAS scores, TCM symptom scores, or serum levels of PGE2 and β-EP (P > 0.05). After treatment, the observation group showed significantly greater improvements in VAS scores, symptom scores, and biochemical markers compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Specifically, PGE2 levels in the treatment group decreased from 123.45 ± 15.93 pg/mL at baseline to 69.79 ± 16.44 pg/mL after treatment, while β-EP levels increased from 4.38 ± 1.09 ng/mL to 7.74 ± 1.12 ng/mL. The total effective rate was 93.33% in the observation group and 83.33% in the control group, with a between-group difference of 10.00%; however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.424). No serious adverse events occurred.
CONCLUSION: Large-area cupping therapy demonstrates promising short-term clinical efficacy in relieving pain and modulating inflammatory mediators in cold-damp type LDH. While safe and well-tolerated, further studies with long-term follow-up are required to establish the durability of these effects.
METHODS: This prospective, randomized controlled trial enrolled 60 patients diagnosed with LDH of the cold-dampness type. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) using a random number table to either the observation group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). The observation group received large-area cupping therapy, while the control group underwent conventional infrared therapy. Both groups were treated once every other day for a total of six sessions. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and TCM symptom scores were recorded. Serum levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and β-endorphin (β-EP) were measured before treatment, after the first session, and after the final session.
RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups at baseline in terms of VAS scores, TCM symptom scores, or serum levels of PGE2 and β-EP (P > 0.05). After treatment, the observation group showed significantly greater improvements in VAS scores, symptom scores, and biochemical markers compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Specifically, PGE2 levels in the treatment group decreased from 123.45 ± 15.93 pg/mL at baseline to 69.79 ± 16.44 pg/mL after treatment, while β-EP levels increased from 4.38 ± 1.09 ng/mL to 7.74 ± 1.12 ng/mL. The total effective rate was 93.33% in the observation group and 83.33% in the control group, with a between-group difference of 10.00%; however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.424). No serious adverse events occurred.
CONCLUSION: Large-area cupping therapy demonstrates promising short-term clinical efficacy in relieving pain and modulating inflammatory mediators in cold-damp type LDH. While safe and well-tolerated, further studies with long-term follow-up are required to establish the durability of these effects.