Clinical application and research progress of cupping therapy

Objective：This article collected,organized,and summarized the medical literatures of cupping therapy from three major Chinese databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure（CNKI）,Chongqing VIP（VIP）,and Wan Fang,with cupping,moving cupping,flash cupping,pricking cupping,or medicinal cupping as the retrieve title or key words,and the retrieve range was from 1953 to July 15,2015.This article was to give an overall review of cupping therapy from the clinical application and mechanism research based on its application form,indications,and mechanism research progress.The results showed that there are various types of cupping methods;its indications cover multiple subjects such as internal medicine,external medicine,gynecology and pediatrics;and its major action mechanisms include negative pressure suction,increasing pain threshold,promoting dermal blood flow and improving body immunity.

Efficacy observation on acupuncture plus moving cupping with compound white mustard oil for lumbar myofascitis

To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture plus moving cupping with white mustard oil to treat lumbar myofascitis. Methods： A total of 90 patients with lumbar myofascitis who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 45 cases in each group. The observation group received acupuncture and moving cupping with white mustard oil; the control group received acupuncture plus warm needling treatment. The treatment was given twice a week for a total of 4 weeks. The visual analog scale （VAS） and Chinese version of Roland-Morris disability questionnaire （RMDQ） score of pain before the treatment, and respectively after 1-week and 4-week treatment were recorded for efficacy evaluation. Results： After 4 weeks of treatment, the difference in total effective rate between the two groups was not significantly （P〉0.05）. After i week of treatment, there was no significant difference in VAS score between the two groups （P〉0.05）. After 4 weeks of treatment, the VAS score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group, and there was a significant difference between the two groups （P〈0.05）. After 4 weeks of treatment, the Chinese version of RMDQ scores of both groups were significantly decreased, there were statistical differences in comparing with those before treatment （both P〈0.05）. After treatment for 1 week and 4 weeks, the Chinese version of RMDQ score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, with significant differences between the two groups （all P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Acupuncture plus moving cupping and acupuncture plus warm needling both can relieve the pain of patients with lumbar myofascitis, improve the function of back muscles, while the curative effect of acupuncture plus moving cupping is better.

Therapeutic Effect Observation on Treatment of Acne with Acupuncture plus Moving Cupping and Blood-letting

Objective： To observe the therapeutic effect on treatment of acne with acupuncture plus moving cupping and blood-letting. Method： Sixty acne cases were randomized into the treatment group for combined acupuncture and moving cupping and blood-letting and control group for acupuncture alone. The therapeutic effects of the cases in the two groups were observed after a 30-day treatment. Result： The total effective rate was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： The combined acupuncture and moving cupping and blood-letting can effectively increase the effective rate in the treatment of acne.

Clinical observation on acupuncture at points of Shaoyang meridians plus moving cupping on the neck and shoulder for migraine

Objective： To observe the efficacy of acupuncture at points of Shaoyang meridians plus moving cupping on neck and shoulder for migraine. Methods： A total of 64 migraine cases were randomly allocated into an observation group and a control group, 32 cases in each group. Random number table method was used in allocation. Acupuncture at points of Shaoyang meridians and cupping on neck and shoulder were used for cases in the observation group, which contain acupuncture 5 times a week and cupping once a week. Oral flunarizine hydrochloride capsules were used for cases in the control group, 10 mg for each dose, 1 dose a day. 2 weeks constitutes a course of treatment. The patients were treated for two courses of treatment in both groups. After that, the changes of visual analogue scale （VAS） and the migraine disability assessment questionnaire （MIDAS） were observed, as well as the clinical efficacy. Results： The total effective rate and recovery and marked effective rate in the observation group were 93.8% and 71.0% respectively, versus 78.1% and 43.8% in the control group, showing statistical significant differences （both P〈O.05）. There were significant decreases in VAS and MIDAS scores after treatments in both groups （both P〈O.05）. VAS and MIDAS scores in the observation group were significantly different from those in the control group （both P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Combining acupuncture at points of Shaoyang meridians and cupping on neck and shoulder can relieve headache and reduce influence of migraine on life. It can produce a better efficacy than oral flunarizine hydrochloride capsules in treating migraine patients.

Clinical observation of moving cupping on the back for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome-related sleep disorders

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of moving cupping on the back for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)-related sleep disorders. Methods: A total of 60 patients with CFS-related sleep disorders were randomized into a control group and an observation group, with 30 cases in each group. The control group was treated with oral administration of fluoxetine hydrochloride capsule. The observation group was treated with moving cupping on the back, once every other day. The efficacy was observed after 4 weeks of treatment. The fatigue scale-14 (FS-14) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were assessed before and after the treatment to evaluate the clinical efficacy. Results: The total effective rate was 93.3% in the observation group, and 73.3% in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the improvement of physical fatigue value, mental fatigue value, and the total score of FS-14 in the observation group were statistically different from those in the control group (all P<0.05). The scores of subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, habitual sleep efficiency, use of sleeping medication, daytime dysfunction of PSQI and the total score in the observation group were improved more significantly than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Moving cupping on the back can significantly improve sleep disorders in CFS patients, and it has a better curative effect than oral fluoxetine hydrochloride capsules.

Basic Techniques and Applications of Three-layer Moving Cupping Method

In the systematical study on moving cupping method by combination of the clinical practice, the time, speed and strength of moving cupping method are quantified. 15 basic manual techniques of moving cupping methods have been summarized and 10 clinical application protocols have been recommended. In accordance with acupuncture theory, the concept of ＂three-layer moving cupping method＂ has been submitted, in the knowledge that different manual techniques, different protocols in the clinical application can produce different therapeutic effects of different therapies like warming moxibustion, cupping method, scratching method, massage and herbal therapy.