Back Pain, Chronic Pain, Neck Pain
Conditions
Keywords
Vacuum cupping, Quantitative sensory testing
Brief summary
Small clinical pilot studies have shown that vacuum massage-related techniques such as traditional dry cupping can reduce musculoskeletal pain such as back and neck pain. At the same time, little is yet known about the potential mechanisms of action of these therapies. A vacuum pump induces a massaging effect of the skin including the deeper tissue layers. The resulting massage technique corresponds to a kind of tissue manipulation similar to dry cupping. In this procedure, suction force and air flow can be individually adjusted. This is an advantage that can be used for patients with varying degrees of sensitivity or who are preloaded by patients with varying degrees of sensitivity or a history of pain. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of the study design.
Interventions
DEVICEAERO vacuum cupping device
The treatment consists of 5 sessions (approx. 30 min) of vacuum massage. The vacuum pump provided by the device provides a type of vacuum massage, that can be adjusted according to applied suction and air flow. The resulting massage technique provides a type of soft tissue manipulation similar to the ancient traditional medicine technique of cupping. Nonetheless, this automated technique allows for more precise determination of the massage characteristics.
Sponsors
University of Jena
Helheten Norway
National Research Centre of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Norway
Jena University Hospital
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* chronic neck or back pain * mean pain intensity ≥ 40 mm VAS
Exclusion criteria
* neurological symptoms or neuropathic pain * vertebral column surgery less than 12 months prior to the study * TENS, acupuncture, osteopathy, or a chiropractic maneuvre or infiltration at the area within 4 weeks prior to the inclusion in the study * congenital deformation of the spine
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain intensity (Numeric rating scale (NRS)) | measured at baseline (week 1) and weekly during treatment (week 2 to 5) and 1 month after last treatment | NRS is a 11-point pain scale for self-reporting of pain (0 meaning no pain and 10 meaning worst pain) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative sensory testing (QST) | measured at baseline (week 1) and weekly during treatment (week 2 to 5) and 1 month after last treatment | QST is a diagnostic tool which allows measurement of pain sensitivity. |
| Neck Disability Index (NDI) | measured at baseline (week 1), at the end of treatment (week 5) and after 1 month after last treatmentekly during treatment (week 2 to 5) and 1 month after last treatment | NDI is used to measure neck pain and to quantify disability for neck pain. |
| Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) | measured at baseline (week 1), at the end of treatment (week 5) and after 1 month after last treatment | ODI is used to measure low back pain and to quantify disability for low back pain. |
| Pain diary | filled in from baseline (week 1) until last treatment (week 5) | A pain diary helps to track pain in the course of the study. |
Countries
Germany
Outcome results
None listed