***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: OBJECTIVES This was a r and omized controlled pilot trial to evaluate the effectiveness of cupping therapy for neck pain in video display terminal ( VDT ) workers . METHODS Forty VDT workers with moderate to severe neck pain were recruited from May , 2011 to February , 2012 . Participants were r and omly allocated into one of the two interventions : 6 sessions of wet and dry cupping or heating pad application . The participants were offered an exercise program to perform during the participation period . A 0 to 100 numeric rating scale ( NRS ) for neck pain , measure yourself medical outcome profile 2 score ( MYMOP2 score ) , cervical spine range of motion ( C-spine ROM ) , neck disability index ( NDI ) , the EuroQol health index ( EQ-5D ) , short form stress response inventory ( SRI-SF ) and fatigue severity scale ( FSS ) were assessed at several points during a 7-week period . RESULTS Compared with a heating pad , cupping was more effective in improving pain ( adjusted NRS difference : -1.29 [ 95 % CI -1.61 , -0.97 ] at 3 weeks ( p=0.025 ) and -1.16 [ -1.48 , -0.84 ] at 7 weeks ( p=0.005 ) ) , neck function ( adjusted NDI difference : -0.79 [ -1.11 , -0.47 ] at 3 ( p=0.0039 ) and 7 weeks ( p<0.0001 ) ) and discomfort ( adjusted MYMOP2 difference score : -0.72 [ -1.04 to -0.40 ] at 3 weeks and -0.92 [ -1.24 , -0.60 ] at 7 weeks ) . Significant improvement in EQ-5D was observed at 7 weeks ( 1.0 [ 0.88 , 1.0 ] with cupping and 0.91 [ 0.86 , 0.91 ] with heating pad treatment , p=0.0054 ) . Four participants reported mild adverse events of cupping . CONCLUSION Two weeks of cupping therapy and an exercise program may be effective in reducing pain and improving neck function in VDT workers Introduction . Cupping has been used since antiquity in the treatment of pain conditions . In this pilot study , we investigated the effect of traditional cupping therapy on chronic nonspecific neck pain ( CNP ) and mechanical sensory thresholds . Methods . Fifty CNP patients were r and omly assigned to treatment ( TG , n = 25 ) or waiting list control group ( WL , n = 25 ) . TG received a single cupping treatment .  Pain at rest ( PR ) , pain related to movement ( PM ) , quality of life ( SF-36 ) , Neck Disability Index ( NDI ) , mechanical detection ( MDT ) , vibration detection ( MDT ) , and pressure pain thresholds ( PPT ) were measured before and three days after a single cupping treatment . Patients also kept a  pain  and medication diary ( PaDi , MeDi ) during the study . Results . Baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups . After cupping TG reported significantly less pain ( PR : −17.9 mm VAS , 95%CI −29.2 to −6.6 ; PM : −19.7 , 95%CI −32.2 to −7.2 ; PaDi : −1.5 points on NRS , 95%CI −2.5 to −0.4 ; all P < 0.05 ) and higher quality of life than WL ( SF-36 , Physical Functioning : 7.5 , 95%CI 1.4 to 13.5 ; Bodily Pain : 14.9 , 95%CI 4.4 to 25.4 ; Physical Component Score : 5.0 , 95%CI 1.4 to 8.5 ; all P < 0.05 ) . No significant effect was found for NDI , MDT , or VDT , but TG showed significantly higher PPT at pain- areas than WL ( in lg(kPa ) ; pain-maximum : 0.088 , 95%CI 0.029 to 0.148 , pain-adjacent : 0.118 , 95%CI 0.038 to 0.199 ; both P < 0.01 ) . Conclusion . A single application of traditional cupping might be an effective treatment for improving pain , quality of life , and hyperalgesia in CNP Abstract Objectives : To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of wet cupping therapy as a single treatment for persistent nonspecific low back pain ( PNSLBP ) . Design : R and omized controlled trial comparing wet cupping versus no treatment in PNSLBP . Setting : Outpatient clinic in three secondary care hospitals in Saudi Arabia . Patients : Eighty eligible participants with PNSLBP for at least 3 months were r and omly allocated to an intervention group ( n=40 ) or to a control group ( n=40 ) . Interventions : Six wet cupping sessions within 2 weeks , each of which were done at two bladder meridian ( BL ) acupuncture points among BL23 , BL24 , and BL25 . Only acetaminophen was allowed as a rescue treatment in both groups . Outcome measures : The Numeric Rating Scale ( NRS ) , McGill Present Pain Intensity ( PPI ) , and Oswestry Disability Question naire ( ODQ ) were used as outcome measures . Numbers of acetaminophen tablets taken were compared at 4 weeks from baseline . Adverse events were recorded . Results : At the end of the intervention , statistically significant differences in the three outcome measures favoring the wet cupping group compared with the control group were seen : NRS score , 29.2 ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 24.6–33.8 ) versus 57.9 ( 95 % CI , 53.3–62.6 ) , respectively ; PPI score , 1.17 ( 95 % CI , 0.96–1.4 ) versus 2.3 ( 95 % CI , 2.1– 2.7 ) ; and ODQ score , 19.6 ( 95 % CI , 16.5–22.7 ) versus 35.4 ( 95 % CI , 32.3–38.5 ) ( p=0.0001 ) . This improvement continued for another 2 weeks after the end of the intervention . Acetaminophen was used less in the wet cupping group , but this difference was not statistically significant . No adverse events were reported . Conclusions : Wet cupping is potentially effective in reducing pain and improving disability associated with PNSLBP at least for 2 weeks after the end of the wet cupping period . Placebo-controlled trials are needed The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of laser acupuncture ( LA ) and soft cupping on  low back pain .  In this study , the subjects were r and omly assigned to two groups : active group ( real LA and soft cupping ) and placebo group ( sham laser and soft cupping ) . Visual analog scale ( VAS ) and Ryodoraku were used to evaluate the effect of treatment on low back pain in this trial . Laser , 40 mW , wavelength 808 nm , pulse rate 20 Hz , was used to irradiate Weizhong ( BL40 ) and Ashi acupoints for 10 minutes . And the Ryodoraku values were measured 2 times , that is , before and 15 minutes after treatment . The results show that there were significant difference between the first day baseline and the fifth day treatment in VAS in the two groups . Therefore , LA combined with soft cupping or only soft cupping was effective on low back pain . However , the Ryodoraku values of Bladder Meridian of the placebo group have been decreased apparently , and did n't come back to their original values . It means that “ cupping ” plays the role of “ leak or purge ” in traditional Chinese medicine ( TCM ) . On the other h and , the Ryodoraku values of Bladder Meridian of the active group have been turned back to almost their original values ; “ mend or reinforcing ” effect is attributed to the laser radiation Background : Chronic neck pain is a major public health burden with only limited evidence for the effectiveness of complementary therapies . This study aim ed to test the efficacy of cupping massage in patients with neck pain . Patients and Methods : Patients with chronic non-specific neck pain were r and omly assigned to cupping massage or a wait list control . The intervention group received 5 cupping massages on a twice-weekly basis while the control patients continued their usual treatments . The primary outcome measure was neck pain intensity ( 0 - 100 mm visual analogue scale ( VAS ) ) after 3 weeks . Secondary outcomes included pain on movement , functional disability , health-related quality of life , mechanical detection and pain thresholds and adverse events . Results : 50 patients ( 52.6 ± 10.3 years , 92 % female ) were r and omised to either cupping massage or a wait list ( N = 25 each ) . Patients in the cupping group reported significantly less neck pain post intervention ( difference per protocol -14.3 mm , 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) -27.7 to -1.0 , p = 0.037 ; difference intention-to-treat -10.8 mm , 95 % CI -21.5 to -0.1 , p = 0.047 ) . Significant group differences in favour of the intervention were further found for pain on movement ( p = 0.019 ) and functional disability ( p < 0.001 ) , the quality -of-life subscales pain ( p = 0.002 ) and mental health ( p = 0.003 ) and the mental component summary ( p = 0.036 ) . Changes were also found for pressure pain sensitivity at the site of maximal pain ( p = 0.022 ) . Five adverse events were reported . Conclusions : Cupping massage appears to be effective in reducing pain and increasing function and quality of life in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain . More rigorous studies are needed to confirm and extend these results Chronic neck pain is a major public health problem with very few evidence -based complementary treatment options . This study aim ed 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 r and omly 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 r and omized 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 clinical ly relevant extent . Cupping massage may however be better than PMR in improving well-being and decreasing pressure pain sensitivity but more studies with larger sample s and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these results . Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov Introduction Cupping is used in various traditional medicine forms to relieve pain in musculoskeletal diseases . The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of cupping in relieving the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis ( OA ) . Methods In a two-group , r and omized controlled exploratory pilot study patients with a clinical ly and radiological confirmed knee OA ( Kellgren-Lawrence Grading Scale : 2 - 4 ) and a pain intensity > 40 mm on a 100 mm visual analogue scale ( VAS ) were included . 40 Patients were r and omized to either 8 sessions of pulsatile dry cupping within 4 weeks or no intervention ( control ) . Paracetamol was allowed on dem and for both groups . Outcomes were the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis ( WOMAC ) score , the pain intensity on a VAS ( 0 mm = no pain to 100 mm = maximum intensity ) and Quality of Life ( SF-36 ) 4 and 12 weeks after r and omization . Use of Paracetamol was documented within the 4-week treatment period . Analyses were performed by analysis of covariance adjusting for the baseline value for each outcome . Results 21 patients were allocated to the cupping group ( 5 male ; mean age 68 ± SD 7.2 ) and 19 to the control group ( 8 male ; 69 ± 6.8 ) . After 4 weeks the WOMAC global score improved significantly more in the cupping group with a mean of 27.7 ( 95 % confidence interval 22.1 ; 33.3 ) compared to 42.2 ( 36.3 ; 48.1 ) in the control group ( p = 0.001 ) . After 12 weeks the WOMAC global score were still significantly different in favor for cupping ( 31.0 ( 24.9 ; 37.2 ) vs. 40.8 ( 34.4 ; 47.3 ) p = 0.032 ) , however the WOMAC subscores for pain and stiffness were not significant anymore . Significantly better outcomes in the cupping group were also observed for pain intensity on VAS and for the SF-36 Physical Component Scale compared to the control group after 4 and 12 
    Output:
    
Cupping therapy has shown positive results on chronic back pain .
There is no st and ardization in the treatment protocol .
The main assessed outcomes were pain intensity , physical incapacity , quality of life and nociceptive threshold before the mechanical stimulus .
cupping therapy is a promising method for the treatment of chronic back pain in adults .