Clinical Observation on the Therapeutic Effect of Cupping Combined with Acupuncture Stimulation at Trigger Points for Lumbar Myofascial Pain Syndrome.

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of cupping combined with acupuncture stimulation of trigger points on lumbar myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). Methods: Sixty MPS patients were randomly divided into acupuncture + TDP group (n = 30), and cupping + acupuncture group (n = 30). Patients in the acupuncture + TDP group were treated by acupuncture stimulation of trigger points and local TDP irradiation, and patients in the cupping + acupuncture group were treated by intensive cupping applied to the myofascial band and acupuncture stimulation of the locus according to the position of muscular tension band. The therapeutic effects were assessed according to the score of the McGill pain questionnaire composing of pain rating index (PRI), visual analogue scale (VAS) and present pain intensity (PPI) before, immediately after, and 1 month after treatment. Results: After treatment, the total effective rates of the acupuncture + TDP and cupping + acupuncture groups were 83.3% (25/30) and 96.6% (29/30) respectively, without significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). One month's follow-up showed that the total effective rate of the acupuncture + TDP and cupping + acupuncture groups were 40.0% and 90.0% respectively, and the latter group was significantly better than the acupuncture + TDP in therapeutic effect (P < 0.05). The scores of PRI, VAS, PPI after treatment were markedly decreased in both groups (P < 0.05). One month later, the scores of PRI, VAS and PPI in the cupping + acupuncture group were obviously lower than those of the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Both acupuncture stimulation of trigger points plus TDP and cupping plus acupuncture can effectively relieve pain in MPS patients, while the therapeutic effect of cupping plus acupuncture treatment has a longer analgesic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]