Comparison of cupping therapy and physical rehabilitation on the treatment of chronic pain and quality of life

In this study, it was aimed to compare the effects of wet cupping therapy on chronic pain and quality of life with the patients who received Transcutaneus Electrical Nerve Stimulation + Hot pack, to determine whether there is an effect advantage to each other and to contribute to our country's data on this subject. In this single-center, prospective, intervention-type study, a total of 90 people, including 45 individuals in each group, who applied to the traditional complementary medicine and physical therapy polyclinics of Necip Fazıl City Hospital with the complaints of low back pain, neck pain, and muscle spasm, were included. McGill Pain Scale Short Form and Short Form-36 (Quality of Life Scale) were applied to the participants before the therapy and, 1 week, 1 and 3 months later by the researcher. There was no difference in terms of age,gender, number of children, marital status, educational background, occupation, body mass index, smoking and the cause of pain in two groups (p<0,05). When the McGill Pain Scale subscales were compared, in the first week post-treatment, the decrease in 4 subscales in the wet cupping treatment group was significantly higher than in the physical therapy group (p<0,05). There was no difference between the two groups in the first month and third month after treatment (p>0,05). SF-36 Quality-of-Life 8 subscale scores showed a significant increase in 4 subscales in the physical therapy group and 7 subscales in the wet cupping group (p<0,05). Among physical therapy group, change in pain scores in the 3rd month at McGill Pain Scale 2 subscale was higher compared to the pre-treatment scores after treatment (p<0,05) and the effectiveness of physical therapy on pain was more evident (RE=1,16(CI:1,01-1,44), RE=1,35 (CI:1,1-1,41)).On the SF-36 scale, the change in pain subscore was higher in physical therapy(p<0,05)and the effect of physical therapy on pain was higher (RE=1,45 (CI:1,12-2,37)). On the contrary, mental health subscale, score change in wet cupping therapy was higher (p<0,05) and the effective (RE=3,72 (CI:1,69-4,31)). The pain decreased in the 1st week in the wet cupping group but remained stable in the 1st and 3rd months. There was a gradual decrease in physical therapy. We think that higher reduction of the pain scores in the patients having wet cupping therapy in the 1st week is due to vasodilation and reduced muscle activity, also psychological relaxation of the patient. There was more improvement in the SF-36 Quality-of-Life scale in wet cupping therapy group, because pre-therapy scores of the 3 subscales were already higher than the physical therapy group, and the number persons who declared 'I have constant pain' (higher pain) was also high in the physical therapy group.We believe that it will be more suitable if traditional and complementary medical units and centers work more in coordination with the relevant branch according to the complaints and diagnoses of the applicants. Key Words: Transcutaneus Electrical Nerve Stimulation, Wet Cupping Therapy, McGill, SF-36