RESUMO

Background: Chronic pain is a complex phenomenon that brings physical and emotional impairments negatively impacting people's quality of life. The adoption of interventions such as ear acupuncture and dry cupping can represent a treatment option for people with chronic back pain. Objectives: To investigate the effects of ear acupuncture combined with dry cupping therapy on the interference of pain with the daily activities and quality of life of adults with chronic back pain. Methods: An open-label, randomized, parallel-group controlled clinical trial. One hundred and ninety-eight adults were randomized into control (CG - ear acupuncture) or experimental (EG - ear acupuncture combined with dry cupping) groups. Interventions were performed in five sessions, once a week, lasting five weeks. Evaluations were performed before the first session, after the last session, and seven days after the second evaluation, using the Brief Pain Inventory to assess the impact of pain on daily activities and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) to assess the quality of life. Results: Between the initial and final sessions, there were significant changes in daily activities , activity, work, mood, relationships, sleep, and in the physical, psychological and social relationships domains for both the control and experimental groups. Improved perception of quality of life and satisfaction with health were observed for the participants in the experimental group. Conclusion: Ear acupuncture combined with dry cupping showed better results in terms of perception of quality of life and satisfaction with health when compared to ear acupuncture by itself.

Assuntos

Terapia por Acupuntura , Acupuntura Auricular , Dor Crônica , Ventosaterapia , Adulto , Dor nas Costas , Dor Crônica/terapia , Humanos , Qualidade de Vida , Resultado do Tratamento

RESUMO

Background and aim: Chronic back pain causes physical, functional, and emotional disabilities. Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies have been shown as interventions to treat chronic back pain. The present study aimed to clinically evaluate the effects of ear acupuncture combined with cupping therapy on people with chronic back pain. Experimental procedure: We conducted an open-label, randomized, parallel-group controlled clinical trial. Following the CONSORT statement recommendations, 198 participants were randomized into 'ear acupuncture' and 'ear acupuncture and cupping therapy' groups. Data were collected in three different points; before the first session (initial) with the patient, after the last session (final), and seven days after the end of the treatment (follow-up). The Brief Pain Inventory, a digital algometer, and the Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire were used for data collection. Generalized Estimation Equation model was used to examine the association between the interventions and the primary outcome pain severity. Results: Pain severity, pressure pain threshold, and physical disability improved over time in both groups. However, for the patients being treated with both ear acupuncture and cupping therapy, significant changes were seen in pain severity, pain relief, and physical disabilities between the initial and final sessions. For the 'ear acupuncture and cupping therapy' group, significant changes were also seen for pain relief and physical disability in the follow-up session. Conclusion: Ear acupuncture combined with cupping therapy was shown to be more effective in the treatment of chronic back pain when compared to treatment using only ear acupuncture.