{"title":"Cupping Therapy for Pain Management and Improving the Quality of Life in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Case Report.","authors":"Hayder Ali Shah, Ajay Kumar Tikoo, Sabiha Khan","doi":"","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal diseases, osteoarthritis, causes pain, deterioration in functioning, and reduction in quality of life. The condition that is thought to contribute most to disability worldwide is knee osteoarthritis. Existing pharmacological treatments for osteoarthritis raise safety concerns. In Unani medicine, several non-pharmacological regimens known as Ilāj bi'l Tadbīr (Regimenal therapies) are advised in the management of painful musculoskeletal disorders. Among all these practices, dry cupping (Hijāmah bilā Shart) is unique and recommended as one of the most effective methods for knee osteoarthritis pain management in the majority of classical Unani literature. This report presents a case of knee osteoarthritis treated using cupping therapy.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A 57-year-old female patient presented with a 3-year-long history of right knee pain, stiffness, and difficulty in daily activities. The patient was examined clinically before intervention and was diagnosed with right knee osteoarthritis which was further supported by radiological investigations. Cupping therapy was administered over the affected knee joint for 4 weeks. A total of 10 sittings were carried out every 2 days. The patient's symptoms gradually ameliorated, ultimately becoming minimal following the 4-week treatment period. Specifically, the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score decreased from 8 to 2, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score for stiffness and functional ability improved with a decrease from 50 to 25, and the quality of life score measured by 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) improved from 35 to 75.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our case study established cupping therapy's effectiveness as a secure, non-invasive treatment option and opened new possibilities for its application in the management of knee osteoarthritis. However, further research is imperative to establish the efficacy and effectiveness of cupping therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":7571,"journal":{"name":"Alternative therapies in health and medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Alternative therapies in health and medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
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Abstract
Background: As one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal diseases, osteoarthritis, causes pain, deterioration in functioning, and reduction in quality of life. The condition that is thought to contribute most to disability worldwide is knee osteoarthritis. Existing pharmacological treatments for osteoarthritis raise safety concerns. In Unani medicine, several non-pharmacological regimens known as Ilāj bi'l Tadbīr (Regimenal therapies) are advised in the management of painful musculoskeletal disorders. Among all these practices, dry cupping (Hijāmah bilā Shart) is unique and recommended as one of the most effective methods for knee osteoarthritis pain management in the majority of classical Unani literature. This report presents a case of knee osteoarthritis treated using cupping therapy.
Case presentation: A 57-year-old female patient presented with a 3-year-long history of right knee pain, stiffness, and difficulty in daily activities. The patient was examined clinically before intervention and was diagnosed with right knee osteoarthritis which was further supported by radiological investigations. Cupping therapy was administered over the affected knee joint for 4 weeks. A total of 10 sittings were carried out every 2 days. The patient's symptoms gradually ameliorated, ultimately becoming minimal following the 4-week treatment period. Specifically, the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score decreased from 8 to 2, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score for stiffness and functional ability improved with a decrease from 50 to 25, and the quality of life score measured by 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) improved from 35 to 75.
Conclusion: Our case study established cupping therapy's effectiveness as a secure, non-invasive treatment option and opened new possibilities for its application in the management of knee osteoarthritis. However, further research is imperative to establish the efficacy and effectiveness of cupping therapy.
期刊介绍：
Launched in 1995, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine has a mission to promote the art and science of integrative medicine and a responsibility to improve public health. We strive to maintain the highest standards of ethical medical journalism independent of special interests that is timely, accurate, and a pleasure to read. We publish original, peer-reviewed scientific articles that provide health care providers with continuing education to promote health, prevent illness, and treat disease. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine was the first journal in this field to be indexed in the National Library of Medicine. In 2006, 2007, and 2008, ATHM had the highest impact factor ranking of any independently published peer-reviewed CAM journal in the United States—meaning that its research articles were cited more frequently than any other journal’s in the field.
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine does not endorse any particular system or method but promotes the evaluation and appropriate use of all effective therapeutic approaches. Each issue contains a variety of disciplined inquiry methods, from case reports to original scientific research to systematic reviews. The editors encourage the integration of evidence-based emerging therapies with conventional medical practices by licensed health care providers in a way that promotes a comprehensive approach to health care that is focused on wellness, prevention, and healing. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine hopes to inform all licensed health care practitioners about developments in fields other than their own and to foster an ongoing debate about the scientific, clinical, historical, legal, political, and cultural issues that affect all of health care.
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