Single group pre–post study shows flash cupping improves pain and disability in lumbar intervertebral disc bulge patients, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits.
Background: Lumbar intervertebral disc bulge (LIVDB) occurs when the disc tissue protrudes beyond the boundaries of the ring apophyses. Previous research has shown that cupping therapy on acupuncture points is effective in treating musculoskeletal issues, and flash cupping has been successful in alleviating chronic low back pain. However, the impact of flash cupping on Back-shu points concerning pain, disability, and physical function in individuals with LIVDB has not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of flash cupping on patients with LIVDB. Materials and Methods: Thirty participants (20 males and 10 females; mean age 29.63 ± 7.29 years) with LIVDB received flash cupping on Back-shu points for 5 min daily for 1 week. Pain (visual analog scale [VAS]), disability (Oswestry disability index [ODI]), and physical function (back pain functional scale [BPFS]) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: Results showed a significant reduction in VAS scores ( P < 0.001), ODI scores ( P < 0.001), and significant improvement in BPFS scores ( P < 0.001) after 1 week of intervention. No adverse effects were reported by the participants. Conclusion: Five minutes of flash cupping on Back-shu points for 1 week is beneficial in reducing pain and disability, and in improving physical function in patients with LIVDB. The small sample size and a lack of a control group limit the scope of this study. Further randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are warranted to validate these findings.
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Deepa et al. (2025) studied this question.