[Effect of cupping on hemodynamic levels in the regional sucked tissues in patients with lumbago].
OBJECTIVE
To observe hemodynamic changes in the local sucked tissue of lower back undergoing negative pressure after cupping in patients with lumbago.


METHODS
Twenty-two lumbago outpatients were recruited in the present study and 32 sucked tissues accepted measurements. The cupping was applied to the tenderpoint of the patients' lower back for 10 min by using a glass-mug (5 cm in diameter). Hemodynamic indexes [peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistance index (RI)] of the sucked skin and subcutaneous tissues at the lower back were detected before and after cupping by using a color Doppler flow imaging.


RESULTS
After cupping intervention at the lower back, the PSV [(14.2 +/- 1.8) cm/s] and EDV [(5.5 +/- 0.7) cm/s] levels were increased significantly in comparison with those [(5.9 +/- 0.9) and (1.9 +/- 0.3) cm/s] before cupping (P < 0.01), while RI was reduced evidently after cupping (0.61 +/- 0.05 vs 0.68 +/- 0.06, P < 0.01), suggesting an increase of the regional blood flow.


CONCLUSIONS
Cupping therapy can increase the peak systolic velocity and end-diastolic velocity and lower vascular resistance of the subcutaneous arterioles in the regional tissue, which may contribute to its effect in relieving lumbago.
Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Affiliated Hospital of Jiujiang University, Jiujiang 332000, China. tangxiao9688@126.com
Xiao
X
Tang
Xue-Hua
XH
Xiao
Guo-Qing
GQ
Zhang
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D055815:Young Adult