title: Wet cupping therapy restores sympathovagal imbalances in cardiac rhythm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A recent study showed that cupping had therapeutic effects in rats with myocardial infarction and cardiac arrhythmias. The current studyaimed to investigate the possible useful effects of cupping therapy on cardiac rhythm in terms of heart rate variability (HRV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty healthy participants were included. Classic wet cupping therapy was applied on five points of the back. Recording electrocardiography (to determine HRV) was applied 1 hour before and 1 hour after cupping therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All HRV parameters increased after cupping therapy compared with before cupping therapy in healthy persons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate for the first time in humans that cupping might be cardioprotective. In this study, cupping therapy restored sympathovagal imbalances by stimulating the peripheral nervous system.
authors: Turgut Ozal University School of Nursing , Ankara, Turkey .
authors: Müzeyyen
authors: M
authors: Arslan
authors: Nesibe
authors: N
authors: Yeşilçam
authors: Duygu
authors: D
authors: Aydin
authors: Ramazan
authors: R
authors: Yüksel
authors: Senol
authors: S
authors: Dane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001815:Bloodletting / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult