The Effectiveness of Cupping Therapy on Relieving Chronic Neck and Shoulder Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Table 2

Changes in SST at three acupuncture points between groups at 5-minute intervals. p 5th min: the 5th min of rest after cupping therapy. Note: ⁺ANCOVA was used to compare groups’ difference after adjustment of baseline differences. ⁺⁺Friedman test was used to compare the difference within group. .

Measurement indices	Mean (SEM)				Friedman test
	Baseline	5 min	10 min	p 5th min		^++
SI 15
Cupping	30.68 (0.51)	31.33 (0.45)	32.18 (0.46)	32.82 (0.53)	14.040	0.003
Resting	30.99 (0.57)	30.72 (0.58)	30.78 (0.57)	30.89 (0.59)	3.367	0.338
	—	11.915	32.684	48.949
^+	—	0.011	0.001	0.001
GB 21
Cupping	30.62 (0.50)	31.09 (0.61)	32.08 (0.71)	32.72 (0.62)	14.040	0.003
Resting	30.71 (0.42)	30.57 (0.50)	30.61 (0.47)	30.60 (0.45)	1.653	0.647
	—	16.930	8.548	22.729
^+	—	0.004	0.022	0.002
LI 15
Cupping	29.39 (0.39)	29.78 (0.42)	30.70 (0.47)	31.12 (0.78)	11.880	0.008
Resting	29.65 (0.37)	29.56 (0.40)	29.65 (0.43)	29.64 (0.46)	0.120	0.989
	—	9.007	28.726	24.828
^+	—	0.020	0.001	0.002