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Needles vs cups: which eases chronic muscle pain best?

NCT ID NCT07688317

Symptom relief Sponsor: Turkish League Against Rheumatism Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 07, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study compares two common therapies—dry needling and cupping—for people with myofascial pain syndrome, a condition causing persistent muscle knots and pain. Participants receive either dry needling or cupping, and researchers measure changes in pain intensity, number of trigger points, satisfaction, and quality of life. The goal is to see which approach provides better relief for long-standing back and shoulder pain.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
dry needling and cupping therapy
What this could lead to
If one therapy proves more effective, it could offer a better option for managing chronic muscle pain without medication.
What could go wrong
This is a small, single-site trial with 92 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Both treatments can cause temporary soreness or bruising.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

92 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Mar 2022

Finished

Aug 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

20 to 60 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Back pain lasting more than three months * At least one palpable myofascial TN in the trapezius, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and/or levator scapulae muscles * Written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Prior dry needling treatment * Prior cupping therapy * Severe cognitive dysfunction * Spinal fracture * Infection * Malignancy * Ankylosing spondylitis * Central nervous system injury * Psychiatric disorder * Diseases causing tissue degeneration * Conditions associated with spasticity or cerebrovascular disease * Cervical radiculopathy due to structural abnormalities * Muscle or tendon injuries of the shoulder or neck * Fibromyalgia or other conditions presenting with symptoms similar to myofascial pain syndrome * Use of anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy * Thrombocytopenia or hemorrhagic disorders * A history of surgery or blood donation within the previous three months * Pregnancy * Breastfeeding * Presence of renal, hepatic, or severe cardiovascular disease

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

myofascial pain syndrome

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS)

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Ataturk University

    Erzurum, 25240, Turkey (Türkiye)

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