Cupping vs gentle touch: which massage eases neck pain best?

NCT ID NCT07120659

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Tromso Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tests two massage techniques—vacuum (cupping) massage and soft tactile massage—in 60 adults with chronic neck pain. Participants receive six weekly sessions, and researchers use sensory tests to measure changes in pain pathways. The goal is to understand how these massages work and to help bring non-drug pain treatments into mainstream healthcare.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: massage therapy (vacuum massage and tactile massage)
What this could lead to: If successful, this study could help tailor massage therapies to individual needs and support integrating non-drug treatments for chronic neck pain into standard care.
What could go wrong: This is a small pilot study with only 60 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It compares two massage types without a placebo group, making it hard to know if any benefit is due to the massage itself.

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

CHRONIC NECK PAIN

Contacts and locations

Locations

UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Institute of Community Medicine, National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NAFKAM
RECRUITING

Tromsø, Troms, 9013, Norway

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