Ancient cupping technique tested for back pain relief

This study tested whether wet cupping therapy, an ancient practice where small cuts are made on the skin and cups are used to draw out a small amount of blood, can help people with ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that mainly affects the spine. Half of the 100 participants received wet cupping plus their usual medications, while the other half only took their usual medications. The researchers measured changes in physical function, disease activity, and pain levels to see if the cupping therapy provided extra benefit.