The impact of massage and dry cupping on dysrhythmia in cardiac patients: A randomized parallel controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in many countries around the world and is linked to numerous complications. In addition to conventional pharmacological treatments, complementary and alternative medicines like massage and dry cupping are employed to help manage the disease and its symptoms. This study aimed to compare the effects of massage and dry cupping on dysrhythmia in patients with heart diseases.

METHODS

This randomized parallel controlled clinical trial study was conducted in two critical care units of Shafa hospital in Kerman, southeastern Iran, in 2019-2020. A total of 90 eligible patients were allocated into three groups: massage (n = 30), dry cupping (n = 30), and control (n = 30) using a stratified block randomization method. In the massage group, the head and face were massaged for three consecutive nights, while the dry cupping group received dry cupping between the fifth cervical vertebra and the second thoracic vertebra for the same duration. Each intervention session lasted 15 min. Data collection tools included a socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, a form for hemodynamic parameters (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation), and a form for assessing dysrhythmia using electrocardiogram readings. Dysrhythmia in the participants was evaluated after each session.

RESULTS

The results within each group indicated a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of dysrhythmia in the dry cupping group after the intervention (P < 0.05), but this difference was not statistically significant in the massage and control groups. However, when comparing between the groups, no significant difference was found among the three groups. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the type of dysrhythmia between the groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

While there was no difference in the type of dysrhythmia between the three groups, the additional reduction of dysrhythmia in the dry cupping group could hold clinical significance. Further studies are recommended to validate or refute the findings of the present study.

Effect of Massage and Dry Cupping on Hemodynamic Parameters of Cardiac Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of massage versus dry cupping in addition to routine care on hemodynamic parameters of cardiac patients in critical care units.

Methods

The present study was a parallel randomized controlled clinical trial that was conducted in the critical care units of Shafa Hospital in Kerman, Iran, from 2019 to 2020. Ninety eligible patients)aged 18-75 years, no cardiac arrest in the past 72 hours, no severe dyspnea, no fever, and no cardiac pacemaker) were divided into massage (n = 30), dry cupping (n = 30), and control (n = 30) groups using the stratified block randomization method. The massage group received routine care and a head and face massage for 3 consecutive nights from the second day of admission. The dry cupping group received routine care and dry cupping between the third cervical vertebra and the fourth thoracic vertebra for 3 consecutive nights. The control group received only routine care, which included daily visits by the attending physician, nursing care, and medication. Each intervention session was performed for 15 minutes. The data collection tools included the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire and the hemodynamic parameters form (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and saturation of peripheral oxygen). The hemodynamic parameters were measured each night before and after the intervention.

Results

The mean systolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation level showed no significant difference among the 3 groups. The mean diastolic blood pressure of the 3 groups varied significantly over time. The mean diastolic blood pressure of the massage group decreased significantly on the third day of intervention, while it did not change significantly in the 2 groups of dry cupping or control (P < .05).

Conclusion

According to the results of this study, dry cupping had no effect on regulating hemodynamic parameters, while only diastolic blood pressure was reduced significantly after massage on the third day of intervention. Therefore, our study did not show effects of massage and dry cupping on regulating hemodynamic parameters.