Vacuum (cupping) massage versus soft tactile massage for chronic neck pain
Vacuum Massage vs Tactile Massage for the Treatment of Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study Investigating Pain Mechanisms.
NA · University of Tromso · NCT07120659
This trial will test whether vacuum (cupping) massage or gentle tactile massage reduces pain for people with chronic neck pain.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Ages | 21 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Tromso (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Tromsø, Troms) |
| Trial ID | NCT07120659 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized pilot compares two manual therapies—intense cupping (vacuum) massage and soft tactile massage—in 60 patients with non-specific chronic neck pain. Participants are randomized to one of the two groups and receive six weekly treatment sessions. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is used before and after the intervention as a mechanistic biomarker to measure changes in pain pathway sensitivity. The trial focuses on short-term pain intensity and mechanistic signals rather than long-term outcomes.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults with non-specific neck pain lasting at least 3 months and average pain intensity of 50/100 or higher on a visual analogue scale are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Patients with neurological symptoms, recent spinal surgery (within 12 months), recent TENS/acupuncture/osteopathy/chiropractic/infiltration (within 4 weeks), or congenital spinal deformities are excluded and unlikely to benefit from these interventions in this trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could reduce neck pain and offer a non-drug treatment option that might lower reliance on pain medications.
How similar studies have performed: A prior feasibility study in Germany tested cupping massage with QST and provided preliminary signals, but high-quality evidence for clinical benefit of these specific approaches remains limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * suffer from non-specific neck pain persisting at least 3 months * mean pain intensity ≥ 50 on a 0-100 mm visual analogue scale (NRS) with "0" meaning "no pain" and "100" meaning "worst pain imaginable" Exclusion Criteria: * neurological symptoms * having had a vertebral column surgery less than 12 months prior to the study, * have received TENS, acupuncture, osteopathy, or a chiropractic maneuver or infiltration at the area within 4 weeks prior to the inclusion in the study * suffer from a congenital deformation of the spine.
Where this trial is running
Tromsø, Troms
- UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Institute of Community Medicine, National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NAFKAM — Tromsø, Troms, Norway (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Frauke Musial, Ph.d.
- Email: frauke.musial@uit.no
- Phone: +47 45860762
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: Chronic Neck Pain, chronic neck pain, massage, soft touch massage, vacuum massage, cupping, quantitative sensory testing QST