Vacuum (cupping) massage versus soft tactile massage for chronic neck pain
Official title: Vacuum Massage vs Tactile Massage for the Treatment of Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study Investigating Pain Mechanisms.
Run by University of Tromso · NCT07120659 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will test whether vacuum (cupping) massage or gentle tactile massage reduces pain for people with chronic neck pain.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 21 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Tromso Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Tromsø, Troms) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 27, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2030 |
| Registry record updated | December 11, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07120659 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a 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.
✕Probably 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.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
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.
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 gone: 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.
Who can join: the full rules
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 it's running
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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
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.