Abstract
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a clinical syndrome, which causes significant morbidity. It is currently managed conservatively with splinting or steroidal injections. Where conservative management is unsatisfactory, surgical decompression is carried out. Because of dangerous complications of surgical procedures and increasing economical burden of CTS condition, safe, traditional, cost effective conservative adjunct option is being evaluated in this review article. Cupping therapy is an ancient but increasingly popular therapy for a variety of pathologies. Studies over the last decade have indicated potential therapeutic value of cupping therapy for the management of CTS. Whilst there is some biomedical rationale supporting the usage of cupping therapy in CTS the evidence is not sufficient to support the inclusion of cupping therapy in management of carpal tunnel syndrome in formal pathways. High quality trials with increased participant numbers, development of blinded study options and a regulatory body for cupping therapy are required so that cupping therapy can be established as a potent therapeutic option for CTS. The review was conducted to examine the efficacy of cupping therapy in management of CTS.
Highlights
BackgroundCarpal tunnel syndromeCarpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a compression neuropathy commonly diagnosed in the upper limbs
Overall prognosis of the treatment options is not satisfactory if we look from the community perspective
There is a paucity of well controlled randomized control trials (RCTs) for cupping therapy as a treatment option for CTS, but for other diseases this treatment option is well documented
Summary
BackgroundCarpal tunnel syndromeCarpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a compression neuropathy commonly diagnosed in the upper limbs. Symptoms of CTS are not linear and patient may present with a variety of symptoms [1,2]. There are various criteria used for diagnosis and prevalence being dependent on it, 3% to 6% of the general population is known to be suffering from it [1,2]. According to Pays de la Loire study, prevalence decreased between 2004-2011 from 3.35 to 2.98 per 1000 person-years over a period of eight years for surgically treated CTS and from 5 to 3 per 1000 person-years for work-related diseases CTS category [3]. Middle-aged individuals are mostly affected by CTS showing peak incidence at 55-60 years. CTS symptom severity reported by patients is significantly and associated with anxiety, depression, quality of life, and societal costs despite adjustment for smoking, drinking, comorbidities, age, gender and body mass index [5]
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