Effects of Foot Dry Cupping in Diabetic Distal Polyneuropathy: A Pilot Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: Distal polyneuropathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus with a considerable negative impact on the quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dry cupping on distal polyneuropathy in diabetic patients. Methods: This controlled clinical trial was performed on 34 patients with diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) for eight weeks. The non-invasive dry, fixed cupping therapy was performed on the sole of the right foot in the patients three times a week for 10 minutes, and the left foot of the same patient was considered as a control. The severity of diabetic neuropathy was measured using the modified Toronto Clinical Neuropathy Score (mTCNS), and the symptom and sensory test scores were determined. Results: Twenty patients (40 feet) completed the study. There was a significant difference between the control foot and the treated foot in terms of the mTCNS after four and eight weeks (P values=0.004 and 0.001, respectively), in terms of the sensory test scores after four and eight weeks (P values=0.007 and 0.005, respectively), and in terms of the symptom scores after eight weeks (P value=0.002). Conclusion: For the first time, this study demonstrated that cupping therapy might be effective as a complementary treatment in alleviating the symptoms of DPN, although understanding the underlying mechanism requires further investigation.