Gua Sha therapy for chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial

Felix J Saha; Gianna Brummer; Romy Lauche; Thomas Ostermann; Kyung-Eun Choi; Thomas Rampp; Gustav Dobos; Holger Cramer

doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.11.002

Gua Sha therapy for chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2019 Feb:34:64-69. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.11.002. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Authors

Felix J Saha¹, Gianna Brummer², Romy Lauche³, Thomas Ostermann⁴, Kyung-Eun Choi², Thomas Rampp², Gustav Dobos², Holger Cramer³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany. Electronic address: f.saha@kliniken-essen-mitte.de.
² Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
³ Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Chair of Research Methodology and Statistics, Faculty of Health, Department of Psychology, University Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany.

PMID: 30712747
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.11.002

Abstract

Objective: To test the efficacy of Gua Sha therapy in patients with chronic low back pain.

Methods: 50 patients with chronic low back pain (78% female, 49.7 ± 10.0 years) were randomized to two Gua Sha treatments (n = 25) or waitlist control (n = 25). Primary outcome was current pain intensity (100-mm visual analog scale); secondary outcome measures included function (Oswestry Disability Index), pain on movement (Pain on Movement Questionnaire), perceived change in health status, pressure pain threshold, mechanical detection threshold, and vibration detection threshold.

Results: After treatment, patients in the Gua Sha group reported lower pain intensity (p < 0.001) and better overall health status (p = 0.002) compared to the waitlist group. No further group differences were found. No serious adverse events occurred.

Conclusions: Gua Sha appears to be an acceptable, safe, and effective treatment for patients with chronic low back pain. Further rigorous studies are needed to confirm and extend these results.

Keywords: Gua sha; Low back pain; Randomized controlled trial.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adult
Chronic Pain / therapy*
Female
Health Status
Humans
Low Back Pain / therapy*
Male
Medicine, Chinese Traditional / methods*
Middle Aged
Movement
Pain Measurement
Pain Threshold
Surveys and Questionnaires
Treatment Outcome