In 2012, Xu, et. al., conducted a study has demonstrated that the traditional Chinese medicine techniques of coiling dragon needling and moving cupping on the back may offer superior therapeutic benefits for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) compared to the conventional Western treatment with Prednisone.

The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a combined therapy of coiling dragon needling and back cupping with that of Prednisone, a commonly prescribed corticosteroid.

A total of 72 patients were randomly assigned to either an acupuncture and cupping group (37 patients) or a Prednisone group (35 patients). In the acupuncture and cupping group, practitioners applied coiling dragon needling to Jiaji (EX-B 2) points along the spine from T1 to L5 once daily, along with moving cupping on the back every two days. Patients in the Prednisone group took 10 mg of Prednisone orally each morning. Each treatment course lasted seven days, with two courses conducted in total.

The FS-14 scale and BELL’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Integral Table were used to assess patient fatigue levels before and after treatment. The therapeutic outcomes of the two groups were then compared.

After the first treatment course, both groups showed significant improvement in BELL’s scores (P < 0.01), with no notable difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, after the second treatment course, the acupuncture and cupping group exhibited a more substantial improvement in BELL’s scores compared to the Prednisone group. Furthermore, the total effective rate was significantly higher in the acupuncture and cupping group, with 91.9% (34 out of 37) showing improvement, compared to 71.4% (25 out of 35) in the Prednisone group (P < 0.05).

This study suggests that treating chronic fatigue syndrome with coiling dragon needling and moving cupping on the back is not only effective but also superior to Prednisone in terms of improving patient outcomes. These findings highlight the potential of traditional Chinese medicine as a viable alternative or complementary treatment for CFS.

Reference: Xu, W., Zhou, R. H., Li, L., & Jiang, M. W. (2012). Observation on therapeutic effect of chronic fatigue syndrome treated with coiling dragon needling and moving cupping on back. Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion, 205-208.