Acupuncture, particularly electroacupuncture, combined with other treatments like cupping and medication, is potentially highly effective for improving fibromyalgia patients' pain.
In the methodology of this study, a network meta-analysis was undertaken by methodically going through widely consulted databases until December 28, 2025. This was done to identify applicable randomized controlled trials that assessed various acupuncture techniques for treating fibromyalgia. The key outcome considered was based on the visual analog scale (VAS), with the total effective rate (TER) serving as a secondary exploratory index.
In the discussion of the results, it can be seen that from the total of 26 studies comprised of 2,037 patients, the study's pairwise meta-analysis displayed that combining acupuncture with medication and cupping was better than using medication alone for enhancing VAS and HAMD scores. In terms of improving pain (VAS score), electroacupuncture had the highest SUCRA value, pointing to a high probability of being ranked first in this network meta-analysis. Alternatively, for the overall effective rate (TER), a widely used endpoint in Chinese acupuncture trials, the floating needle together with cupping had the supreme SUCRA value. The study also suggested a positive link between the effectiveness of acupuncture and treatment duration.
