Dry Cupping Therapy as A Complementary Approach to Reduce Fatigue in Hemodialysis Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Indonesia

Fatigue is common symptom experienced by patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis. This study aimed to identify the effect of dry cupping therapy on the fatique levels of hemodialysis patients at Bendan Hospital, Pekalongan City, Indonesia. The study design used was quasi-experimental design with a control gruop. Thirty patients were selected through convenience sampling, with 15 patients in the intervention group and 15 patients in the control group. The intervention group received dry cupping therapy twice a week for five weeks, while the control group received health education on how to cope with fatique. Fatigue levels were measured using the Indonesian version of FACIT Fatique scale. The results showed that there was a difference in fatigue scores in the intervention group, from 22.40 to 28.73 (p<0.001). Meanwhile, the control group showed no significant change in score before and after, from 23.33 to 23.20 (p>0.001). These findings indicate that dry cupping can reduce fatigue levels in chronic kidney failure patients undergoing hemodialysis. These results can be considered by nurses in integrating complementary nursung into patient care in hospitals.