Cupping is a type of alternative therapy that originated in China. It involves placing cups on the skin to create suction. The suction may facilitate healing with blood flow.
The suction helps facilitate the flow of “qi” in the body. Qi is a Chinese word meaning life force. A famous Taoist alchemist and herbalist, Ge Hong, reportedly first practiced cupping. He lived from A.D. 283 to 341 in Mount Luofu, Huizhou, China.
Many Taoists believe that cupping helps balance yin and yang, or the negative and positive, within the body. Restoring balance between these two extremes is thought to help with the body’s resistance to pathogens as well as its ability to increase blood flow and reduce pain.
Cupping increases blood circulation to the area where the cups are placed. This may relieve muscle tension, which can improve overall blood flow and promote cell repair. It may also help form new connective tissues and create new blood vessels in the tissue.
People use cupping to complement their care for a host of issues and conditions.
What are the different types of cupping?
Cupping was originally performed using animal horns. Later, the “cups” were made from bamboo and then ceramic. The suction was primarily created through the use of heat. The cups were originally heated with fire and then applied to the skin. As they cooled, the cups drew the skin inside.
Modern cupping is often performed using glass cups that are rounded like balls and open on one end or plastic hand pump suction cups.
There are two main categories of cupping performed today:
- Dry cupping is a suction-only method.
- Wet cupping may involve both suction and controlled medicinal bleeding.
I only practice Dry Cupping within Omni Therapy Rooms
What should I expect during a cupping treatment?
During a cupping treatment, a cup is placed on the skin and then heated or suctioned onto the skin. The cup is often heated with fire using alcohol, herbs, or paper that’s placed directly into the cup. The fire source is removed, and the heated cup is placed with the open side directly on your skin.
When the cup is placed on your skin, the air inside the cup creates a vacuum that draws the skin and muscle upward into the cup. Your skin may turn red as the blood vessels respond to the change in pressure.
With dry cupping, the cup is set in place for a set time, usually between 5 and 10 minutes. So with a cupping therapy treatment, you get a combination of massage and cupping.
Any marks usually go away within 10 days of the session – and I will discuss with you what each mark means once I’ve removed the cups and seen the results of the treatment.
Different colours on the clients back immediately after cupping therapy show many areas and different amounts of stagnation
Cupping is sometimes performed along with acupuncture treatments. For best results, you may also want to fast or eat only light meals for two to three hours before your cupping session.
What conditions can cupping treat?
Cupping has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions. It may be particularly effective at easing conditions that create muscle aches and pains.
Since the cups can also be applied to major acupressure points, the practice is effective at treating digestive issues, skin issues, and other conditions commonly treated with acupuncture.
Cupping therapy may help with the following conditions, among others:
- shingles
- facial paralysis
- cough and dyspnea
- acne
- lumbar disc herniation
- cervical spondylosis
Side effects
There aren’t many side effects associated with cupping. The side effects you may experience will typically occur during your treatment or immediately after.
You may feel lightheaded or dizzy during your treatment. You may also experience sweating or nausea.
After treatment, the skin where the cup was placed, may be discoloured – the darker the marking the more stagnation that was in the area.
Things to keep in mind
Cupping therapy isn’t recommended for everyone. Extra caution should be taken for the following groups:
- Children. Children under 4 years old shouldn’t receive cupping therapy. Older children should only be treated for very short periods.
- Seniors. Our skin becomes more fragile as we age. Any medication you may be taking might have an effect as well.
- Pregnant people. Avoid cupping the abdomen and lower back.
- Those who are currently menstruating.
Don’t use cupping if you use blood-thinning medication. Also avoid cupping if you have:
- a sunburn
- a wound
- a skin ulcer
- experienced recent trauma
- an internal organ disorder
