Cupping therapy is an ancient healing technique that some people use to ease pain. A provider places cups on your back, stomach, arms, legs or other parts of your body. A vacuum or suction force inside the cup pulls your skin upward.Cupping therapy is a form of traditional medicine that originated in China and West Asia. People have practiced this method for thousands of years.Other names for cupping therapy include cupping, cup therapy and suction cup therapy.
What does cupping therapy do?
Cupping uses suction to draw blood to or away from specific areas of your body. People mostly use cupping to relieve conditions that cause pain. Some people say it also helps with chronic (ongoing) health issues. Cupping eases symptoms of:Arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis.Back pain, neck pain, knee pain and shoulder pain.Asthma and other breathing issues.Carpal tunnel syndrome.Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders like irritable bowel disease (IBD).Headaches and migraines.High blood pressure (hypertension).
How does cupping work?
Experts are still exploring how cupping eases pain and disease symptoms. There isn’t a lot of research on the therapy.Suction from cupping draws fluid into the treated area. This suction force expands and breaks open tiny blood vessels (capillaries) under your skin. Your body replenishes the cupped areas with healthier blood flow and stimulates proper and normal healing at a cellular level. Because of this effect, some people think that cupping releases toxins.
What should I expect after cupping?
The suction force from cupping breaks open tiny blood vessels called capillaries under your skin. You’ll have red, round cupping therapy marks that should fade in a week or two. Although these marks will look like bruises, they’re not true bruises that injure muscle fibers.
Does cupping hurt?
Cupping shouldn’t cause pain, though you may experience some skin tightness during the procedure. After cupping therapy, you may feel bruised and slightly sore, but you shouldn’t have severe discomfort.
Many people who’ve had cupping therapy report that it:
Reduces pain and inflammation.Decreases muscle tightness.Improves blood flow.Increases range of motion.
Cupping is a relatively low-risk therapy. Still, you can experience:Bruising.Burns from heated cups.Fatigue.Headaches.Muscle tension or soreness.Nausea.Skin infections, itching or scarring.In rare instances, people develop vasovagal syncope (fainting after a drop in your blood pressure and heart rate). This is most common after wet cupping for people who pass out with needle sticks.
Because researchers know so little about cupping’s effects on pregnancy, you should’t have cupping therapy if you’re pregnant. You should also avoid cupping if you have:Anemia.A pacemaker.Bleeding disorders like hemophilia.Blood clotting problems, like deep vein thrombosis (DOT) or a history of strokes.Cardiovascular disease.Skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis.Seizures (epilepsy).Even though cupping therapy carries a low risk of complications, it’s not for everyone. Talk to your healthcare provider or our registered massage therapist before trying cupping or any other other medical treatment.
