Cupping Sucks

What is cupping therapy anyways?

In a nutshell, this recently popular Chinese medicine treatment technique known as cupping therapy involves the use of cups placed on the skin. In traditional fire cupping (which is what I practice), they are suctioned onto the injured body part by warming the air inside of the cup with a small flame and swiftly placing the cup onto the skin. The cups are placed along various acupuncture points. This increase in blood circulation helps provide nourishment to the body cells, pulls out the metabolic waste and lactic acid that can accumulate in the area that is injured, often the cause of pain and stiffness. This increased blood flow and removal of toxic waste results in improvement of the overall function of the tissue.

Personally, I would agree that cupping is the near-perfect, minimally invasive, and incredibly effective approach for chronic and acute pain including various ailments such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, fatigue, anxiety, allergies, and so many others.

This modality has one very big benefit: it does not have any adverse side effects….well, there is one thing….the HICKEYS!!!! These marks, which can look totally intimidating to someone who has never seen them before, can last as long as 7 days, and range in color from rose to eggplant depending on the severity of the pain and how old the injury might be. These hickeys have developed nicknames such as ‘cup kisses,’ ‘crop circles,’ ‘octopus attack,’ and many others I’ve heard over the years.

The procedure may seem painful and odd, it may be a little weird, but painful it is not!! A patient undergoing a cupping treatment may experience a slight suction sensation where the cups are applied. Usually between eight and fifteen cups are applied on the skin for 5- 15 minutes at a time. If you ask me, it “hurts so good!”

There are two types of cupping techniques. One type is “massage cupping” where the glass cups are moved in a massage like patter around the skin. Massage cupping is performed to relieve sore muscles and joints. The second type of cupping is known as “stationary cupping”. In this technique, the glass cups are left in place, untouched, and remain stationary on the skin during the entire treatment. This approach gets deeper into the tissues where old injuries often get trapped, leading to chronic pain.

Personally, I would agree that cupping is the near-perfect, minimally invasive, and incredibly effective approach for chronic and acute pain including various ailments such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, fatigue, anxiety, allergies, and so many others. It’s quite common to use cupping therapy on patients who have lung issues ranging from COPD to the common cold, or persistent coughs due to allergies, and is also incredibly effective for asthma too!

Have you tried it?

In order to get optimal benefits, cupping therapy should only be performed by a qualified Chinese medicine practitioner who can perform the treatment in a safe and sanitary way. You should never perform this treatment on yourself. Done correctly and consistently, cupping can help in your overall healing and provide you with enormous lasting benefits.