In stationary cupping, the cups are held in place by suction for a specified time of 1 to 10 minutes and sometimes longer by trained professionals. During slide cupping, the deep tissue massage provider moves the cups into painful or worrying areas. Cupping is well suited for small and large muscle areas. [Sources: 6, 13]
Today there are advanced materials used for cupping, but in prior years, the ancient traditional Cup therapy method required the placing a cup of glass, bamboo or other materials over certain parts of the body to treat various diseases. Traditional Iranian medicine uses cupping practices in the belief that cupping removes scar tissue and cleanses the organs of the body. The cups leave a round purple spot or circular bruise on the skin, which begins to fade after a few days and lasts for two to three weeks. [Sources: 1, 3, 8]
The cups create a suction effect and are used to treat inflammation, increase circulation and relieve pain as a form of massage therapy. Older Style Glass cups are heated over a fire with alcohol, herbs or paper before being placed on top. Once the fire is extinguished, the cups are placed on the open sides of the skin. However today, there are Air Cups, Silicone Cups and more that can create suction without fire. [Sources: 4, 8]
When the air starts to cool in the cup, a vacuum is created, which causes the skin to rise and blood vessels to expand. Modern cupping practitioners have moved to using a rubber pump instead of the traditional heat method to generate suction power. When the hot cup is placed on the skin, the air inside cools down, creating a vacuum that draws skin and muscles into the cup. [Sources: 4, 14]
Cup therapy is a practice in which a rounded or reversed cup is applied to certain parts of the body by means of a vacuum effect. Advocates suggest using the cup to draw on the skin to increase blood flow to the area. In modern practice, rubber pumps are used, fire creates vacuum and silicone cups are used to create a massage effect. [Sources: 3, 14]
Chinese physicians believe cupping helps maintain the body in balance, increases blood flow and reduces pain. Cup therapy also has a relaxing effect and can help to reduce muscular restrictions, scarring, swelling and freedom of movement. There is a risk of infection with cup therapy, but infection can be avoided if doctors use the right methods to clean the skin and control the infection between sessions. [Sources: 2, 13]
Cup practitioners try cupping therapy for a wide range of diseases such as fever, chronic back pain, loss of appetite and indigestion, high blood pressure, acne, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, anemia, stroke rehabilitation, nasal constipation, infertility and menstrual cramps. Although cupping therapies are safe when performed by trained professionals, if performed incorrectly, they can cause bruising, pain, burns and skin infections. You should not use cupping instead of the standard treatment for any disease. [Sources: 1, 3, 10]
Cupping may not be appropriate if you are taking high doses of blood thinners or if you have thin, frail or fragile skin. Fire cupping is, as already mentioned, an alternative non-invasive treatment method in which a special cup is placed under the skin to promote the flow of blood to the damaged areas. Cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine where a local suction on the skin is created by the application of a heated cup. [Sources: 1, 12, 13]
People receive cupping therapy for many purposes, including helping with pain, inflammation, circulation, relaxation, well-being and as a kind of deep tissue massage. Cupping cups are an ancient form of alternative medicine which was originally performed by placing cups on skin to create suction. Nowadays, cupping is used as a means to relieve pain, promote relaxation, improve blood flow and relieve inflammation. [Sources: 9, 14]
Cups are an ancient healing therapy used to relieve pain. . Mugs are a form of therapy that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. [Sources: 9, 11, 13]
In this type of traditional Chinese medicine cupping creates a vacuum in which a glass cup is placed over certain points of acupuncture on the skin. The cup leaves the skin for about three minutes and creates a suction which causes the skin to rise and become red under the cup. During a cupping treatment, a cup is placed under the skin and heated to absorb the skin. [Sources: 4, 10, 12]
This causes the tissue in the cup to contract and swell, increasing blood flow to the affected area. Suction of the cup creates vacuum, which helps hydration (blood flow to the body tissue), adhesion and eliminating excess fluid to increase. Improved blood flow from the cup draws contaminants (toxins) from nearby tissues, organs and surfaces for elimination. [Sources: 2, 14]
To increase blood flow practitioners apply a glass, rubber or bamboo cup to the affected area to create suction force or a flame to create a vacuum in the cup ; the traditional method is a pistol-like device that distributes air through a hole in the top of the cup. When a suction cup is placed on the body, a partial vacuum is created, which reduces the tension on the skin and tissue. The sucked cup expands and tears open the tiny blood vessels and capillaries in the skin. [Sources: 6, 11, 15]
Air Cupping is an alternative to Fire Cupping, which uses a hand-held suction pump to remove air from the cup, creating vacuum and heat. Massage oil is applied to the skin before the cup is placed so that the cup can glide over the skin surface. A lancet is then used to prick the skin after the cup has been applied to allow a small amount of blood to flow into the area. [Sources: 0]
##### Sources #####
[0]: https://www.medicinenet.com/cupping/article.htm
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupping_therapy
[2]: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Cupping_Therapy
[3]: https://www.verywellhealth.com/cupping-for-pain-88933
[4]: https://www.healthline.com/health/cupping-therapy
[5]: https://www.cnrehab.com/news/learn-about-cupping-therapy.html
[6]: https://pavlikchiropractic.com/cupping-therapy
[7]: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/cupping-therapy.html
[8]: https://www.premierspineandsports.com/blog/the-difference-between-dry-cupping-and-wet-cupping
[9]: https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/cupping-therapy
[10]: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/expert-answers/cupping/faq-20058053
[11]: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16554-cupping
[12]: https://osrphysicaltherapy.com/why-everyone-should-try-fire-cupping/
[13]: https://www.henryford.com/blog/2019/02/what-is-cupping-therapy
[14]: https://marketplacewellnesscenter.com/physical-therapy-treatments/cupping/
[15]: https://www.hss.edu/newsroom_everything-to-know-about-cupping.asp
