Chinese medics believe cupping can help keep the body in balance, increase overall blood flow and reduce pain. Cupping therapy is a practice in which rounded or reversed cups are applied to specific parts of the body with a vacuum effect. Advocates suggest using the cups to draw on the skin to increase blood flow to the area. [Sources: 9, 14]
Like many complementary treatments, cupping is designed to minimize circulating toxins by pulling them out of the skin where they can be removed. Athletes who use cupping therapy claim to increase the circulation of certain muscles, thereby promoting recovery. Cupping can help reduce the incidence of cellulite. [Sources: 4, 5, 12]
Cupping is a treatment in which a cup is placed on the skin and either heated to suck the skin up in the cup, or a pump gun is used, or even a silicone cup can be squeezed to do this. In dry cupping, a cup is first placed over the skin of a particular muscle or area of the body. The air in the cup is pressurized and sucks the skin into the cup. [Sources: 1, 4]
In wet cupping, a small incision is made in the skin after a few minutes in the cup, the cup is replaced by the skin and blood is drawn. The suction generated by the cup pulls the skin up, but the cup stays in the same place. . [Sources: 4, 8, 12]
During wet cupping, the doctor makes a small incision in the skin and sucks the cup to draw a small amount of blood. The suction is created by placing an inverted cup over a small flame, using an alcohol-soaked cotton pillow and an insulated material (usually leather) to protect the skin, and then lighting the pillow and placing an empty cup over the flame to extinguish it. After cupping, the cup is placed for a few minutes, then the doctor removes the cup and makes a smaller incision to draw blood. [Sources: 1, 8]
Fire cupping is when a vacuum is created in a cup using a flame of fire or a cotton ball. As soon as the cup is placed on the skin the air in the cup is eliminated by creating a vacuum that draws skin and muscles into the cup. [Sources: 1, 7]
This causes the tissue into which the cup is pulled to swell, increasing the flow of blood to the affected area. Along with improved blood circulation, the hot cup draws impurities and toxins from nearby tissues, organs and surfaces for removal. [Sources: 13]
Cup therapy is one of the oldest and most effective methods of releasing toxins from the body's tissues and organs. Cups are a form of massage therapy that decompresses soft tissues by vacuum sucking and other forms of massage to compress them. [Sources: 6, 13]
Cupping can be used to treat pain, relieve scar tissue on muscles and connective tissue and to reduce swelling and muscle nodules. Cupping is applied to areas of the body that are sealed off from the skin by cups, so it is suitable for large areas such as muscles. During cupping, the cup is sucked into the skin and the soft tissue underneath is lifted into the cup. [Sources: 3, 6, 12]
Since cupping increases circulation and mobility, it is an effective treatment for conditions such as rheumatism, lumbago and stiff neck and shoulders. Cupping relieves pain and helps to alleviate the symptoms of many common bone and muscle diseases. Because it reduces inflammation and promotes blood circulation, cupping is exactly what the body needs on the way to well-being. [Sources: 10, 13, 14]
You should not use cupping instead of the standard treatment for any disease. Cupping may not be appropriate if you are taking high doses of blood thinners or have thin, frail or fragile skin. [Sources: 9, 14]
Cup therapy has a relaxing effect and can help reduce muscular restrictions, scars and adhesions, reduce swelling and increase movement range. There is a risk of infection with cupping therapy, but infections can be avoided if doctors use the right methods to clean the skin and control infections between sessions. [Sources: 13]
Supporters believe cupping therapy can boost circulation and promote healing. Cupping helps to dilate blood vessels, facilitate blood flow and remove toxic substances from the skin surface. Practitioners and recipients target forms of blood circulation by channeling blood to specific parts of the body to promote blood circulation and increase oxygen supply, and healing reportedly has a variety of cupping benefits. [Sources: 4, 7, 10]
Cups are an ancient healing therapy used to relieve pain. They improve the skin and blood flow by increasing the supply of oxygen and vital nutrients needed for healthy skin. They also provide the necessary nutrients for the area to be treated and promote healing. [Sources: 10, 11, 13]
Cup Therapy is a form of ancient Chinese medicine that has been used to treat pain, muscle stiffness and other ailments for thousands of years. According to traditional Chinese medicine, a cup can improve the flow of qi (your vitality) and help with colds, bronchitis and pneumonia. Cupping is a safe traditional treatment that can help relieve chronic muscle tension and pain, just like massage therapy. [Sources: 4, 5, 12]
A cup is a term applied to the technique of using a small glass cup or bamboo cup as a suction device on skis to dispel and break up stagnation and congestion, bringing clogged blood, energy and other humor substances to the surface. Another type of traditional Chinese medicine, cup therapy, involves creating a vacuum in which a glass bowl is placed over certain acupuncture points on the skin. [Sources: 7, 8]
##### Sources #####
[0]: https://dailyburn.com/life/health/cupping-therapy-cupping-benefits/
[1]: https://www.healthline.com/health/cupping-therapy
[2]: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/cupping-therapy.html
[3]: https://pavlikchiropractic.com/cupping-therapy
[4]: https://www.reidhealth.org/blog/cupping-therapy-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work
[5]: https://resolution.health/2019/04/24/surprising-benefits-of-cupping-massage/
[6]: https://www.cnrehab.com/news/learn-about-cupping-therapy.html
[7]: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/expert-answers/cupping/faq-20058053
[8]: https://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2014/09/20/many-benefits-chinese-cupping-1
[9]: https://www.verywellhealth.com/cupping-for-pain-88933
[10]: https://rejuv-medspa.com/benefits-of-cupping-therapy/
[11]: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16554-cupping
[12]: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320707
[13]: https://www.physio-pedia.com/Cupping_Therapy
[14]: https://www.henryford.com/blog/2019/02/what-is-cupping-therapy
[15]: https://www.medicinenet.com/cupping/article.htm
