What is Cupping?
Cupping is popularly identified as an ancient form of alternative medicine; mainly originated in China and West Asia.
It is a seemingly quick procedure where your therapist places special cups on targeted areas to create suction. These cups are made of glass, bamboo, silicone and plastic.
A vacuum or suction force pulls your skin upwards. The main idea behind cupping is to draw blood away from parts of your body.
Practitioners have found suitable spots that are deemed beneficial for relieving pain, stress and other physical symptoms.
With cupping, there is no such downtime or recovery.
What Does Cupping Help In?
According to popular belief, cupping is supposed to aid healing. It has multiple other benefits too, including:
- Neck and back pain
- Skin diseases such as acne
- Cholesterol
- Arthritis
- Migraines
- Immune function
Three Types of Cupping Methods
There is still extensive research going on how cupping eases pain and disease symptoms.
However, there are three main types of cupping, including the following:
Dry: This procedure involves putting a heated, alcohol soaked cotton ball to create a vacuum. This traditional method of suction pulls your skin into the cup.
Running: This is similar to the dry cupping method. But, it uses a lotion or oil to move across your skin in preferred directions.
Bleeding: This is the most common method which uses a thin needle to puncture your skin before placing the cup.
Does Cupping Hurt?
Cupping is almost a non-invasive procedure except small punctures to excrete waste materials. While some pain and stiffness might be caused post procedure. It should go away in some time.
After the completion of your cupping therapy, you may see bruises on the treated are, but they should disappear on their own in 5-7 days at most.
Who Performs Cupping Therapy?
There are a range of healthcare providers who are trained to perform cupping, including:
- Acupuncturists
- Chiropractors
- Massage therapists
- Medical doctors
- Physical therapists
What Are The Benefits of Cupping?
While there are many documented benefits of cupping, including:
- Promote overall physical comfort and relaxation.
- Increases pain tolerance
- Reduces inflammation
- Improves blood flow
- Eliminate harmful toxins
- Lowers cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular conditions
- Boost the production of red blood cells
- Activate your peripheral nervous system
Are There Any Risks Involved?
There are no risks involved in this procedure. However you may experience mild symptoms such as:
- Bruising
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Burn from heated cups
- Muscle tension
- Headache
- Stiffness
- Itching or scarring
In very rare cases, people may pass out and faint due to a sudden drop in blood pressure or heart rate.
When You Shouldn’t Get Cupping?
People also ask about the exclusion criteria for cupping. If you fall under the listed categories, you might want to avoid cupping.
- Anemia
- Bleeding disorders
- Heart disease
- Skin conditions like eczema
- Seizures
- Pregnant women
Even though it is a low risk procedure, you should make sure to ask your healthcare provider before considering this form of medical treatment.
Overall Insight
Cupping is a type of traditional medicine which involves placing suction cups on the skin to improve blood circulation, reduce muscle tension, and promote healing. It helps alleviate pain, inflammation, and stress while enhancing overall well-being.
Get in touch with our experts at Asthetik Skin for questions related to cupping therapy or call us at (571) 562-5855.