Cupping

Cupping  is a lesser-known treatment that is part of Chinese, Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine. One of the earliest documentations of cupping can be found in the work titled “A Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies”, by Daoist herbalist Ge Hong, dating to 300 AD.
 
Cupping is the term applied to a technique that uses small glass cups, bamboo jars or silicone cups as suction devices that are placed on the skin to disperse and break up stagnation and congestion by drawing congested blood, energy or “sha qi” to the surface. In dry cupping, the cups are placed on the skin. In wet cupping, the practitioner will make a small incision on the skin and then apply the suction cup to draw out small amounts of blood (not utilized in our office at this time).
 
Once the suction has occurred, the cups can be gently moved across the skin (often referred to as “moving” cupping). Massage oils are sometimes applied to improve movement of the cups along the skin. The suction in the cups causes the skin and superficial muscle layer to be lightly drawn into the cup. Cupping is much like the inverse of massage – rather than applying pressure to muscles, it uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. For most patients, this is a relaxing and relieving sensation. Once suctioned, the cups are generally left in place for about ten minutes while the patient relaxes.
 
The side effects of cupping are fairly mild. Bruising discoloration can be expected (usually this is not painful), but the skin should return to normal within 10 days.
 
A truism “Where there’s stagnation, there will be pain. Remove the stagnation, and you remove the pain”, considers that pain results from the congestion, stagnation, and blockage of Qi, or vital energy, vital fluids, lymph, phlegm, and blood. Pain is a result of obstructed or irregular flow in the body. Cupping is a way of breaking up these blockages to restore the body’s natural flow of energy.
 
Cupping is usually used alone or can be combined with acupuncture in one treatment. Suction and negative pressure provided by cupping can loosen muscles, encourage blood flow, and sedate the nervous system. Cupping can be used to relieve neck, back and extremity pains, stiff muscles, anxiety, fatigue, migraines, rheumatism, and even cellulite. For weight loss and cellulite treatments, oil is first applied to the skin, and then the cups are moved up and down the surrounding area. However the cause of cellulite and excess weight would need to be addressed by herbs, lifestyle and dietary changes.
 
Cupping follows the Meridian Channels. By addressing the meridian channels, cupping strives to “open” these channels through which Qi energy circulates everywhere throughout the body, including through all tissues and organs. Cupping is thought to affect tissues up to four inches deep. Toxins can be released, blockages can be cleared, and veins and arteries can be stimulated within these four inches. Hands, wrists, legs, and ankles can also be “cupped”. Cupping can clear congestion from a common cold (Wind-Cold) or help to control a person’s asthma. Respiratory conditions are one of the most common maladies relieved by cupping.
 
Cupping’s detoxifying effect on skin and circulatory system is significant. Cupping removes toxins and improves blood flow through the veins and arteries. Cupping’s potential to relieve muscle spasms is especially beneficial for athletes.
 
Cupping also affects the digestive system. A few benefits include an improved metabolism, relief from constipation, a healthy appetite, and stronger digestion.