Cupping Therapy

What is cupping therapy?

Cupping therapy is an ancient healing technique that some people use to ease pain. The Therapist places cups on your back, stomach, arms, legs or other parts of your body. A vacuum or suction force inside the cup pulls your skin upward.

Cupping therapy is a form of traditional medicine that originated in China and West Asia. People have practiced this method for thousands of years.

Other names for cupping therapy include cupping, cup therapy and suction cup therapy.

What does cupping therapy do?

Cupping uses suction to draw blood to or away from specific areas of your body. People mostly use cupping to relieve conditions that cause pain. Some people say it also helps with chronic (ongoing) health issues. Cupping may ease symptoms of:

• Arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis.
• Back pain, neck pain, knee pain and shoulder pain.
• Asthma and other breathing issues.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders like irritable bowel disease (IBD).
• Headaches and migraines.
• High blood pressure (hypertension).

How does cupping work?

Experts are still exploring how cupping eases pain and disease symptoms. There isn’t a lot of research on the therapy.

Suction from cupping draws fluid into the treated area. This suction force expands and breaks open tiny blood vessels (capillaries) under your skin. Your body replenishes the cupped areas with healthier blood flow and stimulates proper and normal healing at a cellular level. Because of this effect, some people think that cupping releases toxins.

What are the potential benefits of cupping therapy?

• Reduces pain and inflammation.
• Decreases muscle tightness.
• Improves blood flow.
• Increases range of motion.

Cupping can be incorporated into your Massage therapy treatment.  Ask your therapist.