What is Chinese cupping?

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Many Taoists believe that cupping helps balance yin and yang, or the negative and positive, within the body. Restoring balance between these two extremes is thought to help with the body’s resistance to pathogens as well as its ability to increase blood flow and reduce pain.

Cupping increases blood circulation to the area where the cups are placed. This may relieve muscle tension, which can improve overall blood flow and promote cell repair. It may also help form new connective tissues and create new blood vessels in the tissue.

People use cupping to complement their care for a host of issues and conditions.

What are the different types of cupping?

Cupping was originally performed using animal horns. Later, the “cups” were made from bamboo and then ceramic. The suction was primarily created through the use of heat. The cups were originally heated with fire and then applied to the skin. As they cooled, the cups drew the skin inside.

Modern cupping is often performed using glass cups that are rounded like balls and open on one end.

There are two main categories of cupping performed today:

• Dry cupping is a suction-only method. (This is the type of cupping Ryding2Health offers)
• Wet cupping may involve both suction and controlled medicinal bleeding.

What should I expect during a cupping treatment?

During a cupping treatment, a cup is placed on the skin and then heated or suctioned onto the skin. The cup is often heated with fire using alcohol, herbs, or paper that’s placed directly into the cup. The fire source is removed, and the heated cup is placed with the open side directly on your skin.

Some modern cupping practitioners have shifted to using rubber pumps to create suction versus more traditional heat methods. This is the method we use here at Ryding2Health

When the hot cup is placed on your skin, the air inside the cup cools and creates a vacuum that draws the skin and muscle upward into the cup. Your skin may turn red as the blood vessels respond to the change in pressure.

With dry cupping, the cup is set in place for a set time, usually between 5 and 10 minutes.

Any mild bruising or other marks usually go away within 10 days of the session.

Cupping is sometimes performed along with acupuncture treatments. For best results, you may also want to fast or eat only light meals for two to three hours before your cupping session.

What conditions can cupping treat?

Cupping has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions. It may be particularly effective at easing conditions that create muscle aches and pains.

Since the cups can also be applied to major acupressure points, the practice is possibly effective at treating digestive issues, skin issues, and other conditions commonly treated with acupressure.

A 2012 review of studiesTrusted Source suggests cupping therapy’s healing power may be more than just a placebo effect. The researchers found that cupping therapy may help with the following conditions, among others:

• Hypertension
• Stiff neck
• periarthritis of the shoulder
• cold / coughs
• chest pain
• muscle soreness after exercise

Side effects

There aren’t many side effects associated with cupping. The side effects you may experience will typically occur during your treatment or immediately after.

You may feel lightheaded or dizzy during your treatment. You may also experience sweating or slight nausea.

Other risks include:

• Scarring of the skin
• Hematoma

Cupping therapy isn’t recommended for everyone. Extra caution should be taken for the following groups:

• Children. Children under 4 years old shouldn’t receive cupping therapy. Older children should only be treated for very short periods.
• Seniors. Our skin becomes more fragile as we age.
• Pregnant people. Avoid cupping the abdomen and lower back.
• Those who are currently menstruating.

Also avoid cupping if you have:

• sunburn
• a wound
• a skin ulcer
• experienced recent trauma
• an internal organ disorder
• Are on blood thinners