Cupping
If you didn’t watch the Rio Olympics, you’ve probably seen or heard about the Olympians with what looked like large, painful, and purple skin bruises. These circular marks come from one of the oldest traditional Chinese medicine practices, called “cupping.” The cups can be made from glass, bamboo or earthenware and are applied to the skin over acupuncture points. During treatment, the air inside the cups form a suction effect that stimulates the blood flow to aid in pain relief.
Dr. Lin Zhi-xiu, registered Chinese medicine practitioner says, “Cupping therapy is said to have the therapeutic effects of warming the meridians* and invigorating the small vessels, enhancing qi (pronounced chee) movement and removing blood stasis, dissolving swell and stopping pain, expelling wind and cold pathogens.” Some of the many conditions that can be treated, according to Dr. Lin are rheumatic pain, neck and shoulder pain, sports injuries to the muscles and joints, numbness of the limbs, and other acute or chronic pains such as abdominal pain, back pain, menstrual pain and headache.
Cupping therapy is specifically used for alleviating pain in the muscles and can help the tissues to release toxins, as the Daily Post states, and although cupping does leave marks, it is not painful throughout or even after treatment. “Cupping is actually very comfortable, and once a patient receives the treatment, they often request it each time they come in,” says Robin Fan, of National University of Health Sciences. “Because it reduces muscular tension, it works well on conditions where there is muscular pain or achiness.” “However, since we can apply the technique to key acupuncture points, it can be therapeutic for almost any health condition if done by a properly trained practitioner. This can include digestive problems, blood pressure issues, skin conditions and more.” Dr. Fan adds that cupping can even be used for cosmetic purposes like treating cellulite and vein problems.
A study in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, found that cupping therapy eases chronic and acute pain. More studies suggested that when compared with over the counter drugs or other usual care, like heat therapy, cupping provides a more effective and significant impact. Keep in mind, it is important to visit your doctor before trying any new practice. Happy Cupping!
* According to Chinese Medicine, “meridians” are collections of acupuncture points. By connecting and uniting different parts of our body, meridians provide the transport service for the fundamental substances of qi, blood, and body fluids.