Cupping

Cupping is a type of Chinese massage, consisting of placing several glass or plastic “cups” (open spheres) on the body. Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a local suction is created on the skin, soft tissues are pulled and blood is drawn to that area; it mobilizes blood flow in order to promote healing. It produces feeling of relaxation, invigoration and power.

There are two types of cupping: dry cupping and bleeding or wet cupping (controlled medicinal bleeding). As a general rule, wet cupping provides a more “curative-treatment approach” to patient management whereas dry cupping appeals more to a “therapeutic and relaxation approach”.

Cupping is applied to certain acupuncture points, as well as to regions of body that are affected by pain. In some cases, the adhered cup is moved around on the skin, preserving the suction seal as it glides. Suction is created using heat (fire) or mechanical devices (hand or electrical pumps). And it can leave temporary bruised but painless marks on the skin for a few days.