So What is Cupping

Cupping is a method of relieving local congestion by applying a partial vacuum which is created in cup or cups, either by heat or by suction.  Cupping has been used for thousands of years.  Although it is often associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine, the entire world once knew this therapy and used it. The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese used cupping therapy. The oldest recorded medical textbook, Ebers Papyrus, written in approximately 1550 BCE in Egypt mentions cupping (Curtis, 2005). In the UK the practice of Cupping Therapy also dates back a long way with one of the leading medical journals 'The Lancet' being named after this practice as it means the surgical instrument that can scrape the skin to do cupping.

Types of Cupping

There are various different types of cupping such as:

Light Cupping:  Use a weak suction in cup to do light cupping , it is suitable for children and elderly people.

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Medium Cupping: A medium strength, general purpose cupping.

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Strong Cupping: Suction will be great and therefore it is not suitable for children and elderly people.

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Moving Cupping or Massage Cupping, is a great method of massage and will be done by applying oil to the skin and moving the cup, by a weak suction, on the area to be treated.

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Needle Cupping: We do acupuncture and cupping in the same place by applying the needle first then the cup is applied over it

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Hot Cupping: Dried Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)  leaves, sometimes called by its oriental name Moxa is a great warming herb. We use a needle, warmed by Dried Mugwort, then the cup is applied over it

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Flash Cupping is the name given when several medium cuppings are preformed several times in quick succession along the area being treated to stimulate it.

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Bleeding Cupping, also called Full Cupping or Wet Cupping, it is the most frequently used, oldest and often most effective method. A surgical instrument is use to scrape the skin and the cup is then applied to collect blood .

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Herbal Cupping:  We put a suitable herbal tincture into the cup then applying suction.

Water Cupping is the least practiced method. It involves filling a third of the cup with warm water.  Whilst holding the cup close to the client with one hand, bring it close to the point to be cupped and insert burning cotton wool into the cup, then swiftly and simultaneously turn the cup onto the skin. When performed properly, no water spillage occurs.

Conditions Which Can Benefit From Cupping

Conditions which can benefit from cupping include headache, back pain, joint and muscular pain, infertility, sexual disorders, rheumatic diseases, hypertension, breast enhancement, bed wetting, common colds and flu, insomnia, stroke, fever, constipation and diarrhoea, chest pain, asthma and blood disorders.

Precautions and Contra-Indications

Always take sensible precautions when using cupping.  These include:

Sterilisation: this is the main key to success

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Use Suitable Cups for the area being treated.

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Take Extra Care with children and the elderly.

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Do Not apply strong cupping to the face

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Do Not treat pregnant women.

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Do Not use cupping on inflamed or cut skin.

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Take Extra Care when scraping the skin and do not cut a vein or artery.

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Do Not treat people with a serious heart disease.

Applying Cupping on Acupuncture Points

In the Journal of Biomechanics (2005), researchers L. M. Thama, H. P. Leea, and C. Lua state that "Cupping is known to be effective alternative to needles in stimulating acupoints in acupuncture treatment. One of the major advantages must be that transmission of blood-borne diseases can be avoided since the skin is not penetrated."

Therefore we can use cupping as an alternative to acupuncture, or in conjunction with it. Many researchers have investigated and demonstrated the benefits of cupping and I think that it will be the most used alternative medical practice very soon.

Bibliography

Traditional Chinese Medicine Cupping Therapy by Ilkay Z. Chirali

Traditional Chinese Medicine Cupping Therapy: A Practical Guide by Ilkay Z. Chirali

The Cupping Glass by Katherine Avila