.: Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy, a safe, painless, and non-invasive technique, is used in traditional Greek (Hippocrates 400 BC), Egyptian and Chinese medicine for several thousand years, and its variations have been used in Europe area. Cupping should not be confused with the percussive technique in Swedish massage called "cupping" or "clapping."

Description of Cupping

Acupuncturists use cupping to stimulate acupuncture points by applying suction through a glass cup, for specific problems in the flow of qi, or life energy. Cupping disperses and moves qi by exerting suction and pressure. Cupping is used when the qi is blocked at certain points, or when qi needs to be drawn to the surface of the body from deep within.
Patients usually lie down for a cupping treatment. Cups are made of strong glass. To create a vacuum, a flame from a burning cotton ball is placed in an upside-down cup. When the oxygen in the cup is burned off, the cup is placed directly on the skin, where it is held in place by a surprisingly strong suction, which then draws the skin up around the cup, under the cup. The cotton ball is remained outside and the temperature is not high; usually the patients won’t be burned.
The skin is redden with strong cupping, indicating that circulation has been brought to the surface. The sensation of cupping is often characterized as deep warmth and tingling, long after the treatment has ended. Cupping is generally a painless procedure.

Benefits of Cupping

By creating suction and negative pressure, cupping has been found to affect the body up to four inches into the tissues, which is used to treat muscle pain and spasms, drain excess fluids and toxins, loosen adhesions, connective tissue and stubborn knots in soft tissue, stimulate blood circulation and bring blood flow to nourish stagnant muscles and skin, enhance the flow of energy, stimulate the peripheral nervous system, activate the lymphatic system, clear colon blockages, help activate and clear the arteries, veins, and capillaries, and improve varicose veins.

Medical effects of Cupping Therapy:

According to Hennawy (2004), Cupping Therapy is indicated for blood disorders, pain relief, inflammatory conditions, mental and physical relaxation, varicose veins and deep tissue massage and quotes up to 50% improvement in fertility levels. The principles of Acupuncture and Acupressure are very similar to that of Cupping Therapy. Focussing attention back to the research into Chinese healing traditions, the discovery of Acupressure and Acupuncture analgesia has proved that they can elicit the release of morphine like substances (Endorphins), Serotonin or Cortisol which can ultimately lead to pain relief and alter the physiological status of the individual (Schulte, 1996). Acupressure and Acupuncture in fact are being utilised and proven useful in pain and addictive management (Schulte, 1996; Hinze, 1988; Cadwell, 1998). At a biological level; Acupressure and Acupuncture work by stimulating or activating (1) the immune system; (2) Enkephalin secretion; (3) neurotransmitter release (4) vasoconstriction and dilatation and (5) the gates for pain in the CNS which interpret pain sensation (National Institute of Health NIH Consensus Development Panel, 1998; Schulte, 1996). Finally, it is believed that stimulation of Acupoints can lead to the pain gates to be overwhelmed by increasing frequency of impulses, therefore ultimately leading to closure of the gates and hence pain reduction (Oumeish, 1998; Cadwell, 1998).
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Variations of Cupping

Stationary cupping usually leaves cups in the same place for several minutes. Cups are sometimes placed over Acupuncture needles that have been inserted to take the advantages of both Acupuncture and Cupping therapies simultaneously. Moving cupping, after applying small amount of oil to the skin to facilitate the cupping movement, the cups are glided over the surface of the skin. The cups may stay for a short time on stubborn knots or over inflamed joints or tissue.
Cupping has also been adapted and duplicated by modern lymphatic drainage machines.

Massage Cupping

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the flow of qi travels throughout the body in channels called “Meridians”. Meridians are the conduits in the body through which energy flows to every part of the body and through every organ and tissue. Illness is caused when qi is blocked at certain points or it does not move properly in the body. When Meridians are opened, invigorating energy is traveling the whole length of the body.

Combining the moving cupping and the theory of meridians, massage cupping therapy has been further developed as a means to open the Meridians of the body. The stagnated, weak, or out of balanced qi can be dispersed or moved by exerting suction and pressure of massage cupping. Massage cupping can also be used when qi needs to be drawn to the surface of the body from deep within to nourish muscles and skin.

The massage cupping therapy has the advantages of both cupping and deep massage therapies. In spite of causing local congestion and blood stasis temporarily, massage cupping is not an irritant to the skin or body.

Precautions

Since cupping is a safe and non-invasive technique, there are very few conditions in which cupping should not be used, such as high fever, skin disease, serious heart disease, cancer (metastatic) patients, tendency to bleed easily, or to the abdominal and sacral regions of the pregnant women.

Side effects of Cupping

Cupping causes blood to be drawn to the surface of the skin, which can cause non permanent red marks, swelling, and bruising at the local area for 2- 4 days.