Vacuum Cupping Therapy
Despite roots in Ancient Chinese and Ancient Egyptian medicine, Cupping Therapy is finally gaining traction thanks to Michael Phelps and other Olympic athletes. After displaying their purple-spotted shoulders, this phenomenon garnered everyone’s attention and raised a lot of questions- what are those bruises? How does it work? Does it hurt? Keep reading for these answers and more.
What is Vacuum Cupping Therapy?
Cupping therapy is a holistic practice that uses suction cups to increase blood flow, reduce inflammation, and alleviate muscle tension. Therapists place glass, silicone, or plastic cups on the skin, creating a vacuum through heat or suction to lift soft tissue. It works by pulling blood flow to areas of tension, bringing nutrients and oxygen, and removing metabolic waste. The suction also stretches your fascia (connective tissue) around your muscles, reducing restriction and tightness.
Types of Cupping
Dry cupping- Traditionally, the provider will light a cotton ball soaked in alcohol on fire, heating the inside of the cup which releases oxygen and creates a vacuum. Modern methodology uses a suction device to manually remove air from the cups. Cups are placed on the body and left for about 15 minutes.
Wet cupping- Provider punctures skin with a needle before cupping, following traditional controlled bloodletting to release toxins.
Running- Similar to dry cupping, but with the addition of lotion or oil to allow the provider to glide the cups in different directions over the affected area of the body.
What are the benefits?
Benefits include reduced pain and inflammation, decreased muscle tightness, improved blood flow, and increased range of motion. Cupping is a superhero for pain as sensory input from the cups may activate non-painful nerve fibers, interrupting pain transmission to the brain. Cupping can also reduce symptoms associated with arthritis, asthma and other respiratory conditions, carpal tunnel, GI issues, migraines, and high blood pressure.
What’s with the bruising? Is it painful?
The spots left behind from cupping are actually not true bruises, which are usually an indication of injured muscle fibers. These spots are a result of the suction force expanding and breaking open tiny blood vessels (capillaries) under your skin. The resulting red or purple circles may take anywhere from a few days to 2 weeks to fade. Luckily, cupping isn’t painful- you will experience skin tightness during the treatment and possibly soreness afterwards, but you should never be experiencing severe discomfort.
Who should avoid cupping?
Cupping is generally safe for most individuals, but should be avoided by those who:
-are on blood thinners
-have a skin infection
-have open wounds
-have issues with blood clotting
