Have you ever heard about cupping therapy? Cupping is an ancient form of alternative medicine used in China to relieve pain. It is one of the most effective methods of releasing toxins from the body and promoting faster healing.

Cupping therapy involves placing cups at specific areas on the patient’s skin to create a suction. The suction pulls up the skin and causes swelling, thus increasing blood flow to the affected area.

Cupping Therapy and Its History

Cupping therapy has been used for thousands of years, and its usage and effectiveness were recorded in ancient Egyptian and Chinese medical practices. 

Ebers papyrus mentioned the use of cupping for treating pain, vertigo, weakened appetite, and to speed up the recovery process. It is one of the oldest medical textbooks that prevailed in 1550 BC from ancient Egypt.

Ge Hong, a famous herbalist and Taoist alchemist, was the first to use cupping therapy in China and said that acupuncture and cupping therapy could cure more than half of the ailments. Chinese hospitals have been using cupping therapy since the 1950s.

Even though cupping therapy lost its popularity by the late 1800s, it regained popularity in 2004 when the actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s back revealed cupping marks in the New York film festival.

Rio Olympic athletes, including Michael Phelps and swimmer Natalie Coughlin, also revealed that they used cupping therapy in the year 2016.

How Does Cupping Therapy Work?

Physical therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors and massage therapists who are well-trained performs cupping therapy. The practitioner will place a flammable substance like paper inside the cups and ignite them in order to create suction inside the cups.

The physical therapists remove the fire source and then place the cups on the patients’ body over specific areas. The air inside the cup cools down and creates a vacuum effect that pulls up the skin upward into the cup as the tiny blood vessels expand and burst.

The process increases blood flow in the affected area and stimulates natural healing in the body. Physical therapists perform this technique for about five to ten minutes and then remove the cups. They may use three to seven cups during a single cupping session.

The most common methods of cupping, Cheyenne, WY, are dry cupping and wet cupping. Dry cupping involves the creation of suction and vacuum effect, whereas wet cupping involves the usage of a needle that initially puncture the skin, leading to controlled bleeding and removing toxins from the body.

The other methods are horn cupping, flash cupping, deep tissue cupping, oil cupping, liquid cupping, and facial cupping.

Cupping, Cheyenne, WY, treats the various condition, including

• Back pain, neck and shoulder pain, and knee pain
• Herniated disc
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Anxiety and depression
• Blood disorders such as anaemia and haemophilia
• Rheumatic diseases like arthritis and fibromyalgia
• Skin problems such as acne and eczema
• Facial paralysis
• Lung disorders including cough, asthma and bronchitis congestion
• Headaches and migraines

Benefits of Cupping Therapy

Cupping, Cheyenne, WY is associated with several benefits and are listed below.

1) Enhance Blood Flow

Cupping therapy involves placing special cups over the skin to create suction. The suction pulls up the underlying tissue and causes swelling, thus loosening the muscles and connective tissue and enhancing blood flow to the affected area. 

2) Promote Relaxation

Cupping, Cheyenne, WY creates energy and enhances blood flow, thus promoting relaxation in the patients. The technique is considered to be similar to the working of massage therapy. It also slows down the heart rate and reduces anxiety.

3) Release Toxins

Some of the body organs remove toxins from our blood, yet our modern lifestyle overloads our body with excess toxins. Cupping, Cheyenne, WY can help release those toxins and gives our body a boost. The enhanced blood flow helps eliminate toxins through the lymphatic system, which is responsible for removing toxins and waste from the body.

4) Speeds Up Recovery

Cupping therapy results in an enhanced flow of blood and energy to the affected areas that need healing. The increased flow of blood and energy speeds up the recovery process and reduces healing time.

5) Provide Pain Relief

Cupping, Cheyenne, WY, can relieve neck pain, low back pain, arthritis pain and promote relief. It minimizes swelling and reduces scar tissue deep within muscles and connective tissues.

6) Ease Inflammation

During a cupping therapy session, special cups are placed on the skin to create suction that causes micro-trauma to the applied areas. This leads to the release of an array of chemicals, fibroblasts, and white blood cells to the affected areas, promoting the healing process and reducing inflammation.

7) Reduce Stretch Marks and Scars

As cupping enhances blood flow, it releases toxins and helps remove excess fluid from the body, thus reducing the appearance of scarring. Some studies have also shown that cupping can minimize stretch marks and scars far from the areas where the cups are placed.

8) Keep The Skin Healthy

Cupping therapy enhances blood circulation in the skin, thus increasing the adequate flow of oxygen and nutrients. It prevents the recurrence of skin diseases like eczema, cellulite etc., and minimizes acne. It also expands the blood vessels, thus promoting blood flow and removing toxic substances from the skin surface.

Final Thoughts

There is a lack of research on the benefits of cupping therapy, and so it is referred to as alternative medicine. Children, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions such as oedema, blood disorders, organ failure, heart diseases, and cancer should avoid cupping therapy. If you are interested in this technique, consult your physical therapist about your health conditions before proceeding to the treatment and know whether it suits you.