Have you noticed more and more celebrities showing up to events with little round marks on their backs? These come from cupping therapy. But what is it?
Cupping is a type of alternative therapy that involves placing cups on the skin to create suction. This suction is thought to improve the flow of energy in the body and facilitate healing. Restoring balance between these two extremes is thought to help with the body’s resistance to pathogens as well as its ability to increase blood flow and reduce pain. Cupping increases blood circulation to the area where the cups are placed. This may relieve muscle tension, which can improve overall blood flow and promote cell repair. It may also help form new connective tissues and create new blood vessels in the tissue. People use cupping to complement their care for a host of symptoms and conditions.
Chinese medicine practitioners have been using cupping for thousands of years to treat a wide range of health problems. It is designed to help the body reduce inflammation by using suction. Think of it kind of like getting a massage in reverse.
In Chinese medicine, pain is viewed as stagnation or something that isn’t moving. Cups used in cupping look like glass or plastic snow globe-like balls that range in size from three-quarters of an inch to four inches in diameter. They’re placed on the skin while air is removed. Cupping doesn’t hurt, but it may leave a temporary mark/bruising that lasts about 3-5 days.
