A major branch of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Bellingham used to stimulate the flow of vital energy (Chi) and eliminate stagnation, Cupping therapy involves the warming and applying of medicinal cups, usually made of glass, on the skin to heal certain ailments and illnesses in the body. Chi naturally freely flows throughout the body and can be found in the world around us, if this flow is disturbed or blocked, it can lead to an imbalance or stagnation in the body.
What is Massage Cupping?
Massage cupping therapy is a deep tissue massage plus the warming
and application of cups on certain areas of the body. A vacuum is produced when
the air inside the cup is heated and when the cup is quickly applied to the
skin, the pressure inside the cup draws the patient’s skin into it. This stimulates
healing by causing blood flow to increase and loosening the connective tissue
or fascia in the site of treatment. The deep tissue massage is designed to relieve
pain and break up scar tissue. More often than not, the cups are placed on the site
of pain, shoulders, neck, or back. Cupping may result in temporary some soreness
and bruising, depending on the strength of suction generated by the vacuum and
the degree of stagnation in the body. From the standpoint of TCM, this is a desired
outcome since it means that treatment was successful in clearing stagnation and
removing toxins from the body. To take out the cups, the practitioner lifts one
edge of the cup allowing air into the cup breaking the seal and vacuum.
Various Forms of Cupping Therapy
Cupping therapy can have different forms and the acupuncturist will
choose the one that best meets the goals of the treatment. The cups also come
in different types although glass cups are the ones most commonly used. Over a
thousand years ago, however, practitioners used cups made of animal horns,
clay, or bamboo.
Dry or Fire Cupping
Veteran acupuncturist and TCM practitioner Ann Michelle Casco,
L.Ac., said that the cupping technique traditionally used was called ba guan zhi,
or dry or fire cupping. This type of cupping entails placement of cups over an ashi
point or ailing or painful acupuncture point on the body located along an
energy channel called meridian. After the cups are applied in the area of
treatment, they are left in place for about 5 to 20 minutes depending on the
severity of the patient’s condition. Typically, a round of treatment may involve
4 to 6 sessions at intervals beginning from 3 to 10 day gaps.
Sliding Cups Technique
Another cupping technique called sliding cups is specifically designed
to treat muscle spasms and pain. It’s usually administered on large muscle
groups of the back. Prior to the placement of the cups, massage oil is applied
to the skin which helps the cups to easily glide over the skin surface.
Air Cupping
Air cupping can be an optional substitute for fire cupping. This
technique involves the use of a portable manual suction pump that extracts air from
the inside of the cups, creating a vacuum without the need for heat. In China,
some clinical studies show this novel approach in cupping technology provides more
comfort to patients than fire cupping.
Wet Cupping
This form of cupping is distinguished via the inclusion of an
acupuncture technique called bleeding. The therapist uses a lancet to pierce the
skin before cupping therapy is administered. This causes a small amount of
blood to come out of the treatment site. Wet cupping is designed to remove internal
toxins from the body. Chinese practitioners of TCM utilize this method to help “cool”
inflammatory problems.
What Can Cupping Therapy Do?
According to TCM, the stagnation of blood and chi leads to disease
and pain. Cupping bolsters local blood and chi circulation in the treatment area,
relieving tension, pain, and swelling. By pulling toxins and impurities to the skin
surface, it cleanses and purifies the body. From the standpoint of Western
physiology, cupping helps stimulate blood flow to the surface and relaxes
fascia or connective tissue. It promotes better cell-to-cell communication and
brings about tissue relaxation. Studies conducted by American acupuncturist and
physiologist Helene Langevin showed that changes in cell-level recorded in an
ultrasound camera implied that alternative treatment modalities like massage,
acupuncture, and cupping can help lower inflammation markers and relax tissue. Chemical
messengers called cytokines that facilitate relaxation and healing are increased
while inflammatory cytokines are lessened.
The Advantages of Cupping Therapy
Muscle relaxation and local pain relief are just two of the benefits
offered by cupping therapy. This ancient Chinese healing art enhances overall
health by clearing the obstacles to chi flow that TCM practitioners have
determined as hindrances to the circulation of positive chi or healthy energy. Athletes
can also benefit from this therapy as it helps improve blood flow to a specific
muscle group or help relieve pain. Several athletes, prominently, the members
of the great U.S. swim team, during the 2016 Rio Olympics, have unabashedly and
proudly displayed their cupping marks to the world.
Some Illnesses and Ailments that can be treated through Cupping Therapy
Cupping is often used in the treatment of conditions such as:
Pain
Stomach pain
Gastritis
Asthma
Bronchial congestion
Cough
Paralysis
Researchers in Chinese have mainly studied cupping, finding benefit
in problems like
Anxiety
Gout
Depression
Insomnia
Back pain
Herpes zoster (shingles)
Varicose veins
Anemia
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Eczema
Fibromyalgia
Acne
Arthritis
Infertility
Although the quality of these clinical studies is not at par to U.S.
standards, the results of actual benefit are substantial, especially when the low
risk of side effects is taken into account.
What Kind of People Administer Cupping?
Cupping is generally done by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.
Cupping procedures can be found and are depicted in TCM texts that
are more than a 1000 years old. If you are considering cupping therapy for
yourself or for others, look for a skilled and licensed practitioner such as an
acupuncturist who is licensed to by the NCCAOM (National Certification
Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) or the State of California Board
of Acupuncture. Certified practitioners have undergone more than 3,000 hours of
training at a distinguished institution and hurdled examinations required for
the legal andsafe practice of cupping
and acupuncture.
Does Cupping Therapy Produce Side Effects?
Expect to have marks on the skin when getting cupping therapy. This
is brought about when the procedure brings blood to the skin surface, which may
appear like a bruise. This treatment may not be your best option if you are
currently taking anticoagulants or if you are suffering from hemophilia or any
other bleeding disorder. People with these issues should talk about the advantages
and disadvantages of the treatment with their doctor or acupuncturist before
the undergo treatment. Practitioners would not administer cupping on skin areas
where there are open wounds, infection, burns, or active inflammation. Some level
of pain or discomfort may result but they are not deemed a side effect. Temporary
medium discomfort may be expected as stagnation is cleared and muscles as well
as connective tissue are relaxed.
Western healthcare providers and practitioners should consider cupping
as a mode of treatment. However, the discolorations and bruising in children
expected after treatment may be mistaken as signs of child abuse.
How long does the bruising last?
Bruises associated with cupping therapy may linger for a few days to
a couple of weeks. Casco, a practitioner of TCM stated that after a number of weeks
of continuous cupping treatment sessions, the bruising will be gradually
reduced as the stagnation heals. This suggests a fruitful cupping plan of treatment.