Back in 2016, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps created a buzz around cupping therapy with the variety of dark circles around his shoulders. Since then, cupping therapy in the US has taken off, with many health professionals using it in their daily practice.
Cupping therapy, A.K.A myofascial decompression, can be traced back to ancient Chinese, Egyptian, and Middle Eastern cultures. The technique can be found in one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus, dating this practice as early as 1550 B.C.
This process involves cups being placed on the skin with suction applied, drawing the tissue into the cups. This creates an increase in blood flow to the affected area, promoting healing. As seen on Phelps himself, this process can leave often painless dark or red marks on the body due to the blood flow that enters that area, lasting up to 10 days. This therapy encourages the body to increase blood flow and decrease tension, aiding the body in the healing process.
Cupping therapy is typically performed with glass, bamboo, or silicone cups, with treatment times ranging from 5 – 20 minutes. This process is normally repeated as needed, usually once a week when first treating, while some people find 2-3 times are needed initially a week to get relief from their pain. You can expect slight redness/darkening & swelling over the treated area.
Breaking down this process a little more, the suction from the cups ruptures your small blood vessels, called capillaries, which kick starts the healing process. The treated area now has more blood flow to the area, which the body uses as part of it’s healing on the cellular level. Although these marks look like bruising, the muscle fibers are not injured like a true bruise would be.
There are three types of cupping: hot cupping, wet cupping, and dry cupping. Hot cupping involves lighting a heat source, usually a cotton ball or match very briefly before placing it for a moment inside a glass cup, making negative air pressure that creates the suction. Wet Cupping Therapy is the most aggressive form of cupping. This entails a practitioner using tiny blades or needles to create micro abrasions of the skin (i.e. cut marks). Once the person starts to bleed, cups are applied on top of the area to draw out the blood easier. Dry cupping, most commonly used in the U.S., typically involves cups with a manual pump attachment to create the suction on the tissue.
Benefits of cupping therapy:
- Reduce inflammation
- Increase muscular range of motion/decrease tightness
- Increase blood flow & oxygen to treated area
- Increasing oxygen in local areas from increased local blood flow
Conditions cupping may help with:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Arthritis
- Asthma & other breathing conditions
- Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, including irritable bowel disease (IBD)
- Migraines & headaches
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
Contraindications for cupping therapy:
- Patients previously having organ failure
- Anemia
- Acute or active deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Patients with cancer
- Patients with a pacemaker
- Blood disorders like hemophilia or any similar conditions
- Currently have any open wounds
- Severe or chronic diseases
- Skin conditions, including eczema & psoriasis
- Patient who experiences seizures (epilepsy)
- Pregnancy over the abdomen or lower back
Written by Shon Smith, SPTA
Sources:
Cleveland Clinic. (2023). Cupping Therapy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16554-cupping.
Lifemark. (18 November, 2022). What exactly is cupping therapy?. https://www.lifemark.ca/blog-post/what-exactly-cupping-therapy#:~:text=Cupping%20therapy%20(aka%20myofascial%20decompression,as%20early%20as%201550%20B.C.
Lifeline Physical Therapy. (2022). What to Expect with Cupping Therapy. https://lifeline-therapy.com/blog/cupping-therapy/#:~:text=Cupping%20therapy%20can%20be%20done,get%20relief%20from%20their%20pain.
Muscle and Joint Clinic. Hidden Truths. Dr. Keith Sparks. (22 July, 2019). Different Styles of Cupping Therapy. https://www.ictmjc.com/blog/different-styles-of-cupping-therapy#:~:text=Cupping%20Therapy%20can%20be%20categorized,another%20depending%20on%20the%20situation.
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