In ancient times, if people had any pain or muscle ache, then a section was familiar with using cupping therapy. Also known as the cup of therapy, this is an age-old Chinese type of healing popular across the world. Although it was originated thousands of years ago, cupping therapy is still popular among a large section of people. At a time when you have become more dominated by medicine and surgery, old concepts like a cup of therapy are much pertinent as it does not have any side effects. Cupping therapy is one of the best options for various types of healing. Thousands of people are using the same.
The Origin of Cupping Therapy
Cupping therapy is an alternative therapy and originated in China. It is the placing of cups on the skin for creating suction pressure. This suction is actually to facilitate the blood flow all over the body. A section of people believes that this suction using cups also help inflowing of “Qi” in our body. The meaning of “Qi” in the Chinese language is life force. Cupping therapy also helps to keep a balance between positive and negative energy in our bodies. Having a balance of both in our bodies is extremely important. Cup of therapy not only increases the blood flow in your body but also reduces pain to a great extent. Blood circulation increases in the areas where cups are placed. Muscle tension is relieved, cells are repaired internally and blood flow becomes normal.
Types of Cupping Therapy
Initially, cupping therapy started by using animal horns. Later bamboo and ceramic cups came into the scene. Cups were heated with fire and then applied to the skin of the humans. Once the cups are cooled, the skin is drawn inside. From that era, now glass cups are used in this therapy. There are two distinct types of cupping therapy. Here are those:
- Dry Cupping – Related to suction only
- Wet Cupping – Involves both suction and bleeding
Apart from dry and wet cupping, there remain other variants like oil cupping, sliding cupping, fire cupping, moxa cupping, horn cupping, flash cupping, etc.
Cupping Therapy Process
As per the process, the cup is placed on the skin and heated accordingly. The fire heating can be done by using either paper or alcohol. After heating, the fire source is removed and the heated cup is placed on your skin. Nowadays rubber pumps are also used for suction instead of the traditional way of heating. Once the hot cup is placed on the skin, the air inside the cup creates the vacuum by cooling. It draws muscle upward into the cup. In the case of dry cupping therapy, a timer is set for 5 to 10 minutes. Once the cups are removed, therapists usually apply ointment and bandage to prevent any sort of infection.
What can be cured in Cupping Therapy
Cupping therapy can cure several ailments including pain and muscle ache. Apart from that, it can heal skin issues, digestive issues, and some acupuncture-related issues also. Let’s check what other problems can be solved using cupping therapy:
- Acne
- Cervical spondylosis
- Cough and dyspnea
- Shingle
- Facial paralysis
- Disc herniation
Benefits of Cupping Therapy
Lots of benefits are associated with cupping therapy. For example,
- Cupping therapy helps to reduce inflammation & pain.
- It improves the flow of blood circulation all over our body
- It rejuvenates the organs
If you have anemia or hemophilia like blood disorders or rheumatic diseases like arthritis, then cupping therapy can be a great help for you. It does not have any side effects and one can go for it without any doubt. Further, cupping therapy is used to treat skin problems like eczema and is helpful for patients suffering from high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, and migraine. As cupping helps to increase the blood circulation in our body, hence this therapy is ideal in rejuvenating the muscle and body. Also, it acts as a pain reliever in several cases.
Side effects of cupping therapy
Truly, there are not too many side effects related to cupping therapy. Still, if any side effect happens then it might occur either during the treatment time or immediately after the treatment is over. You might feel dizzy or lightheaded while the treatment is going on. Also, you might have nausea or sweat in some cases. After the treatment is over, the skin around the area where a cup is placed might give some discomfort. Light irritation may be observed. Preventive measurements must be taken in that area; else infection might spread out after cupping theory. Normally, the risks are less once proper care is taken. Apart from that, scarring of the skin and bruising are also observed in some cases.
Important Things to Remember
Cupping therapy is meant for grown-up people. So, children below four years should not undergo this therapy nor the aged people whose skins become fragile due to age. Pregnant ladies should avoid cupping therapy. If you have any wound, sunburn, skin ulcer, organ disorder, or passed through any trauma recently, then you should restrain yourself from going to cupping therapy.
Who can perform Cupping Therapy
It is very safe to practice and can be performed by anyone. Anyone can have a practice for some time and he/she easily can practice by maintaining all medical norms. One should go for training and certification if possible and then easily can be a therapist. You should go to someone who is an expert in this field and practicing for several years. Then chances of having better results always remain high.
So, rather than going for medicine and surgery in the very first few attempts in various illnesses, you can try cupping therapy instead. This is not a new concept and it is being practiced for thousands of years. There are some good sides to this therapy. And numerous people have been benefitted from this therapy. As there is no such side effect, hence people can give a try to use a cup of therapy or cupping therapy in those situations.
