A brief history, application, and care guide for cupping therapy.

I think it’s very important to highlight the origin of technique and tool used in healing modalities, especially when they are appropriated from practices not of one’s own culture. In efforts to appreciate the healing modality that is cupping, I’ll share a brief history and context of cupping, with references to support my understanding. I encourage further study of healing practices, if only to know more intimately the nourishment you receive. I also want to share how I use this therapy in my practice and the aftercare I recommend post cupping application.

Cupping therapy has been used for centuries, with the earliest recorded use in Egypt, written on papyrus in 1550 BC. This ancient healing modality was also used in other parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Southern Europe. Today cupping therapy is most commonly known in the west as a practice within Asian medicine such as Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

If you visit a TCM practitioner today, you might find they have glass cups and use a method called “fire cupping”, though there are other materials and techniques used. Cups have been created out of animal horns, bamboo, clay, metal, and glass. In addition to the cup variety, this therapy has been used to treat myriad of ailments, to include musculoskelatal pain, hypertension, and systemic diseases. Certain cupping applications can also be applied in a preventive manner to nourish circulation, immunity, and tissue health.

There are multiple ways a practitioner might use cupping therapy to treat someone, but no matter the material or method, application of a cup creates a suction that pulls the tissues upwards. This sensation has been described as a reverse deep tissue massage, but everyone experiences this differently. The cups can be stationary or moved around in a sliding motion. Generally, statically placed cups are left in one area for up to 10 minutes depending on the intention, and monitored closely. 

As a massage therapist by trade, I apply cups with a narrowed focus. My scope of practice is limited to working with soft tissue, which includes the skin, connective tissue, and muscle. So, application of cups is essentially focused on tissue health with an interest in nuerofascialmuscular effect. In short, this means I use cupping to help ease musculoskeletal pain, assist in tissue movement or lengthening, and bring awareness to certain areas of the body with the novel stimulation of suction. I use two different types of cups, with the primary being a polycarbonate suction pump set. The other cups are made of silicone and create suction with compression. Both sets have varying sizes and different amounts of suction. The use of a certain cup is determined by intention, area of the body, and personal preference.

Now, for a few general aftercare notes, beginning with the widely known cupping marks. If you’ve seen a cupping mark, it looks a bit like a bruise. This mark is not the goal nor is it the same as a bruise created by impact trauma. With the suction of the cup, the superficial blood vessels can open and create markings known as petechiae. With this being said, mark or not, my post cupping recommendations are to protect areas from intense temperatures/elements, such as hot showers, for about 2 days. If you do have a mark, it usually disappears within 7-10 days. Continue to care for this area as you normally would, maybe even tend to the marks with a botanical oil after our session.

I’ll end by saying, I don’t recommend cupping therapy for everyone and I approach this application very sensitively. If you’re curious about cupping or have any unanswered questions about this modality, please feel free to reach out or mention this at our next meeting. I’d love to chat with you about how we can enhance our sessions to better support your goals.

References 

Al-Bedah, A. M. N., Elsubai, I. S., Qureshi, N. A., Aboushanab, T. S., Ali, G. I. M., El-Olemy, A. T., Khalil, A. A. H., Khalil, M. K. M., & Alqaed, M. S. (2018, April 30). The medical perspective of cupping therapy: Effects and mechanisms of action. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6435947/

Kim, J.-I., Lee, M. S., Lee, D.-H., Boddy, K., & Ernst, E. (2011). Cupping for treating pain: A systematic review. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136528/

Aboushanab, T. S., & AlSanad, S. (2018, February 7). Cupping therapy: An overview from a modern medicine perspective. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2005290117302042