Find out how Chinese medicine and Acupuncture could help you. Cupping therapy is an ancient Arabic form of alternative medicine in which a local suction is created on the skin; practitioners believe this mobilizes blood flow in order to promote healing. Suction is created using heat fire or mechanical devices hand or electrical pumps.
The air inside the cup is heated and the rim is then applied to the skin, forming an airtight seal. As the air inside the cup cools, it contracts, forming a partial vacuum and enabling the cup to suck the skin, pulling in soft tissue, and drawing blood to that area. Alternately, the suction is created by a hand-pump and blood is allowed to collect. It can leave temporary bruised painful marks on the skin and there is also a small risk of burns.
Cupping, in traditional Chinese medicine TCM is a method of applying acupressure by creating a vacuum on the patient's skin to dispel stagnationβstagnant blood and lymph, thereby improving qi flowβto treat respiratory diseases such as the common cold, pneumonia and bronchitis. Cupping also is used on back, neck, shoulder and other musculoskeletal conditions. Cupping is also used to treat a broad range of medical conditions such as; blood disorders anaemia, haemophilia , rheumatic diseases arthritic joint and muscular conditions , fertility and gynaecological disorders, and skin problems eczema, acne , and is claimed by proponents to help general physical and psychological well-being.
During both types of cupping, a flammable substance such as alcohol, herbs, or paper is placed in a cup and set on fire. As the fire goes out, the cup is placed upside.
As the air inside the cup cools, it creates a vacuum. This causes the skin to rise and redden as blood vessels expand. The cup is generally left in place for five to 10 minutes. A more modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump to create the vacuum inside the cup. Sometimes practitioners use medical-grade silicone cups.
