Cupping Therapy

[Dr. Sushanta Kumar Ghose]

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. People get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.

The cups may be made of:

• Glass
• Bamboo
• Earthenware
• Silicone

Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus, describes how the ancient Egyptians used cupping therapy in 1,550 B.C.

Cupping is a very old Chinese practice wherein cups are applied on top of skin surface, resulting in local congestion. It is a type of deep tissue massage wherein the pressure contained in the cups is lowered with the help of either heat or suction. Cupping treatment is practiced in many countries all over the world including China, Arab countries and Malaysia.

In each country the same practice of cupping is known by different names. Different people practicing this therapy use different types of cups for treatment including, plastic cups, rubber cups, bamboo cups, cupping glass, and traditional cups. The most recently used cups these days are the vacuum cups, which have proved to be quite effective in treating many diseases.

Types
There are different methods of cupping, including:

• Dry
• Wet

Procedure:
During both types of cupping, your therapist will put a flammable substance such as alcohol, herbs, or paper in a cup and set it on fire. As the fire goes out, they put the cup upside down on your skin.

As the air inside the cup cools, it creates a vacuum. This causes your skin to rise and redden as your blood vessels expand. The cup is generally left in place for up to 3 minutes.

A more modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump instead of fire to create the vacuum inside the cup. Sometimes therapists use silicone cups, which they can move from place to place on your skin for a massage-like effect.

Wet cupping creates a mild suction by leaving a cup in place for about 3 minutes. The therapist then removes the cup and uses a small scalpel to make light, tiny cuts on your skin. Next, they do a second suction to draw out a small quantity of blood.

You might get 3-5 cups in your first session. Or you might just try one to see how it goes. It’s rare to get more than 5-7 cups, the British Cupping Society notes.

Afterward, you may get an antibiotic ointment and bandage to prevent infection. Your skin should look normal again within 10 days.

Cupping therapy supporters believe that wet cupping removes harmful substances and toxins from the body to promote healing. But that’s not proven.

Some people also get “needle cupping,” in which the therapist first inserts acupuncture needles and then puts cups over them.


Benefits Of Cupping
There are many benefits of cupping, some of which include:

1.Improves blood circulation
The application of cupping therapy improves the circulation of blood throughout the body. As a result sufficient oxygen reached the body cells for cellular oxidation, releasing good amounts of energy for various physical activities.

2.Stimulates digestive system.
Cupping therapy stimulates the working of digestive system, as a result of which better digestion of food takes place. The metabolism of the body improves and more energy ios available for body activities.

3.Clears blockages in the colon
When cupping therapy is done on the body, it aids in clearing the blockages of the colon. As a result toxins accumulated in the colon and excretory passages get removed. This prevents the occurrence of serious and fatal diseases like colon cancer.

4.Aids to activate the lymphatic system
Practicing this therapy on one’s body helps to activate the lymphatic system of the body. As a result there is improved circulation of blood to different body cells and tissues.

5.Helps to release toxins.
The human body is a complex system of reactions that occur continuously. As a result of these reactions toxic and harmful substances are produced, the presence of which might lead to cause many diseases. These harmful and toxic substances should be removed from the body, if one wants to stay healthy. Cupping therapy causes the body cells and tissues to release toxins and prevents then occurrence of many serious and lethal diseases. Removal of these substances also delays the ageing process.

6.Improves flexibility
Cupping therapy makes the body flexible for various kinds of physical activities.

7.Helps to treat many diseases.
This therapy has traditionally been used for the treatment of many diseases like colds, high blood pressure, high fever, sciatica, joint pains, muscle spasms, stiff shoulders, arteriosclerosis, lung infections, and strokes.

Author: Sushanta Kumar Ghosh, Physiotherapy Specialist, DIU Medical Center