What Are The Benefits Of Cupping Therapy?

Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy is a process where cups are placed on the skin creating suction to increase the blood flow which aids in the healing process. The Cupping therapy was originated in China by a famous Taoist alchemist Ge Hong. Chinese people believe that cupping aids in flow of ‘qi’, the life force, in the body. That is because the benefits of cupping therapy are widely known throughout the community. If you are looking for a cupping therapy session to be done at a reasonable price in Canada, Our physiotherapists at Burnaby physio clinic can always help you with that. 

Types Of Cupping

Before cups were invented, animal horns were used for the process. Then with the developing science, first bamboo cups and then ceramic cups were used. Nowadays, cupping therapy is done using glass cups. Heat is required to create the suction, and so heated cups are kept on the skin. The skin is drawn inside when it cools.

The main types of cupping are,

1.     Dry cupping – a suction only treatment

2.    Wet cupping – a treatment including suction and controlled bleeding

Your method depends on your preference, condition and the facilities of our Burnaby physiotherapy clinic that you have selected.

What Is Done During The Cupping Treatment?

The cup should be heated using a fire inside the cup, made using paper, alcohol or herbs. When the cup reaches the required heat, the fire should be removed and the open side of the cup should be kept on your skin. The air inside the cup cools quickly creating a vacuum that sucks the skin into the cup. Reddening of the skin is natural.

In dry cupping, the cup is kept for about 10 minutes and removed. But during wet cupping, the cups are kept for a lesser time and after removing it, an incision is made for controlled medicinal bleeding.

Then the places are covered using bandages and ointments to prevent infections. There can be small bruises that are sure to disappear after some days.

Some practitioners use rubber pumps instead of cups and it is also effective. Fasting before the procedure helps the treatment.

Benefits Of Cupping Therapy

There are many benefits of cupping therapy that is mainly due to the fact that cupping therapy increases blood circulation. Increased blood flow aids in quicker cell repairing, and the healing period gets shorter. The cupping therapy also aids in rebuilding tissues and blood vessels.

It is the belief of Taoists that cupping aid in balancing the positive and negative aspects of the body. This balance helps in protecting the body from pathogens. Also, it increases the blood flow and reduces the pain of certain injuries.

Conditions Treated By The Cupping Therapy

There are a lot of conditions that can be treated by using cupping therapy. Muscle pain is the most common and widely known ailment that can be healed by this mechanism. Cupping treatment can be done to most acupressure points and therefore can be used in treating conditions that are normally treated with acupuncture. Skin and digestive issues are examples. Other than the above, there are some other conditions that can also be treated by cupping therapy, like acne, facial paralysis, dyspnea and cough. But these are still at the research level and more studies are required to prove its efficiency.

Side Effects Of Cupping Therapy

Although there are many benefits of cupping therapy, as mentioned above, there are also some hiccups. But there aren’t a lot of side effects. Most of them appear during the therapy or right after it. Feeling dizzy during and after the treatment is quite normal. Nausea is also possible along with sweating.

A circular mark of the cup’s rim can be there for some time and it might be a little painful. The incisions will obviously be a little irritating. There is always a little risk of infection. But the possibility of it can be greatly minimized by the professionals of the physiotherapy services if they are careful. Scarring and hematoma are also possible risks.

You should always go to a practitioner who is following the safety guidelines properly in order to enjoy the benefits of cupping therapy wholly. The guidelines keep you safe from some of the risks and discomforts you may feel and they help you in your recovery immensely.