WHAT IS CUPPING

This is a therapy in which a cupping jar (cup) is attached to the skins surface by creating a vacuum in a cup. Suction cups lift the tissue up causing prolonged, hard pinch. The cupping usually takes 10-15 minutes. After cups are removed, muscle will relax and patients feel tension and stiffness relief.

Types OF CUPPING

 1. Retaining cupping

Retain the cup for 5-15 minutes after it is sucked on the skin. The retaining time can be appropriately cut down when a large cup is used with strong suction, or when cupping is conducted on thin muscle areas.

 2. Quick cupping

Place a cup sucked on the skin with the fire-twinkling method and then immediately remove it. Repeat this procedure many times until the skin turns red. This method is used for local numbness or hypofunction of the body due to deficiency.

 3. Sliding cupping

It is applied to large area with abundant muscles such as the loin, back and thigh, Select large glass cups and spread a little oil on the skin before cupping. After the cup is sucked on the skin, hold the cup with the right hand, move the cup slowly. Repeat the course several times until the skin turns red.

 4.  Needle and cupping

Insert a filiform needle into a selected acupoint to induce a needling sensation and retain the needle there. Then, quickly place a cup over the skin where the needle is retained, the needle being inside the cup.

 5.  Blood letting puncture and cupping

After pricking the selected acupoints or area with a sterilized three-edged needle, immediately apply cupping there to cause bleeding.

INDICATIONS FOR THE USE OF CUPPING

Cupping can soothe tense muscles, release toxins, increase blood circulation and diminish pain.

1. Chronic pain.

2.  Gastrointestinal disorders such as stomachache, diarrhea.

3.   Lung pathologies such as asthma or coughing.

4.  Colds of flu's associated with Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat

5.  Muscular atrophy and facial paralysis

6.  Cupping method combined with bloodletting is suitable to treat acute sprains accompanied by blood stasis, acne due to blood heat and so on.

PRECAUTIONS

1. The patient should select a comfortable position. Cups in different sizes are used according to the cupping location. Generally, the areas where the muscle are abundant and elastic, free from hairs and bone ridges are selected.

2. It is not advisable to apply cupping to the patient with skin ulcer, edema, or on an area with large blood vessels, or to the abdominal and sacral regions of the pregnant women.

3. It is not suitable to apply cupping to the patient susceptible to spontaneous bleeding.

4. After cupping, there is blood stasis or bruise at the local area, generally, it will disappear several days later. Small blisters occurring on the skin will absorb naturally several days later. If the blisters are severe, draw out the liquid by a sterile syringe, cover it with gauze to prevent infection.