Cupping

Cupping is the modern term for another type of traditional Chinese medical treatment. A glass, bamboo, ceramic or metal jar is applied to the skin and the pressure in the cup is reduced by briefly heating or suctioning out air. Because of the low pressure inside the jar the skin and superficial muscle layer is drawn into and held in it. Cupping creates a series of blood-infused raised sections on a patient’s skin. It is believed that this generates a negative energy flow which can work against the patient’s current state of stagnation. It also works by promoting blood circulation and Qi flow, activating the lymphatic system, and thus alleviating swelling and pain. Cupping is the best deep tissue massage available.

Cupping is often used for internal diseases, gynaecological diseases, pediatrics diseases, and trauma, etc. The treatment is often used in conjunction with acupuncture to enhance a previous acupuncture treatment or is combined with a bloodletting procedure to vitalize blood and to clear heat and other pathogenic influences.

Examples of gynaecological conditions that cupping can help are: Infertility, PCOS, Endometriosis, Irregular Menstruation, Painful Menstruation and Vaginal Discharges, etc. It also helps with male infertility.

The procedure is painless, safe and free from side effects. During a cupping treatment, the patient experiences a mild pulling sensation which calms the sympathetic nerves and allows a deep relaxation to move through the whole body. The cup is generally left for several minutes. The skin becomes reddened due to the congestion of blood flow. The redness will go away within an hour. Occasionally a bruise along the site of the rim of the cup can remain for up to a week (depending on the extent of blood stagnation present).