Most of us are probably familiar of herbal medicine, massage therapy, acupuncture in Maitland and the other more popular modalities of TCM or traditional Chinese medicine. But, when we study TCM a little deeper, we find that there are other lesser-known treatment protocols that TCM practitioners use on a regular basis. One of these therapies is called cupping therapy which is used to alleviate a host of maladies.
Cupping therapy involves the application of small jars or cups to the skin and suctioning toxins away from the body. It is a practice that dates as far back as 1500 B.C., when the ancient people of Egypt used it to address a wide range of health conditions including pain, weak appetite, menstrual disorders, vertigo and fever. Cupping therapy was used by Taoist herbalists to encourage relaxation, eliminate toxins from the body and bring about healthy circulation, to mention just a few.
Nowadays, this incredibly versatile yet simple procedure is still used to treat all types of health problems making it an ideal replacement to surgery and drugs for a lot of individuals. The cups may be made of bamboo, plastic, glass, or even silicon but they possess an impressive track record of clinical effectiveness that justifies their worth for further study.
How does Chinese cupping therapy work?
The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine states that a practitioner of TCM will generate suction first inside the cups. This is done by placing rubbing alcohol to the cup’s bottom and then lighting a match stick to set the cup on fire. The oxygen inside the cup gets used up producing suction inside the cup and the heat within the cup eventually cools.
The cups are then either moved across the body in a circular or to and fro motion (which is a process known as gliding cupping) or placed stationary on the skin. In both processes, the suction within the cups creates negative pressure which lifts the skin towards the cup, contrary to the positive pressure brought about by massage. The negative pressure tranquilizes the nervous system, encourages healthy blood circulation, and helps relax the muscles.
According to the PCOM or Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, while it is sometimes used as a standalone treatment, cupping therapy is usually combined with acupuncture in one treatment. It is used to relieve treat, cellulite, rheumatism, migraines, fatigue, anxiety, tight muscles, and neck and back pains.
Combined with acupuncture, cupping therapy can provide incredible relief. One reason it is usually combined with acupuncture is that both therapies exploit the natural meridian lines of the body. These are channels or pathways through which the chi or life energy of the body circulates. Cupping therapy uses the five meridian lines in the back since it is routinely used on the back. This is designed to both relax and balance the chi and widen the meridians through which energy circulates.
The PCOM added, “Cupping is probably the best deep-tissue treatments once can avail of and it is known to impact tissues up to four inches deep from the epidermis. Within these four inches of affected materials, arteries and veins can be refreshed, blockages can be removed, and toxins can be eliminated. The therapy can even be administered on the ankles, legs, wrists, and hands, thus providing healing to certain organs associated with these points.”
Cupping therapy has also been known to treat respiratory and lung conditions, including the common cold and asthma effectively. In fact, based on the earliest recorded conditions, among the various systems of the body, the respiratory system is the system that most especially benefited from cupping therapy.