Cupping

Cupping is a very old treatment method going back literally thousands of years.  Many different forms of cupping have come about over the ages but we are only going to discuss the two types of cupping we do which are Motion (Dynamic) cupping and Stationary (Static) cupping.  Cupping uses negative pressure in a cup (glass, plastic, silicon, etc.) to draw skin and tissue into it. This creates a pulling effect that is somewhat like a stretch.  Cups can be left in place (static) or be moved around (dynamic) to work different areas of tissue.  Cupping is believed to help with pain, range of motion and blood flow.

While cupping has been around for thousands of years, it is important to note that there have been few, quality, scientific studies done to prove its efficacy.  In general we tend to require quite a lot of proof before we utilize new techniques in our practice but we make an exception for cupping.   We make this exception because of its time in practice and first hand positive results we have seen it yield when used in conjunction with other physical medicine treatments. So with that being said, this list provides some of the purported benefits and effects that are believed to happen when cupping is performed.

Cupping can be kind of intense.  This particularly true of motion cupping.  It can also be ticklish.  This discomfort is usually caused by the stretching of the skin and tissue under the cup.   It is important to communicate with the person doing the cupping if it becomes too intense or painful so they can back off or stop the session if needed.  You are probably going to walk out with either perfectly round hickeys or a red area from motion cupping.  These look like bruises and in a sense are but won’t have the same feel as a traditional bruise.  Cupping draws blood to the surface of the skin but shouldn’t cause tissue damage so while they might look bad, they shouldn’t be painful or sore.