Do You Know The Benefits Of Cupping Therapy?
Some ailments in the world of medicine are not completely cured by medical treatment. For those, humans have tested some other methods, and many have proven to be successful like cupping therapy treatment. Cupping therapy is one such treatment that tries to fill in the gaps left by medical treatments.
Cupping therapy is an ancient form of treatment or alternative medicine that implies the use of special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. Cupping therapy treatment is increasingly gaining popularity as people use it for many purposes. If you are curious to know more about cupping therapy and its uses, this article is for you.
Are You Searching For “Cupping Therapy Near Me”?
If you are looking for a cupping therapy expert near you in Irvine, we are here. Cupping Therapy Treatment has a mechanism of action that explains itself in terms of how it treats these ailments. Although it may appear to be the latest trend, the fact is that Cupping Therapy dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world describes how the ancient Egyptians used it as a treatment in 1,550 B.C. Cupping therapy is very helpful for curing pain, inflammation, deep tissue massage, relaxation, toxic blood etc.
How Is Cupping Performed?
Different types of cupping exist.
- Dry
- Wet
- Oil
- Flash/Empty
Most therapists use glass or plastic cups for this therapy. But there are also other types of cups for this purpose:
- Bamboo/wooden
- Ceramic
- Metal
- Silicone/facial
- Horn/suction
- Plastic/hijama
- Glass/fire glass
- Nabhi pump
Dry Cupping: In this type, your therapist puts an inflammable substance (alcohol, herbs, or paper) in the cup and sets it on fire. After the fire is extinguished, they put the cup upside down on the required area of your skin.
The fire consumes all the oxygen inside the cup, creating a vacuum. This causes the suction of your skin inside the cup. Your skin starts raising inside the cup, and blood vessels dilate, causing it to redden. Usually, the cup is left in place for about 3 minutes.
A modern version of this therapy uses a rubber cup instead of fire to create a vacuum inside the cup. Sometimes, therapists use silicone cups that can be moved easily from place to place on your skin. This produces a massage-like effect. The suction force from cupping breaks the tiny blood vessels to give you bruise-like marks.
Wet Cupping: Wet cupping gets its name from the blood that is drawn out to make it a wet procedure. After the same procedure as used in dry cupping and the cup remaining in its place for 3 minutes, the therapist removes it and makes a tiny cut with a scalpel to draw a small amount of blood. Usually, the first cup gives a clue to your therapist about whether or not to continue further cupping.
In the first session, generally, 3-5 cups are applied. More than 5-7 cups are not allowed, according to the notes of the British Cupping Society. After that, you get an antibiotic ointment bandage to prevent infection. Within 10 days, your skin heals back to normal.
Oil Cupping: In this type, massage oil is applied, and cups are attached to the body and then moved across different areas.
Flash Cupping: This type of cupping is meant to stimulate circulation. Hence, it involves quick, repeated application of cups with almost no retention. It reduces local congestion.
Cupping Therapy Treats What?
Several conditions get relieved through cupping therapy. Most people get this treatment to ease the symptoms of:
- Inflammatory conditions like arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia)
- Different types of body aches and pains (knee pain, neck pain, back pain, and shoulder pain)
- Bronchial congestion caused by allergies and asthma
- Headaches and migraines
- High blood pressure
- Skin problems, such as acne and eczema
- Gynecological problems (fertility issues)
- Anxiety and depression
- Blood disorders such as anemia and hemophilia
- Varicose veins
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Gastrointestinal disorders (irritable bowel disease)
According to one report published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in 2015, it could help in the management of:
- Herpes zoster
- Acne
- Facial paralysis
- Cervical spondylolysis
But these studies need to be reinforced by further evidence.
Who Should Avoid Cupping?
If you are looking for “cupping therapy near me”, consider that this therapy is contraindicated for certain health issues. There are certain health conditions where cupping is associated with more risks than benefits. Therefore, it’s better to avoid it under these conditions:
- Bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia
- Blood clotting problems, like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a history of stroke
- Skin diseases like psoriasis
- Seizures (epilepsy)
Side Effects Of Cupping
Although this therapy is fairly safe as long as you go to a trained therapist, there are chances of having these side effects in the affected area.
- Mild discomfort
- Burns
- Bruises
- Skin infection (redness, tenderness, yellow pussy discharge, or fever)
If cups and equipment get contaminated with blood and effective sterilization techniques are not used, there are chances of getting bloodborne diseases, like Hepatitis B and C. In addition, there are general side effects that can occur during or immediately after the treatment. These include lightheadedness or dizziness, sweating, or nausea.
How Effective Is This Therapy?
There haven’t been many scientific studies on cupping. Hence, researchers don’t know a lot about why or how exactly cupping helps people. It is known to be one of the oldest and most effective methods of releasing toxins from body tissues and organs. That’s why it is considered alternative medicine. The term “alternative medicine” implies unproven, disproven, impossible-to-prove, or excessively harmful practices.
However, cupping works for both healthy people and those suffering from different ailments.
Wrapping It Up
If you are suffering from any ailment for which you are searching “cupping therapy near me”, just make sure you are not among those for whom it is contraindicated. Years of research show that cupping improves local blood flow, relieves muscular pain and stiffness, and boosts immune function. Combining different types of cupping therapy can improve the outcome. Research is emerging to suggest the effectiveness of cupping as a therapy, but we need more high-quality research to confirm it. If you are a healthy individual and just need to try therapy for massage or relaxation purposes, go ahead. Then you should opt for oil or flash cupping.