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Bridget Ginty

Cupping - The Ancient Alternative Therapy that can Help you Feel Better

Cupping Therapy

If you’ve ever heard of cupping you might have been a bit scared of what it entails and how it works. Well fear no more - cupping can be beneficial for a whole host of mental and physical ailments. From stress and anxiety to arthritis and fibromyalgia. Cupping is a fabulous complementary therapy that you can use alongside other therapies such as acupuncture.  The most important thing to look out for when considering cupping therapy is to use a trusted therapist.


Ancient Origins

It might seem like a new age technique but cupping therapy has very ancient origins. Possibly one of the oldest records of cupping therapy is in Eber’s papyrus (1550 B.C) from Ancient Egypt, even the famous Greek physician Hipppocrates wrote about cupping techniques. Cupping therapy has roots in many ancient medicine practices, including Chinese, Unani, Korean and Tibetan.


What is Cupping?

In this ancient form of alternative medicine a therapist applies special cups to a person's skin for a few minutes to create a suction. The suction is believed to enhance and improve the flow of energy to the body and encourage healing.


Cupping generally involves using a flammable substance (alcohol, etc) which the therapist will put on the cup, they then ignite it and when the fire goes out they then immediately place the cups on your skin. Although it sounds quite daunting, the process is in fact very relaxing and calming.


There are 4 main cupping techniques:

  • Dry cupping: a suction-only method

  • Wet/bleeding cupping: may involve both suction and controlled medicinal bleeding

  • Running cupping: uses oil in order to move the suctioned cups around the body 

  • Flash cupping: quick suction and release of the cups on specific areas of the body


Your therapist may also use other therapies in addition to the cups such as herbs, acupuncture needles, moxibustion, laser, water, magnets and electrical stimulation.


Magnetic cupping uses magnets which are applied to your meridian lines - these are the acupuncture points which are stimulated to help heal the ailment you are suffering from -  helping balance your energy and relax your muscles. 


What are the benefits of cupping?

  • Reduce pain

  • Relaxation

  • Improve skin health

  • Improve digestion

  • Speed up recovery from respiratory illness


Sceptics dismiss positive results from alternative therapies, such as cupping, as a placebo effect but recent studies do suggest there is evidence that cupping does work - in this study patients with chronic neck pain were offered cupping treatment to great effect.


Cupping, like most holistic and alternative therapies, is amazing for reducing stress and anxiety. The treatment promotes relaxation by sedating the central nervous system - what looks like a painful procedure is actually deeply relaxing. Bruising that may occur after a cupping therapy is generally nothing to worry about and will fade after a few days.


Feeling like you never stay still long enough to relax? Treating your mind and body to a session of cupping therapy forces you to stop and lie still for the duration of the treatment, which in today's busy world can only be a positive thing!

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