The cupping marks can last for one day but for some people, it can take up to 21 days. It all depends on the severity of the toxins that will be released during the whole process.
It is also possible that there will be some blistering as well as bleeding but it is just normal, not something to be worried about. Just take care of the areas and keep it covered until it is healed.
If you are considering cupping and you are not so sure about it, you just heard from a person that there are side effects and you got scared to try out, it’s time to learn all about it.
In this article, we will be discussing everything you need to know about cupping. If you are in need of any therapist services, you can even hire a mobile therapist online.
Now, let us dive into the world of cupping…
What Is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping is a type of therapy that originated from China just like acupuncture. The therapy involves the use of cups on your skin in order to create suction. It is believed that the suction increases blood flow and it also promotes healing.
The suction facilitates the qi to flow. For those who are not familiar with the term qi, it is a Chinese word that means life force. Cupping has been practiced in China for hundreds of years and it was first practiced in the fourth century by a famous Chinese herbalist known as Ge Hong who lived from 281 AD to 341 AD.
The practitioners believe that cupping therapy helps balance the negatives and positives within a person’s body. By getting the balance between the positive and negative, it brings about increased blood flow and helps reduce pain.
Types Of Cupping
Before the use of cups, this type of therapy was using animal horns. With time the use of cups made of bamboo began before it changed to use of cups made of ceramic.
The suction created during this process was primarily created using heat whereby the cups were heated with fire and then applied to a person’s skin. As the cup cooled slowly, they draw the body’s skin inside. However, as time passed things kept on changing, modern cupping uses glass cups that are rounded in shape like some kind of a ball but open in the end.
As for the types, there are two, i.e. dry cupping which is a suction only method and wet cupping which mainly involve suction as well as controlled bleeding using medics. What mostly determines the method to be used is the practitioner, the medical condition as well as your preferences.
What To Expect During Treatment
Like we already highlighted, there will be the use of cups. During the treatment, a cup will be placed on your skin and it will then be suctioned onto your skin.
It is mostly heated with fire using herbs, paper, or alcohol placed directly into the glass. The fire source will then be removed and the heated glass will be placed on your skin with the open side being the one on your skin. Some practitioners have stopped using the traditional heat method of heated cups and they are now using rubber pumps to create the suction.
When the heated cup is placed on your skin, the air inside it is going to cool down which will in turn lead to creation of a vacuum that will draw your skin as well as the muscles upwards into the cup.
It is very possible that your skin is going to turn red and your blood vessels will respond appropriately to the change of pressure. The set time for the cup on your skin is usually 5 to ten minutes.
For the wet cupping technique, the cups are placed for less than five minutes and then the practitioner removes the cup to draw blood. When the cups are removed, the practitioner will most probably cover the areas that were cupped with some ointments and bandages which plays a role in preventing infections.
The marks and brushing will go away as we already highlighted. Most people take about 10 days but it can be less or more depending on the person. Sometimes cupping is performed along with another Chinese traditional method of lowering pain known as acupuncture.
Tip: Before you go for a session, be sure to eat only light meals 2 to 3 hours before you go.
What Are The Conditions Cupping Treats?
Although there hasn’t been enough research to back up the claims, the research that has been conducted suggests that cupping can be used to treat a variety of conditions.
It is also very effective when it comes to relieving muscle aches and pains. The cups are normally placed on acupressure points which makes cupping an effective way of treating issues related to skin, digestive issues, and the other conditions that are treated with acupressure. According to some studies, cupping might help treat the following conditions.
- Acne.
- Dyspnea and coughing.
- Shingles.
- Facial paralysis.
- Cervical spondylosis.
- Lumbar disc herniation.
More research still needs to be done to confirm the true effectiveness of the therapy.
Possible Side Effects
As much as it has benefits, it also has some side effects which include:
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy during the treatment, as well as sweating and nausea.
- The skin around the cupped areas may become irritated and will have a circular mark but it will disappear with time.
- There is a risk of infection post-therapy.
- Temporary bruising.
- Scarring of the skin.
