Cupping

What is it?

Cupping is an ancient therapy that involves placing cups on the skin to create suction. This suction is believed to improve blood flow, promote healing, and alleviate pain by mobilizing blood flow to the area where the cups are placed.

How does it work for medicinal purposes?

Cupping therapy works by creating a vacuum effect that draws blood to the surface of the skin. This increased blood flow is thought to promote healing by providing more oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, reducing inflammation, and encouraging the removal of toxins. The suction also stimulates the muscles and connective tissues, which can alleviate pain and improve mobility.

Forms:

There are several forms of cupping, including:

• Dry cupping: Suction only
• Wet cupping: Involves minor incisions and suction (also known as hijama)
• Fire cupping: Involves heating the air inside the cup before placing it on the skin
• Massage cupping: Combines cupping with massage techniques

Imbalance or Deficiency:

There is no recognized deficiency related to cupping. It is used as a therapeutic technique to address pain, inflammation, and other health issues.

First Medicinal Use:

Cupping has been used for thousands of years, with roots in ancient Chinese, Persian, and Egyptian cultures. The Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical texts, mentions cupping therapy around 1550 BCE.

What does Cupping help with?

Cupping places cups on the skin and draws the skin up with suction. It has been used for hundreds of years in Chinese, Persian (Hijama), Egyptian and Greek medicine. Today you will find it in massage rooms, pain clinics and sports settings.

• Lower back pain
  Good evidence — the most studied use on file; human trials with positive results, but no trial sizes or dose details are recorded here. Cupping has been studied more for low back pain than for any other use. Human trials on file reported real relief, often after just a few sessions, lasting weeks. The library does not record the trial sizes, so read this grade with that gap in mind.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3
• Neck and shoulder pain
  Early evidence — small human studies plus practitioner reports; no sizes on file. Reports on file describe less pain and easier movement in tight necks and shoulders. Cupping lifts tissue instead of pressing on it; that is the proposed reason, not a tested one. Better results were reported when it was paired with massage or stretching.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Headaches and migraines
  Early evidence — early human studies showing promise; sizes not recorded. Early studies placed cups on the upper back, neck and base of the skull. They reported fewer and milder tension headaches and migraines. One proposed reason is less muscle tension in areas that send pain to the head.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Fibromyalgia pain
  Early evidence — some clinical studies in people; sizes not recorded on file. Some clinical studies found lower overall pain scores in people with fibromyalgia. Tender point sensitivity also fell in those studies. Researchers suggest shifts in pain processing and blood flow, but that stays a theory.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Knee pain and knee arthritis
  Early evidence — preliminary human studies only; sizes not recorded. Cupping around the knee and nearby muscles has been looked at for arthritis pain. Early reports describe more comfort and a better range of motion. The file treats it as an add-on to exercise and other care, not a stand-in.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3
• Chest congestion with bronchitis or asthma
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — long tradition and current practitioner use; human evidence on file is weak. Cupping the upper back was a traditional way to loosen chest congestion. Some practitioners still offer it this way alongside normal care. The file notes the evidence here is much weaker than for muscle and joint pain, so no effect can be claimed.
  Evidence grade D · Traditional tier T3
• Muscle soreness after hard training
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — athlete and practitioner use plus a proposed mechanism; no human trial on file. Athletes often use sliding cupping across large muscle groups after hard sessions. The file gives a proposed reason: more blood flow and looser fascia. No human trial sits on file, so we cannot say it shortens soreness.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T3
• Anxiety and stress
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — practitioner reports only; no human study on file. Practitioners compare the calm after cupping to the calm after massage. The idea is that pressure sensors in skin and fascia settle the nervous system. No human study on file has tested that idea, and it is offered only as a support tool.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T3

What Cupping has not been shown to do

• The lactic acid clearing idea is a proposed mechanism; no study on file has measured it.
• Cupping has not been shown to replace exercise or medical care for knee arthritis.
• It has not been shown to work on its own for anxiety or stress.

How to read this:

Grades run from A to D, plus insufficient. A means several matching human trials. B means at least one good human trial. C means small, mixed or early human studies. D means weak or clashing human results. Insufficient means lab work, animal work or tradition only. This page reports what studies found, in the past tense. It lists options, not advice, and it does not say cupping treats any illness. Talk with your own clinician before you change any care.

Conditions and Symptoms it Helps Prevent:

1. Chronic pain
2. Muscle stiffness
3. Joint inflammation
4. Migraines and headaches
5. Respiratory congestion
6. Sports-related muscle soreness
7. Digestive discomfort
8. Skin inflammation
9. Poor circulation
10. Stress and anxiety

Not applicable, as cupping is a physical treatment and not related to dietary intake.

Possible Side Effects:

Cupping is generally safe when performed by a trained practitioner, but potential side effects may include:

• Skin bruising: Circular bruises at the cup sites - Common
• Mild discomfort: During and after treatment - Common
• Skin irritation: Redness or itching - Less common
• Burns: From fire cupping if not done properly - Rare
• Infection: If wet cupping is done under non-sterile conditions - Rare

Recommended Daily Dose:

There is no daily dose for cupping. The frequency of treatments varies based on the condition being treated. Generally, sessions may be scheduled weekly or bi-weekly.

Time to Work:

The benefits of cupping can often be felt immediately or within a few hours, with further improvements over subsequent days. Multiple sessions may be required for chronic conditions.

Best Time to Take:

Cupping sessions can be scheduled at any time of day, depending on personal preference and the practitioner’s availability. It is often done when the individual feels the most relaxed.

With or Without Food:

Cupping does not depend on food intake. However, it is advisable not to have a heavy meal right before a session to avoid discomfort. Hydration is also important before and after treatment.