Dating back to ancient Chinese and Egyptian medicine, at-home cupping is a popular form of alternative therapy for pain. Here’s if and how you should try it
alternative therapy which uses suction to increase blood flow and potentially
reduce pain. As well as getting cupping done by a professional, there’s a
growing range of at-home cupping devices now available, ranging from silicon
cups to smart electronic powered devices.
the benefits at home; helping with pain reduction, increased circulation and
relaxation, but how do they work and are they effective and safe to use?
practised for thousands of years and can be traced back to ancient Chinese and
Egyptian medicine. In recent years, cupping became famous as a form of
alternative medicine, thanks to the red marks it can leave and celebrity fans
like Michael Phelps, Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow.
“Cupping has become famous, thanks to celebrity fans like Michael Phelps, Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow”
silicon cups are placed onto the skin for several minutes creating suction on
localised areas. It’s thought this encourages blood flow to improve circulation
and reduce pain, although there is no firm consensus on how it works and research has found no single theory that can explain the full
effects of cupping.
there’s only a limited amount of scientific evidence on the benefits of
cupping. A study in 2023 found it can be useful to decrease pain levels and improve blood flow to affected areas with low
adverse effects and a study from 2018 found it is a promising method for the treatment of chronic
back pain in adults.
Cups vary from silicon or plastic cups to glass and smart digital devices. Credit: RDNE Stock Project
cupping devices come in various forms. Silicon or plastic cups are often sold
in packs of varying sizes and work by creating suction, which pulls the skin
away from the connection tissue, also known as fascia, creating space between
the skin and muscle. “This void allows blood sitting in deeper tissue to come
to the surface,” says Dr Tom Ingegno acupuncturist and author of The
Cupping Book: Unlocking the Secret of Ancient Healing. “Fresh blood with oxygen
and nutrients floods the muscle, allowing for repair.”
“Fresh blood with oxygen and nutrients floods the muscle, allowing for repair”
“The
suction also causes smaller capillaries in the skin to rupture, causing the
tell-tale circular bruising commonly associated with cupping therapy. This
bruising keeps the body in repair mode as the body has to repair these small
capillaries and continue fresh blood flow to the area days after the
treatment,” he says.
of cups, there are smart digital devices with additional features like the TheraCup which combines cupping with heat and
vibration. “The modern, digital devices, usually controlled via an app, claim
to offer several advantages over traditional cupping methods. Although these
vary from brand to brand it usually relates to the ability to objectively
control the strength, switch between a massage or a vacuum effect, being highly
portable and even offering red light therapy,” says sports performance coach Arj Thiruchelvam.
Seeing a professional for cupping might be a better option for you. Credit: RDNE Stock Project
is low risk, but it’s not suitable for everyone, especially pregnant people,
cancer patients and those with organ failure, pacemakers, bleeding disorders or
cardiovascular disease.
they can be more convenient and include more features, DIY cupping won’t offer
the same experience as visiting a professional. “When you are treated by a
professional your body is going to be in a more relaxed state versus trying to
place the cups yourself,” says acupuncturist Dr Natazia zu Stolberg. “Seeing
an acupuncturist for cupping also means that the cups can be used for more than
just pain. Using Chinese Medicine theory there are areas of the back that can
be utilised to help support immunity, asthma, cough, digestion and more.”
Cupping is known as a complementary treatment
and Thiruchelvam believes that cupping devices do have a place but they should
be used as an additional bonus to other methods. “Sleep, nutrition, light
cardiovascular work and regular stretching all seem to have a more solid
evidence-base for recovery,” he says.
“If you try cupping therapy at home, start by keeping it to around five minutes to ensure minimal bruising”
want to try cupping therapy at home, start by keeping it short and sweet,
around five minutes to ensure minimal bruising, says Ingegno. “You can always
add the cups back on if the treatment is tolerated well.”
You
should avoid any open wounds, lesions and areas like the back of the knee as
the tissue has a large blood vessel close to the surface, says Ingegno. “I
would not recommend cupping over any area with lymph nodes so be sure to
educate yourself especially when cupping around the neck or front of the
shoulder,” Stolberg says.
When done
correctly cupping should never be painful, says Stolberg. “The mark that is
left from the cup will likely darken in the first 24 hours and they should
resolve within seven days. If you have cup marks that are lasting longer than
seven days, too much suction was applied.”
Keep up with the top stories from Reader’s Digest by subscribing to our weekly newsletter
Loading up next…
link