hour $75.00, 1.5 hours $105.00, 2 hours $130.00
Price may change without notice
I use a vaccum suction cupping machine
Is it painful?
Cupping doesn’t hurt, but it may leave a temporary mark. Powell-Londono says the practitioners at the Olympics were more aggressive with the suction than she normally uses on her patients. “It’s not painful, but every once in a while, there’ll be redness that occurs called a ‘sha’ reaction,” she says. “If you have a lot of stagnation in the area, you may see some of that reaction, but it won’t be quite as dark as the spots that Michael Phelps had.”
When you think of cupping, those circular discolorations that look like bruises on the skin may come to mind. But how much do you know about the therapy and what it’s meant to do?
How effective is cupping?
There’s mixed evidence about the effectiveness of cupping. Experts note many different reasons why cupping might work. In fact, the success of cupping may result from a combination of these reasons.
For example, cupping therapy might:
- Encourage whole-body comfort and relaxation.
- Increase your pain threshold.
- Reduce inflammation.
- Enhance blood circulation.
- Remove toxins from your body.
- Reduce cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).
- Help prevent cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis.
- Increase red blood cells.
- Stimulate your peripheral nervous system.
Most healthcare providers recommend cupping as a treatment. In other words, you should use it in combination with traditional Western medicine rather than as a stand-alone procedure.
How do I get started with cupping?
Patients can come in as often as two to three times a week for cupping. “Cupping is a great adjunct with Bodywork (but not necessary) because you can feel better faster, you’ll feel better, but it might be a couple days later,” she says.
Cupping is an ancient therapy in which cups made of glass, bamboo, ceramic, or nowadays sometimes plastic, are placed on the skin to promote healing. Cupping has been practiced for thousands of years throughout the world in countries like Egypt, China, and Greece to treat a variety of ailments, from headaches to digestive issues to pain.
There are two types of cupping: “wet cupping” and “dry cupping.” Both involve the creation of a vacuum within the cups either through heat or a suction device and then placing the cups over the skin. This suction pulls up the skin and breaks capillaries, or blood vessels, under the skin, may create the bruise-like effect. The body then responds to this as an injury, sending increased blood flow there to promote healing. With wet cupping, the practitioner lightly pierces the skin and blood is drawn into the cup. It’s traditionally believed that through these punctures, toxins leave the body during the therapy. Wet cupping is not commonly done in the United States.
Today, cupping is performed by a variety of practitioners, includling acupuncturist, chiropractors, massagey therapist/bodyworkers, physical therapists and medical doctors.
Although cupping has been practiced as a healing therapy for millennia, modern medicine is still working to understand how effective it may be as a complementary treatment. Current scientific evidence on its health benefits is relatively limited, but some studies, as well as anecdotal reports from practitioners, support its use for several symptoms and conditions.
1. May Reduce Pain and Sore Muscles
Cupping is most often used to treat athletes and other people with sore muscles and pain. Athletes who have benefited from cupping, but cupping can be done for any active individual who has sore muscles, cramping, or tightness.”
Cupping may also reduce chronic pain. In general, cupping therapy showed positive results on chronic back pain, yet there was limited standardization in the treatment protocols.
Cupping may led to significant reduction in pain, improvement in function, and improved quality of life in people with neck pain.
2. May Ease Headaches and Migraines
Some research suggests people who have chronic headaches or migraines can benefit from cupping.
3. May Improve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Some research suggests cupping may help treat carpal tunnel condition that causes numbness, tingling, and pain in the hand and forearm.
carpal tunnel syndrome and associated neck and shoulder pain, cupping to their trapezius region. The cupping therapy to the wrist region. The cupping can be an effective complementary treatment carpal tunnel syndrome.
4. May Help With Arthritis
Cupping therapy may relieve symptoms of arthritis.
Who shouldn’t get cupping?
Because researchers know so little about cupping’s effects on pregnancy, you shouldn’t have cupping therapy if you’re pregnant. You should also avoid cupping if you have:
- Anemia.
- A pacemaker
- Bleeding disorders like hemophilia.
- Blood clotting problems, like deep vein thrombosis, a history of strokes.
- Cardiovascular disease.
- Skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis.
- Seizures (epilepsy).
Even though cupping therapy carries a low risk of complications, it’s not for everyone. Talk to your healthcare provider before trying cupping or any other alternative medical treatment.
Should You Try Cupping?
While cupping is safe for most people, individuals with skin conditions, such as dermatitis, ulcers, and edema (swelling) should avoid cupping, Dr. Nguyen says. It’s also not advised for pregnant women and people with bleeding disorders, epilepsy, blood clotting issues, psoriasis, eczema, cancer, and chronic liver, kidney, or heart disease.
Again, keep in mind that the research around the health benefits of cupping is very limited, and more rigorous studies are needed to determine its efficiency for various conditions and patients. But if you’re curious about the treatment and don’t have one of the conditions mentioned above, you could talk to your doctor about giving cupping a try. Just make sure to go to a licensed professional and avoid cupping at home by yourself.