One of the earliest documentations of cupping can be found in the work titled A Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies, which was written by a Taoist herbalist by the name of Ge Hong and dates all the way back to 300 AD! Cupping was established as an official therapeutic practice in the 1950s across hospitals in China after research conducted by Chinese and former Soviet Union acupuncturists confirmed cupping’s effectiveness.
Cupping is the term applied to a technique that uses small glass cups or bamboo jars as suction devices that are placed on the skin to disperse and break up stagnation and congestion by drawing congested blood, and energy to the surface. Cupping for the lungs can clear congestion from a common cold or help to control a person’s asthma. In fact, respiratory conditions are one of the most common maladies that cupping is used to relieve.
There are several ways that a practitioner can create suction in the cups. One method involves swabbing rubbing alcohol onto the bottom of the cup, then lighting it and putting the cup immediately against the skin. Flames are never used near the skin and are not lit throughout the process of cupping, but rather are a means to create the heat that causes the suction within the small cups.
Once the suction has occurred, the cups can be gently moved across the skin (often referred to as “gliding cupping). The suction in the cups causes the skin and superficial muscle layer to be lightly drawn into the cup. Cupping is much like the inverse of massage– rather than applying pressure to muscles, it uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. The side effects of cupping are fairly mild. Bruising should be expected, but the skin should return to looking normal within 10 days.
For most patients, this is a particularly relaxing and relieving sensation. Once suctioned, the cups are generally left in place for about ten minutes while the patient relaxes.
Cupping’s detoxifying effect on the skin and circulatory system is also significant, with a visible improvement in skin color after three to five treatments by removing toxins and improving blood flow through the veins and arteries! This is especially useful for athletes in cupping’s potential to relieve muscle spasms.
There are also great benefits for the digestive system, including improved metabolism, relief from constipation, a healthy appetite, and stronger digestion.
Always sacred and unique, my Peaceful Warrior Massage can be very beneficial for many different types of concerns through the method of fire cupping!
Samantha Jasso-Ramirez, RMT
