What is cupping?
One of the add-ons we offer here at Soul Vibration Massage Therapy and Wellness is cupping. It’s one of my favorite ways to release fascia and relieve pain. It has been clinically proven in over 150 clinical trials that have shown cupping to benefit persons with repetitive stress injuries, chronic pain and ischemic muscles. Below I’ll share with you some of the benefits and research of this ancient modality.
traditional Chinese medicine cupping
So what is cupping and what is the difference between orthopedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) cupping? Cupping is thousands of years old and has been used in many cultures. It originated in China around 281-341 A.D. but was also used by the Egyptians, Iranians and in Greek medicine. When you go to an acupuncturist and get cupping you are receiving Traditional Chinese Medicine cupping which is used to bring harmony to energies in the body. Meridians, or energy channels, are believed to become stagnant and then cause disease and cupping is one way to clear these blockages. It takes many years to become proficient at this type of cupping because it is an integrated modality in the larger practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine which includes herbal study and acupuncture.
orthopedic cupping
Orthopedic cupping is a very different story. This style of cupping is a more recent application used by massage therapists, chiropractors and physical therapists. It uses suction the same way TCM does but in a very different way. In TCM cups are placed on the body and left there for a number of minutes (as pictured above). With orthopedic cupping we are continuously moving the cups along the muscles to break up adhesion and loosen fascia. This can help reduce excessive muscle restriction and increase range of motion. When we do this, clients often see pain relief. Orthopedic cupping can also be used to address trigger points, scar tissue and even help in the recovery of lung infections.
cupping research
Some of the research that has been done on cupping is fascinating. This article showed that adding cupping to a stretching routine for plantar fasciitis pain significantly improved recovery. A blind trial performed on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients stated that “In conclusion, cupping therapy has significantly relieved fatigue symptoms and improved emotion and sleep condition of CFS patients, and 10 sessions of treatment had superior results compared with 5 sessions in each group. Moreover, in 5 sessions of treatment, cupping with high pressure showed better improvement in fatigue syndromes and sleep condition according to effective rates.” This is incredible news for people who suffer from chronic pain and illness whether from injury or disease. There have been studies on carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic low back pain, osteoarthritis and so much more. It’s exciting to see such a long preserved Eastern modality gaining clinical research and acceptance in the Western world. I hope that the discoveries continue and we gain more insight in to the why's of how cupping works. In the meantime, I continously see it help my clients and share it as much as I can with people of all walks of life. Whether you’re an athlete or you drive a desk all day, cupping can benefit you and help manage pain and increase recovery.