CUPPING

Cupping is an ancient modality, used in different cultures around the world, and shares similar concepts and therapeutic effects as those of Gua Sha.  But instead of scraping the body with an instrument, cupping involves forming circular suction marks on the skin by using glass, plastic or silicone cups.  There are 3 different types of cupping: fire cupping, pneumatic cupping therapy using a pump, or silicone cupping.  Fire cupping involves burning out the oxygen in the cup using a flame and then quickly placing the glass cup on the skin.  Another method of cupping is to place the cup on the skin and manually pump out the air in the cup, causing a vacuum effect, which pulls the skin into the cup.  Silicone cupping involves squeezing the air out of the silicone cup and placing it on the skin so that the skin in pulled into the cup while the cup rebounds back to its cup shape.  The cups can be left stationary in the local area or slid along the body.  Like Gua Sha, cupping may leave sha marks on the body, usually in the circular shape of the cup.  The same post-treatment measures must be taken: keep cupping sha marks covered for the first couple of days to prevent external pathogens from entering the body, and drink plenty of fluids to thoroughly flush out the toxins.  And like in Gua Sha, if it is important to you to avoid the sha marks, please inform your practitioner so that she will treat your condition using a different modality.