Cupping therapy

Cupping therapy
• Cupping therapy is an ancient form of 
alternative medicine in which a therapist puts
special cups on your skin for a few minutes to
create suction. People get it for many
purposes, including to help with pain, 
inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-
being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.
 The cups may be made of:
• Glass
• Bamboo
• Earthenware
• Silicone
 history
• Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s
not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian,
Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of
the oldest medical textbooks in the world,
the Ebers Papyrus, describes how the ancient
Egyptians used cupping therapy in 1,550 B.C.
 types
• Types
• There are different methods of cupping,
including:
• Dry
• Wet
• Moving
 Dry cupping
• Dry cupping is performed by applying a plastic cup to the surface of the
skin and using a pump, air is removed by suction. This method draws
blood and fluid away from any inflamed area to the surface of the skin.
Cupping should not be performed on areas of skin that have open
wounds.Dry cupping can be performed at any time, on any day, and can
be left for 10-15 minutes. Numerous cups can be applied at any one time
although it is extremely important that the therapist is able to observe
the cups whilst they are applied to the skin to avoid any blistering
occurring.
•  Areas of pain and inflammation greatly benefit from cupping as it
relieves congestion and allows blood to flow easier. Dry cupping can be
repeated daily and can be self-administered on body parts which are
accessible to the patient.Tensions can be made light, medium or strong.
 Wet cupping
• Hijama (Wet Cupping) 
• For Wet Cupping, small scratches are made to
the surface of the skin with a sterile blade after
dry cupping has been performed for 3-5
minutes. The cup is then re-applied to the skin
using suction and the pressure difference
extracts the blood that has accumulated.
• When properly performed by a trained cupping
therapist, cupping leaves no marks or scarring.
 Wet cupping
• Hijama is best performed on an empty stomach and so it is
advised that you do not eat for a minimum of 2-3 hours before
treatment. After treatment, strenuous physical exercise should
be restricted for 24 hours. This includes swimming, cycling,
running etc. Normal activities should not be affected. You
should also avoid showering for 24 hours.
• If itching is experienced, oil, (preferably black seed or olive),
can be applied to the surface of the skin. This will aid
the natural healing of the skin as well as relieve itchiness.
• Plastic cups CANNOT be re-used and must be disposed of
safely via a clinical waste disposal program.
 Moving cupping
• Moving cupping is performed using a
generous amount of oil, (black seed, olive,
etc), applied to the area to be massaged,
(usually the back). The cup is placed onto the
skin using a light tension and can then be
moved over the skin with a sliding motion, in
circular/long movements.
 BENEFITS OF CUPPING
• The benefits of cupping include local pain relief and
muscle relaxation. Cupping improves overall health
by removing the energy blockages that TCM
practitioners identify as barriers to the flow of
healthy energy or qi. For athletes, cupping may help
increase blood flow to a particular muscle region or
help reduce pain. Numerous athletes from the
Olympics in Rio 2016 used cupping. This was easily
seen by circular markings on some of the U.S. swim
team members
 INDICATION
•The British Cupping Society says that cupping therapy is used to treat:
•Blood disorders such as anemia and hemophilia
•Rheumatic diseases such as arthritis and fibromyalgia
•Fertility and gynecological disorders
•Skin problems such as eczema and acne
•High blood pressure
•Migraines
•Anxiety and depression
•Bronchial congestion caused by allergies and asthma
•Varicose veins
•There isn’t research to back all of that up
.
 SIDE EFFECTS
• Mild discomfort
• Burns
• Bruises
• Skin infection
• If the cups and equipment become contaminated with blood
and are not sterilized correctly between patients,
bloodborne diseases such as hepatitis B and C can be spread.
SIDE EFFECTS
 Infection control measures
• Hand washing is a critical component of any
infection control program.
• Wearing personal protective equipment such
as gloves, masks, protective eyewear, and
gowns is important. Disinfection of the skin
before cupping by US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA)-approved or hospital-
grade solutions is very important
•. Disinfection of patients' beds or using
disposable plastic bed covers is very important
after treating each patient.
•Following medical waste segregation and
disposal guidelines is essential.
• Using disposable cups, vacuum pumps, and
surgical blades is recommended.
• Try to use a secondary disposable container for
lubricants/skin disinfectants used on a single
patient before disposal.
• Effects of Traditional Cupping Therapy in Patients
With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized
Controlled Trial
• The results of a randomized trial on the clinical
effects of traditional cupping therapy in patients with
carpal tunnel syndrome are presented. Cupping of
segmentally related shoulder zones appears to
alleviate the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Alternative medicine: an update on cupping therapy 
• B. Chen, M.-Y. Li, P.-D. Liu, Y. Guo, Z.-L. Chen Author Notes
• QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, Volume 108, Issue 7,
July 2015,
• To know the research progress of cupping therapy all over the
world, the authors analyze the research of cupping therapy in
recent 5 years. It indicates that cupping therapy can be applied to
extensive curable disease, but has poor clinical evidence. Some
improvements in the mechanism research of cupping therapy
have been made, but it needs further research. The adverse
events of cupping therapy attract attention. The standardization
of cupping therapy has emerged.
Thank you