Cupping your pain away

It’s becoming the latest fad among Hollywood stars, some of whom have been seen sporting round bruises on their back as they walk down the red carpet. Yet, it’s been part of the arsenal of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) since ancient times. Is cupping finally entering the mainstream?

Like its name implies, cupping involves the use of cups to relieve pain and discomfort. The air inside the cup is heated before it is applied to the skin. The resulting suction is believed to promote the movement of qi, as stagnant qi is thought to cause pain and discomfort.

A truly ancient art

According to Subhuti Dharmadanda, director of the Institute for Traditional Medicine in Oregon, USA, cupping was first described by the Taoist alchemist and herbalist Ge Hong (281-341 AD). In his book A Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies, Ge told of how hollowed out animal horns are used to drain pus from infected parts of the body.

In a Tang dynasty book called Necessities of a Frontier Official, cupping was the prescribed treatment for a disorder that is similar to pulmonary tuberculosis. And as late as the Qing dynasty, Zhao Xuemin devoted an entire chapter of his Supplement to Outline of Materia Medica to fire jar qi and the benefits of this technique.

In ancient times, bamboo and clay cups were used in addition to horns. Because they broke easily, brass or iron cups were often used as substitutes. It was only in the 20th century that glass cups made for this purpose were developed. The use of glass made it easier to see how the underlying muscles are responding to treatment.

No, it doesn't hurt

Wikipedia lists several ways to heat up the air inside the cup before treatment. One involves swabbing at least 90% rubbing alcohol onto the bottom of a cup, lighting it and putting the cup immediately against the skin.

Another way is to put an inverted cup over a naked flame, such as a lit candle. One could also use a cotton pad soaked in alcohol, which is then placed over an insulating material such as leather to protect the skin and lighting the pad. The empty cup is then placed over the flame to extinguish it. Some TCM practitioners also put the inverted cold cup against the skin before heating the bottom of the cup.

The air inside the cup is heated to produce a vacuum. (Image: China News Service)Massaging oil onto the skin before the procedure begins helps make sure the seal that the cup creates against the body is better. It also makes it easier to glide the cups to different points on the back.

Because flame is used near the body, there is a small risk of getting burned if the procedure is not done properly. This is one more reason to go and see a professional if you want to try cupping. Besides, TCM practitioners know where the cups should be placed to give the most benefit.

Cups are left on a patient’s back for as long as 20 minutes. The longer they are left, the more pronounced the marks they leave are. To remove the cup, slight pressure is applied to the skin beside it so that outside air leaks into it. This equalizes the air pressure and releases the cup.

Having tried cupping myself, I can vouch for the fact that it doesn’t hurt. There is a strange feeling when the cup starts sucking the skin into the cup, but it’s not uncomfortable. In fact, any sign of discomfort is a signal to the practitioner that the procedure has to be stopped.

There is another method of cupping that might involve a bit of pain – wet cupping. It’s almost the same procedure as traditional cupping except that a small incision is made on the skin before the cup is applied.

Benefits of cupping

Cupping is related to another TCM massage technique called tuina, where the skin at specific points is pinched to the point of redness. Acupuncturists apply cupping to acupuncture points as well as painful body parts.

Dharmananda says that cupping is mainly used to relieve pain, gastro-intestinal disorders, respiratory diseases and paralysis. Cupping should be avoided on areas of the skin that are inflamed; when the patient has high fever, convulsions or cramping. It should also be avoided on the abdominal and lower back area during pregnancy.