Dr. Hendrikje Naumann - 06.09.2020
Co-author: Marie Luise Zentner
Updated 07.07.2023: Roland Späht
Cupping - application and effect
Table of contents
- Cupping - A healing method thousands of years old
- TCM
- Cupping - segment and retuning therapy
- Types cupping
- Practice of cupping
- Cupping therapy
- Conclusion
Cupping - A healing method thousands of years old
Vo many people think of cupping as a bloody treatment from the Middle Ages. Basically, however, a glass is placed on the skin, in which the negative pressure is increased. This sucks the skin into the glass. The glasses are now either left on the spot for a while or an oil massage is performed with the glasses in circular movements.
The so-called cupping, is a traditional natural healing method with a history of over 5000 years, which nowadays can also be assigned to alternative medicine. The procedure was already used by primitive peoples and later adopted and further developed by the former advanced civilizations such as the Mesopotamians, Indians and Egyptians.
In polytheistic Greece, among others, people believed in Telesphorus, the god of cupping. And Hippocrates, the forefather of today's medicine, was very familiar with cupping. In the Middle Ages, the treatment of the affected parts of the body was carried out with cow horns that had been ground down and heated, thus becoming the guild symbol of the bathers, the surgeons of the time.
With the beginning of the 19th century and the development of pharmacy, new ways of treatment with the use of chemical substances were taken. It was thus possible for the first time to treat symptoms quickly, specifically and simply by using drugs, ointments and the like in a study-based manner.
Cupping, as well as other healing methods, visibly lost importance at the beginning of orthodox medicine and fell into disrepute due to various misapplications.
Through today's return to more traditional methods of treatment, among other things due to phenomena such as drug resistance and the increase of allergies in conventional medical treatments, cupping is now experiencing increased popularity again.
This is supported by various medical studies, which prove the connection and stimulus between body surface and affected organ. This is where cupping unfolds its effect.
Particularly far-reaching importance received the cupping since time immemorial in the Chinese medicine - the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In this holistic treatment approach, cupping, which is called Ba Guan there, has been used for more than 2000 years until today as a form of so-called external medicine.
TCM
In traditional Chinese medicine, the human being is regarded as a component of the greater whole or of nature. It is assumed that the human body is an image of the cosmos and depicts it microscopically, so to speak.
The central concept of TCM teaching is the TAO, symbolized by the circle, which stands for the beginning of all being and describes the infinity and intangibility of the universe.
Based on this world view, this healing method assumes that the laws of the cosmos also apply and should work for living beings on earth down to the cells.
This holistic principle thus provides the basis for the TCM approach to the cause and cure of diseases and ailments. Central importance has the power of nature, which is used to maintain human health.
The TAO is thereby divided into two polar forces, which cannot exist independently of each other and thereby complement each other, such as day and night, light and dark, positive and negative. These are called Yin (dark, male, negative, etc.) and Yang (light, female, positive, etc.) in Chinese philosophy and represent the energetic balance in nature.
It is now believed that the human body is healthy when these two forces are in harmony.
In this case, the energy circulates freely in the body.
This energy is captured by the concept of "qi" (pronounced chi), which can be translated as force, breath, or even air. It describes the life force that is inherent in every human being and is a function of nourishment and defense. This energy flows through us along certain pathways, which in German are also called meridians or conductors of energy.
They connect the surface of the body with the interior of the human body, and through them the points of the human body that can stimulate certain organs.
A special meridian supplies thereby a special sense organ, organ or a body zone with energy and blood.
The flowing Qi collects in five basins called chakras. The first is located in the head and the others along the spine. There is a constant exchange of qi between the chakras. It flows through the person in a cycle.
Therefore, everything in the human body is interconnected and works together. Body, mind and spirit are also seen as one, resulting in a very advanced understanding of health and disease.
Health and disease
In a healthy person, the Qi is in a constant flow. There is a balance of forces and this must be maintained. Thus, a person is healthy when his inner self is in balance with his outer self, his left body part is in balance with his right body part, and his lower body part is in balance with his upper body part. Health in this case is the absence of pain, suffering and blockages.
Blocked chakras and disturbed energy flow cause imbalance and give rise to diseases. These blockages can have various causes. For example, if a person is plagued by worries, the head chakra can block and reduce the flow of energy, which affects the whole body.
This can explain abdominal pain that occurs during stress or worry. Body and mind are a unit that influence each other. To decipher these connections is the art of TCM.
Orthodox medicine and TCM
The approach of TCM is thus the prevention of diseases and the care of health by maintaining an inner balance.
Thus, patients become a responsible and active part of their treatment. We, as patients, can contribute through our actions to discovering and resolving blockages. Recovery takes place through the activation of the inner self-healing powers.
Especially in our modern and fast-moving society, it is important to reflect on the self-healing powers of the human being. We live in times of antibiotic resistance and a strong increase of allergies.
The symptoms of patients are treated only in the short term with an increased administration of medication. However, there is often a lack of time to deal intensively with the cause of the symptoms.
TCM thus offers a treatment that complements conventional medicine in order to heal patients holistically. Through the interaction of these two healing approaches, for example, the intake of painkillers can be reduced to prevent negative long-term consequences.
However, you should not stop taking your medication, if it has been prescribed by a doctor, without consultation.
In this context, cupping should also be used as a non-specific stimulation treatment in addition to a main drug treatment. This so-called discharge procedure serves patients to cleanse toxins and to naturally build up and maintain the body's own defenses.
Cupping - segment and retuning therapy
The physical method of cupping is to activate and strengthen the body's self-healing powers and thus also optimize its immune system against diseases.
The treatment is composed of two components:
- the so-called segment therapy and
- the retuning therapy.
Segment therapy
Segmental therapy is based on the teachings of neurologist Henry Head, who recognized that there are nerve pathways between the skin and internal organs that can be stimulated externally to initiate healing.
Thus, his studies confirmed the assumptions of ancient cultures that had already used the technique of cupping for many millennia.
In particular, the approach of traditional Chinese medicine regarding the targeted use of acupuncture, i.e. the nervous, locally defined stimulation of the skin in one point by means of a needle, for the alleviation and healing of complaints thus became medically comprehensible.
In segmental therapy, the skin is divided into different segments. These segments are:
- C - cervical vertebrae area
- Th - thoracic vertebrae area
- L - lumbar vertebrae area
- S - sacral region
Each segment is connected to organs via reflex pathways, so symptoms in a specific skin segment area - called the head zone - indicate the diseased organ or organs.
The different segments are clearly shown in the figure above and define body parts and points to be cupped.
By means of the cupping heads it is possible to increase the blood flow in the skin segments concerned and thus also in the internal organs connected to them via nerve tracts.
Overall, this causes an irritation that increases the metabolism in the connective tissue for several days, allowing the diseased body to regenerate and establish a new harmony. Thus, healing can already occur within a few cupping applications. It should be noted that the segments can overlap and that each body is always structured slightly differently, so that the segments can also be slightly offset.
Sometimes some symptoms overlap, so that the segments to be stimulated are different than you would first assume. Therefore, it is important to search for the real cause of the symptoms and to look at the body accordingly with regard to its segments. Only then can a targeted treatment with successful relief be achieved.
For this purpose, the so-called cupping diagnosis is performed by placing a cupping head and moving it over the body segments, observing the patient's reaction.
Retuning Therapy
Re-tuning therapy or also called stimulation therapy combines various treatment methods from alternative medicine. The aim of the therapy is to stimulate the immune system in order to strengthen the self-healing powers of the person. This can be a supportive measure, especially in chronic diseases, but should not be used as the sole therapeutic procedure.
However, stimulation therapy goes beyond this. It recognizes that nutrition, as well as the environment and our psyche, have a lasting influence on human health. So in the recovery process, the focus should be on healthy eating, a balanced environment, and working on the psyche.
Examples of applications from alternative medicine and re-tuning therapy are acupuncture and the treatment with the patient's own blood. In autoblood treatment, blood is drawn from patients, often enriched with various substances, and re-injected. This is supposed to stimulate the antibodies and initiate a healing process.
So in this case, proteins are introduced into the body, unlike drugs which are absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. By injecting the proteins, the antibodies become active and show increased activity. They initiate a healing process. But be careful, especially the autologous blood treatment is highly controversial and should not be performed at home.
Types cupping
Over the centuries, three central forms of cupping have developed. These are:
- the bloody cupping
- dry cupping and
- the cupping massage.
In bloody cupping, the skin is scratched at one point and then the cupping glass is applied. Blood then escapes from the small wound due to the negative pressure.
However, this process leaves only a minimal amount of about 25 cc of blood per cupping glass. This method has a similar effect to traditional bloodletting and the use of leeches on the skin surface.
However, it is not associated with the introduction of foreign bodies such as needles or the biting apparatus of leeches into the skin surface and is therefore comparatively gentle.
The effect of bloody cupping is to deliver toxins and, above all, to change the mood. We do not recommend bloody cupping to be performed at home, but by experts.
The widespread, bloodless and therefore dry cupping is a variant for which our product is optimized. Here, only the cupping glass is placed on the application site and this area is evacuated locally.
This greatly increases the blood flow to the tissue and blood tissue fluid is formed, which leads to further stimuli in the tissue and serves to strengthen the self-healing powers.
Finally, cupping massage is a special form of dry cupping. Here, patients are first treated with oils such as massage oil, essential oils, etc., and the cupping heads are then applied and moved over a specific oiled skin area.
This gliding negative pressure treatment achieves an even stronger large-area effect than the local treatment of dry cupping.
Moreover, the oils and aromas can be specifically selected to provide additional stimulation of the metabolism, soothing of the respective areas or a cooling or warming sensation. This is explained in more detail in the chapter on treatment suggestions.
Cupping as fascia therapy
In addition to the application of cupping in classical TCM, cupping is also very popular in fascia release (senmotic fascia therapy).
It is based on the orthodox medical knowledge that the muscle strands of the human body are spatially separated from each other by a tissue on the one hand, and on the other hand has a form-giving effect.
It is through this tissue that the aforementioned lymph is conducted from muscle fiber to muscle fiber. This tissue is better known to us as fascia.
Especially after external interventions such as operations, in the case of inflammations in the skin tissue, but also already after sports activities that are associated with muscle caters or strains, adhesions of the fasciae are the cause of physical discomfort.
To loosen these adhesions, cupping massage can be used along the respective affected muscles.
Here it is possible to precisely locate the areas actually affected by adhesions of the fasciae by moving the evacuated cupping head along them. In the area of adhesions, the cupping head can only be moved further with increased force.
Well perfused tissue areas, on the other hand, allow the glass to move along with almost no resistance.
Fascia applications in the face, especially in the jaw area, e.g. after a visit to the dentist (when anesthesia has worn off), are also possible when using an appropriate cupping glass with a small diameter.
Cupping in the face is also popular for the prevention and treatment of wrinkles. Daily application of the cupping glasses on the face is said to stimulate blood circulation, which promises users a strengthened connective tissue.
Cupping in general boosts the blood flow to the tissue. This is also visible in the red or even blue skin discoloration that remains after cupping.
The blood "shoots" into the place where the cupping glasses were placed for a long time. This accelerates the metabolism in this region of the body, which results in faster removal of waste products and faster supply of oxygen.
Also agglutinated fasciae release more waste products, which are transported away by the application of the cupping glasses and the increased blood flow. This process is very painful for some, but can also be accompanied by an instant feeling of pain relief.
If the glasses are moved on the back, for example, cupping has a similarly beneficial effect on the fascia as a massage. If, when moving the glasses, they become detached or stagnant, making it difficult to perform even movements, this may be due to particularly agglutinated fasciae. In this case, the circular movements can be concentrated on this point or a cupping glass can be sucked on this point.
In this case, you may also have a trigger point. Trigger points also called myogeloses (muscle hardening) are small nodules in the muscles in a cramp-like state. They are pain sensitive to pressure and can transmit pain to more distant areas. They result from overuse or underuse of the muscles.
Using massage and other treatments, trigger points can be eliminated such as ischemic compression or acupressure.
Cupping can also provide relief for trigger points. Here, the cupping head is applied specifically to the point and held there in a similar way to acupressure. The aim is to "stretch out" the fasciae that are stuck together by the trigger point.
In addition to the actual trigger point treatment, fascia treatment is also an important part of the therapy. On the subject of trigger point treatment, we have another eBook for you, which you can download for free on our website here.
As you can see, the field of application of cupping is extremely diverse.
Attention: It is important to emphasize that cupping mainly has its effects on the upper layers of the skin and thus only slightly affects deeper tissue. In general, no significant studies have been conducted on cupping for agglutinated fascia or trigger points, but the principle of cupping is similar to massaging the back with a fascia ball. Therefore, a positive effect is also likely here, which many alternative practitioners confirm from their experience.
Just try this form of fascia therapy for yourself.
Cupping instruction
The method of traditional cupping is based on the use of so-called cupping heads or cupping bells, which are placed on the affected areas of the body. The cupping bells are curved glasses of different sizes with a narrowed neck. These were originally made of heat-resistant glass. Today, however, biocompatible hard plastic cupping glasses are increasingly being used.
In these, a vacuum is created by heating the air inside the glass cupping head. Either by dipping a cotton ball, cotton or comparable easily combustible materials in alcohol or spirit and igniting them.
The flame then serves to heat the air in the cupping glass. Under no circumstances should the glass or the rim of the glass be heated, as this can cause skin burns to patients.
Or the negative pressure is generated by means of an appropriate suction device such as a hand pump or a rubber ball. The second variant corresponds to the products offered by BACKLaxx®.
Once the cupping glasses are in place, they are left to work for 10 to 15 minutes for adults, and 5 to 10 minutes for children and people with sensitive skin.
Afterwards, the skin at the edge of the cupping glass is pressed in a little, so that air can get into the cupping glass and the negative pressure is balanced. The cupping glass can then be removed.
For example, when cupping the neck, it can happen that the cupping glass cannot be evacuated well due to strong tension in the muscles and thus falls off.
Here one should dare several attempts and not give up immediately. After the third or fourth attempt, it is advisable to perform a cupping massage to relax the muscles instead of the classic cupping.
It is often advisable to perform dry cupping and especially cupping massage after previously rubbing the area with massage oils. A variety of oils such as jojoba oil, sesame oil, argan oil or olive oil are suitable for this purpose.
This will make the skin more supple. In addition, it is possible to work with aromatized oils, which are transmitted directly to the nervous system during application in patients through the sense of smell.
Thus, various functions of the person can also be addressed, such as its intellectual or even emotional levels.
Moreover, the relaxation of the muscles can also be supported with it, for example, by oils of marjoram, rosemary, St. John's wort and especially by means of arnica tincture, which enjoys great popularity. In this way cupping also serves for general relaxation from everyday life.
For a cooling and antiseptic effect, peppermint and eucalyptus oil can be used. Lavender has an additional calming and antidepressant effect, while lemon and lime oils are used to stimulate the immune system. Try it once with an oil during cupping, which we recommend in the application examples depending on the symptom. You will feel the positive effect of the oil during the application.
Caution - When to abandon cupping?
In some diseases, disorders or severe pain, the use of cupping glasses should be discussed with a doctor. Only in this way it can be determined that cupping will not have negative effects on patients. This is also called a contraindication.
If you are unsure ask a doctor or alternative practitioner whether cupping is an option for you.
Dry cupping should not be used in the following cases:
- in skin cancer, tumors and turbeculosis
- in places with large, visible vessels
- in the abdominal, sacral and breast region of pregnant women
- on places with skin injuries, abrasions, sunburn, strong scar tissue with low elasticity, edema
- taking blood thinners
- in case of hemophilia
Bloody cupping must not be performed additionally in the presence of the following diseases and symptoms:
- directly on the spine, as this can be very painful
- in case of alcoholism
- in case of drug addiction
- after increased alcohol or drug consumption
- in case of strong thirst, dehydration
- in case of heavy sweating
- after a heavy meal
- during menstruation
- in the lower back area
- in case of fever
- in case of susceptibility to fainting and
- during fainting
- directly over the sensory organs - eyes, nose and ears
- in spasticity, seizures, manias and increased nervousness
- in broken bones
- in infectious skin diseases and strong skin allergies
- in diseases of the blood system (leukemia)
- in case of severe injuries of the skin with heavy bleeding and the tendency to bleed
- in hemophilia
- in cardiac arrhythmia
Cupping in children and old age
Children must be treated with appropriate care and caution, as they may experience anxiety during the first applications. Under no circumstances should coercion be used here. If the child refuses this treatment, a friendly way can be used to try to convince him or her to use it.
It is also advisable to use small cupping glasses.
In the case of old and frail patients, it should be taken into account that the skin is usually very thin and therefore massage oil should always be used before the actual treatment. Moreover, the treatment periods must be chosen differently than for younger people, because the regeneration time of an older body is longer. After starting the treatment with three applications per week, it is then possible to continue with one application per week.
Cupping side effects
In general, cupping, especially dry cupping, is considered a gentle treatment method that has no unfavorable side effects when applied correctly. Essentially, the application leads to relaxation of patients and is often accompanied by a feeling of fatigue.
Nevertheless, it should be taken into account that in patients with very sensitive skin, blisters may form at the site of action (especially on the face), which are filled with a secretion called lymph.
These blisters retract and should not be opened (e.g. with a needle). If the blisters open without any external action, it is recommended to disinfect the area.
Cupping causes reddening of the skin due to local evacuation in the cupping jar, which disappears after one or a few days depending on the skin characteristics of the affected person.
With daily use, the position of the cupping glasses must always be changed until the local redness subsides, in order to prevent local skin overstimulation.
Patients with low weight tend to feel pain and/or develop thickened nodules in the treated areas after cupping treatment. Appropriate massage oils should be used in these cases. These are known and normal symptoms caused by the absence of sub-tissue fat and disappear after a short time.
People with blood phobia, i.e. discomfort as soon as they see blood, may tend to faint during bloody cupping. Likewise, as with other alternative medical methods, cupping may cause an initial worsening.
Cupping therapy
Below we offer you an example of a common application of dry cupping as well as an example of cupping massage. You can find more application examples in our eBook.
For each specified disease or complaint is illustrated in each case on which skin segments the cupping must be placed to achieve optimal healing support.
For some treatment approaches, we give you recommendations for suitable massage and essential oils that support the effect of cupping.
For a better overview, the therapy examples are divided into body regions, sorted alphabetically and the respective therapy durations are indicated. Please note: use the respective therapy suggestion only if the respective disease has really been diagnosed in you and you are sure that you really have the corresponding complaint. Otherwise you will not notice any effect and improvement.
How much does cupping cost?
A cupping therapy usually costs between 30 and 50 EUR. The duration of a session is usually about 30 minutes and depends on the application and the therapist. The number of sessions varies depending on the pain sensation and the patient and ultimately affects the total amount.
How often cupping?
As after the application circular hematomas appear, which are very sensitive. It is recommended to perform the next session with an interval of 1-2 weeks, depending on how the bruises subside.
Cupping back
The lower back is particularly often affected by tension due to unhealthy posture.
This often happens after long periods of sitting, but also heavy lifting or incorrect training.
Type of therapy: dry cupping or cupping massage
Segment/ reflex point:
- BI 40 during dry cupping,
- in cupping massage left and right of the spine in 8-shape; between segment: S5 to Th 1
Oils: peppermint oil, marjoram and rosemary oil, arnica tincture
Therapy duration:
- Several days, depending on the severity of the symptoms, until relief is achieved.
- Cupping massage: 8-10 minutes per back side in 8-form then dry cupping
- Follow-up treatment with peppermint or rosemary oil
Conclusion
Cupping now has a 5000-year history and today is experiencing a renaissance again as an alternative medicine. The procedure, which is based on traditional Chinese medicine, is becoming increasingly popular.
The core of the treatment is the activation of the patient's own self-healing powers and consists of segmental and retuning therapy.
The types of cupping are
- bloody cupping
- dry cupping and
- cupping massage.
In addition to segmental and retuning therapy, fascia treatment is another possible application of cupping. Caution is advised with certain pre-existing conditions and certain physical conditions, in which case cupping should not be applied.
About the author
Roland Späht is the founder of BACKLAxx® and a content strategist. He had already been struggling with back pain since childhood due to scoliosis. After studying engineering, he worked in project management for years and during this time he intensively dealt with the treatment of his worsening back pain.
His goal was to fight his way out of this downward spiral of pain without medication and permanent medical treatment. In this way he found ways and means for himself that permanently relieved his pain. He is firmly convinced that everyone can find an alternative way out of pain.
Related articles
Press these acupressure points on the back for back pain
Acupressure points for the face: a wrinkle killer?
