Cupping Therapy

What exactly is Cupping Therapy?

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of traditional eastern medicine and although its true origins are not known, it is widely believed to have been first practiced in China thousands of years ago.

Cupping therapy started from the use of hollowed out animal horns to draw out venoms, poisons, and other toxins from bites, cuts, and other skin wound openings. Sometimes, cupping therapy is alternately called the horn method. In modern alternative medicine today, this healing technique uses specially designed heated plastic cups or the more commonly used glass cups that come in a range of different sizes.

Cupping therapy is fast gaining popularity not only in the world of new age health, but also in mainstream medicine. It has even made some fans of famous Hollywood celebrities, such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Britney Spears.

Gwyneth Paltrow attended a big evening event in a dress with a low back and on her skin were what mysteriously appeared to be round red marks left by her cupping therapy session.

Britney Spears was also photographed by paparazzi in Los Angeles showing off her own circular red marks from cupping therapy as well. These two top Hollywood A-listers are looked upon as the main endorsers of cupping therapy and are credited for its huge popularity today.

The therapy begins with the person laying flat on his or her stomach and the back completely exposed. Oil is applied to the back of the person to aid administration of the therapy.

The cups are then heated with a cotton ball and are placed with the rim of the cup down onto the person's body. The heat and a vacuum pump create the suction effect of the cups. This negative pressure is responsible for the circular red marks that are left behind by cupping therapy.

The cups remain on the person's body for about 10 minutes or as long as it takes for the healing and therapeutic effects to sink in. The cups are removed when they have lost their suction. They can also be removed by releasing the pressure inside the cup using a vacuum pump. The cups may also be placed on different parts of the body such as the shoulders, arms, hips, thighs, and legs.

Cupping therapy is thought to cure and fight off many conditions and diseases such as eczema, coughs, cellulite, digestive troubles, circulatory problems, and skin disorders.

Cupping therapy also drains out the harmful toxins from the body, releases extra fluids, relaxes muscle tissues, directs and increases blood flow, improves circulation, nourishes and clears the skin, massages tissues, and frees up blockages in the body. More importantly, this healing method stimulates the lymphatic system which is the body system that makes antibodies to fight off illnesses.

The cups are also purposefully placed on specific areas of the body which opens up the meridians to clear up the pathways of energy flows or Chi . Clearing up the pathways of Chi is essential to a person's good health, well-being, and overall excellent quality of life.