What is Cupping in Massage Therapy?

Introduction

Cupping is a therapeutic modality that I use quite often in my massage therapy practice. In western culture, it has been popularized by athletes and celebrities on the public forum, but there are historical documents and pictures of cupping being utilized in early medicine dating back to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Chinese (Strong, 2021).

So, what exactly is cupping?

Cupping is a type of manual therapy/body work that uses cups - which can be made of glass, bamboo, or silicone (Strong, 2021) to create negative, or reverse pressure. It involves placing these cups on specific areas of the skin to create a vacuum or suction effect. The cup is then slightly lifted, while remaining in contact with the skin, causing the tissue to lift and separate. This action mobilizes and hydrates soft tissue by increasing fluid exchange at the muscle and myofascial level (Strong, 2021) which promotes blood circulation, aids in cellular repair and rejuvenation, and softens and releases any tight muscle tissue and fascia (Strong, 2021).

Does Cupping Cause Bruises?

Contrary to pop-culture belief, the markings left by cupping are not bruises. Bruising occurs when capillaries have been crushed, compressed, or exposed to blunt trauma by applied force, or what is called positive pressure. As cupping utilizes negative pressure, where rather than force being applied, a reverse occurs through suction; there is no trauma or compressive pressure inflicted on the capillaries. The markings left by cupping are a result of the healing process, not caused by cupping itself. Those markings are stagnant blood, fluid, and pathogens brought to the surface for the body to process, breakdown and then flush out (Strong, 2021).

Contraindications/Precautions

Although cupping has many benefits, there are also contraindications and times when it should not be used. Cupping should never be practiced on any kind of burn—sun included, open wounds, and on broken bones or stress fractures (Strong, 2021). In case of an acute sprain or muscle pull, it is advised to wait 24 hours after the initial stage of injury before using cups. Another important health issue to be aware of is diabetes. Cupping will affect the body’s absorption of insulin. It is recommended that a diabetic closely monitor their insulin levels for 24 hours following treatment (Strong, 2021). As cupping circulates interstitial fluid to surface-level tissues, dehydration can occur.

Dehydration creates inhibition of waste materials to be removed, which can lead to nausea, headaches, body aches, and other symptoms. It is advised to drink plenty of water before and continue to increase water intake after cupping sessions (Strong, 2021).

There are certain body parts that should not be cupped such as the lymph nodes and varicose veins. During pregnancy, there are also certain areas to avoid, as cupping could cause contractions and induce labor. If self-administering treatment, be sure to make yourself aware of the extensive list of contraindications before applying treatment. If used incorrectly, there could be adverse effects.

Qualifications

Anyone can purchase a cupping kit to self-administer this therapeutic modality, but I would recommend doing some research if you choose to go this route. Anatomy and physiology are only a small part of knowledge necessary to truly administer a good cupping session.

At the professional/ practitioner level, cupping is state regulated as each state sets up their own parameters as to who can offer services to the public. For practitioners such as myself, a cupping certification is typically earned as a subset of continuing education after having passed the national board exams required to practice as a massage therapist.

As a practitioner and frequent recipient of cupping, its application and benefits are a complementary approach to aid in tissue healing and overall wellness.

Ify C. Achebe

References:

Strong, M. (2021). Integrative Manual Bodywork.