cupping! history, benefits, and a lil science
Cupping therapy is an ancient practice dating back to 1550 BC. Depictions of cupping can be found in Islamic medical texts, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Papyrus (the oldest medical & surgical text)! I love sharing about where these practices began, and who brought them to us, and do my best to honor the people whose medicine I practice and benefit from.
Let's visit ancient Egypt, the first place to implement medical cupping. They later shared their knowledge with the Greeks, and the practice spread.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, fire cupping is documented: a flame is briefly placed inside a glass cup to get rid of all the oxygen in the cup, which then creates a vacuum or suction, and the cup is quickly placed on the skin. Mia uses fire cupping in our acupuncture sessions, and it is always delightful. It isn't hot, and often feels like a slightly gentler suction than a plastic cup in my opinion!
Back to the ancient world, where cupping was being used in medical, Shamanic, spiritual, and religious ceremonies. The cups themselves were commonly made of ceramic, hollowed out animal horns, glass, and bamboo. You’ve probably seen silicon, plastic, and glass cups used in the West!
Some cupping practices, like wet cupping, or blood-letting cupping, aren’t as common as they used to be. I’m not as knowledgeable about wet cupping; nevertheless, I do know the use and benefits of dry cupping have persisted for thousands and thousands of years.
Cupping can help relieve localized pain, increase circulation, reduce myofascial tension, and increase range of motion. I’ve witnesses the benefits of cupping in clients countless times throughout my six years as a cupping certified practitioner. Cupping clients have reported immediate decreased pain, longer-lasting relief, better mobility, and less pain in general with regular cupping management sessions. At Remedy, I’ve used cupping to help manage conditions like hEDS, POTS, fibromyalgia, arthritis, carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, plantar fasciitis, neuralgia, anxiety, chronic trigger points… the list goes on!
Throughout my six years receiving cupping therapy from other practitioners, myself, and my partner when I can’t reach a spot and things are dire, I’ve also found greater chronic pain relief! Cupping is a vital part of my bimonthly 90 minutes with my bodyworkers, Elysia and Mia, who help me manage pain from cervical arthritis, chronic headaches, vestibular migraines, TMJD, an old shoulder dislocation, a recurring wrist sprain, and patellofemoral syndrome. Thanks ladies!
Healthcare professionals and researchers have (finally) been studying more holistic medicines like cupping under the lens of “Western medicine” - and they'remaking some pretty cool discoveries.
The application of negative pressure (aka, a cup) was placed on the upper shoulder area of a research volunteer and studied through an MRI machine. Distinct changes to both the superficial and deep muscles occurred under decompression, including skin, fascia, and muscle. This change lasted even after the cup was removed. The researchers also cupped the hamstrings and noted that the area responded particularly well to negative pressure. This visual proof of the impact cupping has on our body is a wonderful step forward in incorporating new modalities into our healthcare system.
Of course, integration like this is a slow process, especially in our healthcare system, but I choose to celebrate the baby steps while continuing to push for more change! For example, this year, Certified Massage Therapists in CA are officially considered health-care practitioners! Exciting? Yes! But, what does this actually mean? Well, at the moment it’s mostly just a title. But in the long-term, I hope it will open up the door for research, medical treatments, and widespread access to pain relief and treatments. (Little, tiny, baby steps!)
The last thing I will say is: as with most things, one person’s life-changing treatment may not be another person’s life-changing treatment. Maybe cupping feels too intense or “spicy,” or maybe it just doesn’t feel like much of anything for your body. Maybe some days you enjoy it, but other days not so much. That is all perfectly okay.
The wonderful thing about each body being entirely unique is that there are so many wonderful treatment options out there for pain management!
