Cupping Massage Therapy

Cupping History

Cupping Therapy, simply known as Cupping developed overtime from the ancient use of hollowed animal horns to drain out toxins.  Horns evolved into bamboo cups, and eventually replaced by glass.  Therapeutic applications progressed with the enhancement of the cup itself as it is employed in health care establishments.

The origin of cupping still remains unclear to this day.  Early written records of cupping date back to 28 A.D. by notable Chinese alchemist and herbalist Ge Hong as written in the book A Handbook of Prescriptions.  Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches that cupping mobilizes blood flow and qi (energy) to renew weakened immune system and treat various diseases.

Ancient Egyptian history shows pictorial records of cupping around 1500 B.C. Translations of hieroglyphics in the Ebers Papyrus, the oldest medical textbook, reflects the use of cupping to treat diseases such as vertigo, fever, pain, menstruation imbalances, weakened appetite and generally speed healing crisis. From the Egyptians, cupping was introduced to the Greeks, where Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine viewed cupping as a remedy for many types of illnesses.  Other Greek physicians practiced strong cupping suction to balance spinal alignment.

In the early 1800’s, European and American doctors widely used cupping as part of treatment in their practice.  Research papers were produced in the 19^th century and a collaborative effort between the former Soviet Union and China confirmed the clinical effectiveness of cupping therapy.  It is an official therapy in Chinese hospitals along with acupuncture and herbal remedies.

Art of Cupping - How does it work?

A practitioner will initially generate suction inside the cups. One technique involves the use of glass cups where rubbing alcohol is flamed with a cotton ball and applied to the bottom of the cups creating a natural suction.  The cups are placed on the skin in the area that needs treatments along meridians.  The cups may be stationary or slide in a continuous motion.  In any method, the suction lifts the skin away from the body generating a negative pressure to aid in loosening muscle tissue, promote blood flow and qi, and sedate the nervous system.

According to Pacific College "cupping is one of the best deep-tissue therapies available. It is thought to affect tissues up to four inches deep from the external skin. Toxins can be released, blockages can be cleared, and veins and arteries can be refreshed within these four inches of affected areas. Even hands, wrists, legs, and ankles can be 'cupped,' thus applying the healing to specific organs that correlate with these points."