Precision Acupuncture Clinic

Have you had cupping therapy?

   If you have not had cupping before, you can learn about cupping therapy in this article. If you have had cupping, let's appreciate its finer aspects. It is probably time to incorporate cupping into your healthy lifestyle.
   In acupuncture, cupping involves placing a small cup on the skin to create a vacuum that draws the skin and underlying tissues into the cup, producing therapeutic effects for certain symptoms, such as neuromuscular pain and digestive issues. Here, we focus on dry cupping. At the end of this discussion, we will highlight the features of our cupping treatment at Precision Acupuncture Clinic.

Therapeutic mechanisms and outcomes

   As shown in the following schematic illustration, application of cupping on skin directly causes distortion of local skin tissue (epidermis and dermis) and the various tissues underneath the skin, including superficial fascia (or hypodermis), deep fascia, and muscles, as well as the nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels within those tissues. As a result, the immediate effect of cupping is mechanical stretching of those tissues, which leads to the regulation of multiple local body systems.      
                                      

   Such a tissue distortion usually lasts 10 to 20 minutes and is therefore temporary, leaving a round red or purple mark on the affected skin that disappears within 1 to 2 weeks. Thus, mechanical stretching of the skin and underlying tissues is therapeutic rather than an injury.
   The mechanical stretching generates therapeutic effects by directly stimulating the following structures in the skin and underlying tissues:
     1) sensory nerves for modulating pain
     2) glands in the skin for increased metabolism and fluid production; the latter can promote local tissue detoxification, removal of symptom-causing chemicals or molecules
     3) blood vessels toward dilation, which leads to increased blood flow to the cupping body area; the latter has fresh, healthier blood required for faster tissue repair 
     4) capillaries (the smallest blood vessels) for capillary rupture and leakage of red blood cells into tissue space under the skin (the reason for the red or purple skin mark generated by cupping); the latter then initiates local tissue repair that involves stimulated immune responses
     5) lymphatic vessels for promoting lymphatic drainage 
     6) superficial and deep fascia for releasing fascia adhesion, which can restore muscle mobility and reduce muscle pain

   Together, the above effects from cupping treatment can lead to the following therapeutic outcomes: 

• Pain reduction
• Resolution of inflammation
• Faster tissue repair for muscle stiffness and injuries
• Detoxification of harmful chemicals and molecules

   Thus, whether you love sports, do weekly exercises, or have muscular stiffness/pain, cupping therapy is a valuable treatment for you. 

Cupping treatment at Precision Acupuncture Clinic

   We recommend cupping treatment when it is medically beneficial for alleviating patients' symptoms, either as an adjuvant to our acupuncture treatment or as a stand-alone treatment. 
   When combined with our acupuncture expertise, cupping treatment becomes more effective.
   The common conditions we treat with cupping include back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, fibromyalgia, muscle stiffness, cellulite, and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, among others.
   Importantly, we purchase high-quality sterile, disposable cups for our cupping treatment, which protect each patient from the risk of cup contamination.  
   Thus, receiving cupping treatment at Precision Acupuncture Clinic is an excellent, safe choice to boost your health and can be a valuable component of your healthy lifestyle.