Cupping therapy is the method of using glass or plastic cups to create localized pressure by a vacuum.
The Chinese have been doing this since ancient times by using heat inside glass or bamboo cups. Nowadays, cupping sets use suction to create the vacuum. The vacuum inside the cups causes the blood to form in the area and help the healing in that area.
Ancient Chinese medicine have believed that the body contains “Meridians”. These meridians are pathways in the body which the energy of life called Qi (“chi”) flows through. It flows through every body part, tissue, and organ. Cupping therapy is mainly performed on one’s back because there are five meridians on your back. When these meridians are opened, the internal energy is able to flow through the whole body.
Traditionally, in ancient China, cupping therapy was a form of a healing therapy that consisted of placing glass, plastic or metal cups on the skin with vacuum suction. According to the principles of Chinese medicine, this therapy increases blood flow to the surface of the skin removing disease causing toxins.
Apart from this, it helps in the curing of many conditions, such as the common cold, bronchitis and pneumonia. It is also beneficial for various pains, such as in the neck, shoulder and back. Acupuncture Zen in Delray Beach, utilizes these theories to improve our patients recovery and is usually mixed with traditional acupuncture needles around the target area.