Alternative Pain Management

Have you seen pictures of celebrities sporting red, circular marks all over their backs lately? So have we, and as it turns out those marks are the remnants of a cupping session that was performed in not too distant past. Cupping has become a very trendy alternative healing treatment for many ailments including, most importantly for us, pain relief. And given the opioid crisis currently gripping the United States, more and more people are looking for alternative solutions to gain pain relief. So it’s worth the effort to see what it’s all about and if it really does help alleviate pain. While this trend is quite new and exciting, cupping therapy is actually an ancient technique, used in civilizations as far back as early Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern. In fact, the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical books from 1,550 BCE, describes the use of cupping in ancient Egypt.

What Is Cupping?

The Cupping treatment is one in which special cups, made from glass (most popular), or bamboo, silicone, or earthenware are heated up and applied to the skin in such a way as to create suction. The cups are either kept in place or are gently moved around a certain area for more of a massage feel and an extra effect. The cups usually stay on the skin for about 3 minutes. There are 2 types of cupping: wet and dry. The wet type starts out the same as dry but after removing the cups tiny cuts are made into the skin and a second round of cups is applied where a tiny bit of blood gets sucked out during the cupping session.

What Cupping Does? Cupping Therapy Benefits

The heated vacuum created between the cups and the skin is said to increase blood circulation and energy, relax muscles and open pores thus stimulating healing and pain relief. Some believe that there is an added benefit to wet cupping, in that it removes harmful substances and toxins from the body through the blood.

Aftercare and drawbacks to Cupping?

For the first 24 hours, the body must be kept covered for protection of the open pores. No alcohol can be consumed during this time for the fear of dehydration, for this same reason lots of water should be consumed, more than normal. They say water should also help with flushing out the toxins. Potential side effects include skin infections, bruises, burns, and visible marks that last for about a week. And perhaps most importantly, people with delicate skin, or with open wounds/infections/sores, or bleeding disorders, or who are taking blood thinners or corticosteroids, should not partake in cupping.

Is Cupping effective?

While the proponents of cupping say that it is the best thing under the sun, others have a more nuanced view. According to ScienceDirect, that analyzed 16 clinical trials (921 participants) conducted by various organizations at different times, the results were positive but only to a degree – cupping seems to have a positive effect on pain relief but it is only short-term. You can see the full Cupping and Pain Relief Study here. Also any time things such as toxins are mentioned, we become suspicious, especially when letting blood is involved.

Conclusion about Cupping therapy

Cupping is a good way to relax, clear out pores, relieve tension and stress, and even get some temporary pain relief. However, for a more permanent pain relieving solution we recommend Solio Alfa Plus, a leading pain alleviating device. This energy emitting device is clinically proven to produce long-term pain relief and healing.