Ancient Chinese technique of cupping offers pain relief without drugs or surgery

Ancient Chinese technique of cupping offers pain relief without drugs or surgery
August 31, 2006
by: Alexis Black
NewsTarget Network

More and more people in the Western world are turning to ancient techniques of Chinese medicine after conventional medical treatments fail them. However, several of these alternative treatments are still unfamiliar to Westerners. While practices like acupuncture and acupressure have become familiar to most Americans, one less-talked-about Chinese medicine therapy that can benefit people suffering from chronic pain is called "cupping."
Cupping is a technique in which glass cups are heated from the inside with fire to create a vacuum and then placed on the afflicted area of the body. The cup's suction pulls at the skin and is said to "suck out" the body's toxins. Sound uncomfortable? If done correctly, the practice can actually relieve much of the body's discomfort caused by the congestion of blood, energy or mucus, as well as swelling or pain, according to "The Herbs Of Life" author Lesley Tierra.

Cupping is said to help improve circulation and "to 'open' the lungs, draw toxins out of them and towards the skin surface and to facilitate better breathing," writes "Heart Disease" author Burton Goldberg. More in line with ancient Chinese philosophy, cupping "is believed to draw out Cold, Wind, and Damp," writes Michael Castleman in "Blended Medicine." Cupping can be effective for a wide range of ailments, according to Tierra, including "edema, swellings, asthma, bronchitis, dull aches and pains, arthritis, abdominal pain, stomachache, indigestion, headache, low back pain, painful menstruation, coughs from excessive mucus and places where bodily movement is limited and painful."

The heated cups used in the technique are placed on the skin above the pained muscle area or above an acupuncture point at the afflicted area. "The vacuum created by the heat is said to dispel dampness from the body, warm the qi and reduce swelling," writes Barrie R. Cassileth, PhD., in "The Alternative Medicine Handbook." The cups are left in place for five to 15 minutes, and when removed, they usually leave a round red bruise behind. According to Tierra, bruising occurs in spots where congestion existed. Although bruises can take several days to go away, the temporary marks are a small price to pay for the relief the therapy provides. Tierra says people suffering from either pain or congestion often notice an immediate difference after treatment.

"I've found cupping to be a completely safe, yet highly effective treatment for reducing pain, treating sprains and enhancing localized circulation," reports Mike Adams, a consumer health advocate and proponent of Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies. Adams recommends a simple vacuum-pump cupping device rather than resorting to the more traditional fire-heated cups. "A surprisingly large number of people suffer from dark, stagnating blood I call 'sludge blood.' Cupping helps pull that blood out of the ...