Cupping therapy is one of the oldest methods of traditional Chinese medicine. In China, cupping is used primarily to treat respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, and congestion; arthritis; gastrointestinal disorders; and pain. Some practitioners also use cupping to treat depression, anxiety, fatigue and to reduce swelling. Fleshy sites on the body, such as the back and stomach (and, to a lesser extent, the arms and legs), are the most common sites for treatment.

How does cupping work?

In a typical cupping session, glass cups are warmed using a cotton ball which is soaked in alcohol, lit on fire, then placed inside the cup. Burning a substance inside the cup removes all the oxygen, which creates a vacuum.

As the substance burns, the cup is turned upside-down so that the practitioner can place the cup over a specific area. (The lit cotton ball is generally removed from the cup at this point.) The vacuum created by the lack of oxygen anchors the cup to the skin and pulls it upward on the inside of the glass as the air inside the jar cools. Drawing up the skin is believed to open up the skin's pores, which helps to stimulate the flow of blood and creates an avenue for toxins to be drawn out of the body.

Depending on the condition being treated, the cups will be left in place from 5 to 15 minutes. Several cups may be placed on a patient's body at the same time. Some practitioners will also apply small amounts of herbal oils to the skin just before the cupping procedure, which lets them move the cups up and down acupuncture points.

Once the suction has occurred, the cups can be gently moved across the skin. The suction in the cups causes the skin and superficial muscle layer to be lightly drawn into the cup. Cupping is much like the inverse of massage - rather than applying pressure to muscles, it uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. For most patients, this is a relaxing sensation.

The suction from the cups pulls toxins deep in the tissues to the surface. It can appear as light pink to dark purple marks on the body. The more discoloration that surfaces, the greater amount of stagnation and toxicity needs to be purged from the body.

What causes the dark purple bruising?

Contrary to popular belief, they are NOT bruises. These purple marks are the expression of internal stagnation and congestion brought to the surface of the body. They do not appear on everyone, only those with a significant amount of congestion, poor blood flow and lymph drainage. Those who are relatively healthy will not have these marks while those with severe muscle tightness, headaches, painful periods and various kinds of musculoskeletal pain will often show with purple-black marks. These marks are both therapeutic (as they bring the stagnation out of the tissues and to the surface, where it can resolve) and diagnostic (the amount and nature of the discoloration gives an insight into the patient's condition). As stagnation and toxicity are released, the subsequent cupping sessions will have little to no discoloration.

Generally, cupping is combined with acupuncture in one treatment, but it can also be used alone. The suction and negative pressure provided by cupping can loosen muscles, encourage blood flow, and sedate the nervous system. Cupping is used to relieve back and neck pains, stiff muscles, anxiety, fatigue, migraines, high blood pressure, rheumatism, and even cellulite.

This traditional treatment is favored by many people because it's safe and effective for many health disorders.

Dr. Pamela Langenderfer is a licensed naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist. She is the co owner of Lakeside Holistic Health, PLLC with locations in both Coeur d'Alene and Liberty Lake. She can be reached at (208) 758-0558 or (509) 385-0218. Visit us at our website, www.lakesideholistic.com.