Cupping therapy

What is cupping?

Cupping is an ancient treatment that stimulates specific points on the body by creating a vacuum in a suction cup placed at a various point of the body. Depending on and whether the skin is intact or scarified the increase of blood flow to this area, thus promoting blood circulation, remove stasis, and alleviate swelling and pain. In turn allows tissues to release toxins, activate the lymphatic system, veins, arteries, and capillaries.

Most common types of cupping are :

Dry

Involves quick, sustained or sliding suction.

No incisions are made but moves underlying stagnant blood away from area of inflammation.

Concentrating on specific skin and reflex zones to promote healing

Combined

Includes dry cupping but also wet involving small incisions at specific skin/reflex zones or areas of inflammation or conditions.

History

From ancient times cupping has played a vital role in healing. It dates back more than 5000 years and is used amongst cultures and traditions. First users of the technique are seen on Egyptian papyri, drawings of Egyptians of the River Nile.

The ancient therapy spread across to the Greeks and Romans. The father of modern medicine wrote about two forms of cupping, dry and wet. There are also evidence and writings by the Galen supporting cupping therapy.

In the Middle Ages cupping continued to gain popularity spreading across Europe and Western continents. In the 18th and 19th centuries European and American doctors were employing wet cupping therapy to treat a variety of conditions.

Cupping in Islamic Society

Bloodletting, cauterization, and cupping were old techniques used in the Arabia peninsula pre-Islam. In Islamic societies cupping is still widely accepted practice as treatment or remedy for health.

The Great Prophet of Islam Muhammed (pbuh) who advised in approximately 28 holy instructions and said “The best treatment you can use is cupping” [Collected by Al-Bukhari:5371; Muslim:1577].

Giants of Islamic medicine Ibn Sina (Avicenna) his book “The Canon of Medicine” is a medical textbook used for centuries. He recommended cupping and his view “be preceded by purifying (clearing) the body of the bad material (black bile) by purgation or cupping therefore strengthening defence of the organ involved.

Decline of Cupping

In the mid-1900s Europe and America medical professionals had fallen out of favour with cupping. The emergence of newly established scientific model of medicine began to discredit previous traditional therapies.

The modern clinical gaze looked at the human body as being transparent and to treat internally to symptoms and diagnostic medical statistics. The emergence of antibiotics and fever reducing medication contributed to the decline of cupping.

New Age

With the emergence of complementary /alternative therapies to deal with health problems such as yoga to aromatherapy.

Therapies such as aromatherapy, reflexology, chiropractic, osteopathy, Tui-Na, massage, acupuncture and cupping.

Cupping therapy has widely gained popularity as a complementary or alternative medical practice.