Cupping

Cupping (a manipulative and body-based practice Manipulative and Body-Based Practices Five categories of complementary or alternative medicine are generally recognized: Whole medical systems Mind-body medicine Biologically based practices not usually used in conventional medicine... read more ) is used in traditional Chinese medicine Reference Cupping (a manipulative and body-based practice) is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Cupping is believed to increase blood flow to the site of application, thereby improving healing in... read more . Cupping is believed to increase blood flow to the site of application, thereby improving healing in that area.

The air inside a cup is heated, often using a rubber pump in modern practice. The heated cup is immediately inverted and placed on the skin. The resulting vacuum sucks the skin partway into the cup, which may be left in place for several minutes.

Cupping has been used to treat herpes zoster, facial paralysis, acne, cervical spondylosis, respiratory symptoms, and pain, but evidence is limited (1 Reference Cupping (a manipulative and body-based practice) is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Cupping is believed to increase blood flow to the site of application, thereby improving healing in... read more ).

Cupping will redden and may burn the skin.

(See also Overview of Integrative, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine Overview of Integrative, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine Integrative medicine and health (IMH) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) include healing approaches and therapies that historically have not been included in conventional, mainstream... read more .)