Wet and Dry Cupping
There are many different forms of cupping. The two most common forms are wet and dry cupping.
Learn about the benefits of cupping here.
What is Cupping?
Cupping or cupping therapy is one of the oldest forms of holistic healing, with documented use dating as far back as 1550 B.C. by the Egyptian culture. Although cupping is referred to as Traditional Chinese medicine in today’s society. Cupping is in fact one of the most widely used forms of traditional and natural healing. Cupping has been used successfully for centuries by the Egyptians, Arabic and Islamic countries, Jewish communities, Greeks, Latin American cultures, Japan, China, Tibet, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, and throughout Asia.
The first official record of cupping dates back to the year 281 AD. During this period, people used animal horns for cupping treatments. During the Qing dynasty, bamboo and ceramic cups were boiled in herbal solutions before being applied to the skin.
Today, the most common type of cups are the small glass domes you see in health and wellness parlors across the world.
There are many different types of cupping such as wet cupping, dry cupping, and fire cupping.
What’s the Difference? Wet v. Dry
Wet cupping is primarily based on cutting or puncturing the skin to allow toxins and fluid to flush out during the cupping treatment. The vacuum effect from cupping promotes the circulation of bodily fluids to allow the body to move unwanted and possibly harmful substances out of the body. Proper technique of wet cupping should involve antibacterial and sanitary treatment on the skin after the treatment to prevent infection and potential scarring.
Dry cupping is much more gentler and less invasive than wet cupping. Mainly revolving around the use of a pump or vacuum to create a suction effect. No damage is done directly on the skin so the benefits of cupping may be less effective or intensive than wet cupping. The suction of the cups promotes circulation of blood and other bodily fluids, which in turn helps release tension and promotes better immune responses.
How Does It Work?
Just randomly placing cups on the body does not create the desired effects needed to promote healing or wellbeing within the body.
A practitioner must have an in-depth knowledge of the body’s meridian and acupressure points, lymph nodes and lymph ducts, body’s muscular structure, and how the 3 major fluid systems of the body work together to provide oxygen and nutrients to the body and how they remove waste and toxins from the body.
By being able to identify these areas of the body and tissues of the body, our cupping practitioners can promote and improve a variety of different areas and help prevent different ailments.
Does it leave behind unsightly marks?
After your cupping treatment, the cups are likely to leave distinctive, circular marks on your skin. But not to worry, these marks are harmless and painless. These cupping marks are a useful indicator of how severe the stagnation of your fluid system is.
The darker the mark, the more stagnation is present. These harmless marks will fade before disappearing completely within a week of treatment. After regular cupping treatments, you should see the marks getting lighter at a faster pace.
The treated skin may also display other types of symptoms reflecting the presence of toxins. They can be black patches, purpura, minute blisters, or very tiny spots. For example, blisters are a sign of accumulated fluids in the tissues.
When to avoid cupping?
Although cupping is very beneficial to most, there are a few individuals who should not have cupping therapy. So it is very important that during your consultation you should be completely honest about your medical history, medication, eating habits, and current condition of your body and wellness. This information will allow our practitioners to identify any contradicting issues for cupping therapy.
Avoid cupping if:
Currently pregnant
Just recently did major surgery in targeted area
Not fit enough to move independently (or unable to take care of oneself)
Primary doctor advises against it (due to underlying problems or current medication)
