“In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) cupping is a method of applying acupressure by creating a vacuum on the patient’s skin to dispel stagnation — stagnant blood and lymph, thereby improving qi flow— to treat diseases such as the common cold, pneumonia and bronchitis. Cupping also is used on back, neck, shoulder and other musculoskeletal conditions.”
If you are like most people here in Los Angeles, that definition of cupping is satisfactory but not necessarily the cat’s meow. Here are my clinical observations about the utility of cupping, a practice which is almost global, from the curandera of the Americas to the specialists of the Near and Far East.
- Cupping is diagnostic— From a cupping session the diagnostician can determine where the blood is most stagnant and devise treatment strategies in terms of diet, exercise and herbs that address the condition holistically.
- Cupping is therapeutic— Cupping can provide immediate relief particularly in cases where there has been a trauma and the stuck blood has not been moved by other means. This may be the case in terms of auto accident or severe sprains. It also is extremely effective in relieving respiratory distress from allergies or colds that settle in the lungs creating inflammation of either a cold or hot nature.
- Cupping is a form of prevention— New patients always receive a round of cupping to ascertain the nature of their blood flow. In instances of proactive patients who are primarily seeking Chinese medicine as a prentative modality, cupping can be useful in terms of determining the relationship between blood flow and the organs, especially the heart. These determinations can be made before they devolve into clinical conditions.
- Cupping is a branch treatment— Cupping treats the effect not the cause. In instances of trauma where the cause is not due to functional imbalance then it can be a treatment in itself. Otherwise, cupping is a branch treatment that can provide some indication of how effective dietary and herbal interventions are. In cases of chronic conditions, cupping cannot constitute a treatment in itself, but it can provide tremendous and nearly instantanous symtomatic relief.
- Cupping is aesthetic— Undesirable dimples in the skin, particularly in the hindquarters and legs? Cupping removes skin adhesions increasing the suppleness of the skin that no amount of exercise can remedy. Furthermore, by raising toxic blood to the surface for purposes of oxygenation over all circulation is enhanced to combat the signs of aging. Conclusion: Cupping is a time-tested way of diagnosing and treating the body’s circulation that is used in traditional medicines throughout the world. It has numerous benefits which are aesthetic and preventative. It is a safe “gate-way” introduction to the power of Chinese medicine, which, in contrast to other traditions, provides a systematic framework for interpreting the findings of a cupping treatment for “root” interventions in terms of diet and herbs. These findings are simple and direct, providing clear evidence to patients on the nature of their blood circulation and its relationship to related conditions.To schedule a cupping session along with a diagnostic report of finding, just contact the clinic: 323.936.5152