Cupping
Cupping is a type of alternative therapy that involves placing cups on the skin to create suction. This suction is thought to improve the flow of energy in the body and facilitate healing. Many believe that cupping helps balance yin and yang, or the negative and positive, within the body. Restoring balance between these two extremes is thought to help with the body’s resistance to pathogens as well as its ability to increase blood flow and reduce pain.
What are the effects of cupping?
Cupping increases blood circulation to the area where the cups are placed. This may relieve muscle tension, which can improve overall blood flow and promote cell repair. It may also help form new connective tissues and create new blood vessels in the tissue.
According to the 2018 review, the effects of cupping therapy include:
- Promoting the skin’s blood flow
- Changing the skin’s biomechanical properties
- Increasing pain thresholds
- Improving local anaerobic (without oxygen) metabolism
- Reducing inflammation
- Boosting cellular immunity
- Prenatal and Postpartum Pregnancy Core Strengthening