Q80s.com

Cupping Health Benefits

Filed under HEALTH

Known in some cultures as firecupping, the ancient healing technique of cupping has a long history in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Sometimes used in conjunction with acupuncture and herbal therapy, cupping involves the use of a cup that is filled with warm air, and placed open end down on the part of the body that is experiencing distress. Here is some background on how cupping is reputed to work, and the benefits that can emerge from the practice of cupping.

In the thought of TCM, cupping is understood to be about the restoring the flow of the life force to a proper and working state. Illness is often associated with some sort of interference to this flow of life energy. The application of cupping to the affected part of the body is understood to set in motion natural body responses that will in time help to restore the right ordering the energy and in turn restore health to the individual.

In general, cupping uses a cup that is made of glass, hard wood, or metal. Some type of flammable substance, such as paper, a mixture of herbs, or alcohol is placed in the cup and then lit. As the substance burns down and extinguishes, the cup is inverted and placed at some point along the body that corresponds with the life energy pathways involved. As the air inside the cup cools, it creates a vacuum that pulls the skin upward. The idea is that this action also helps to extract toxins from the body that are the origin of the health ailment. Generally, the cup will be left in place for no more than ten minutes.

Source: The Skeptic’s Dictionary