Cupping: Ancient Treatment Offers New Hope For Pain

If you've ever twisted an ankle, tweaked your back or woke up with a stiff neck, you know how miserable soft-tissue injuries can leave you. And how hard these pains can make it to move around and do everyday tasks.

When a troubling musculoskeletal problem like one of these sidelines you, don't let it get the best of you. Cupping, a simple but potentially beneficial treatment offered by Franciscan Health Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation, could help you find relief.

Key Takeaways: Cupping

• Cupping is an ancient practice from China and the Middle East that gained U.S. popularity through elite athletes like Michael Phelps.
• The cupping process uses cups and a manual pump to create suction, which increases blood flow to painful areas to promote tissue healing.
• Cupping treatment is noninvasive, typically involving two to four cups that stay in place for about five minutes.
• The treatment provides a non-surgical, noninvasive solution for common musculoskeletal issues, including stiff necks and twisted ankles. Cupping offers a convenient approach for addressing daily aches and pains.

What Is Cupping Therapy?

Cupping therapy, or cupping, has existed for thousands of years in China and the Middle East. But cupping's rise in popularity in the U.S. has only occurred relatively recently. That's due in part to its use by Olympic swimmers such as Michael Phelps and other star athletes.

Cupping involves creating suction on your skin over a painful area. There are different ways to do this. At Franciscan, physical therapists trained in the technique use plastic cups and a manual pump.

"The suction increases blood flow to the area to help promote healing of the tissues," said Turner Bales, a physical therapist at Franciscan Health in Beech Grove.

How Does Cupping Work?

Cupping treatment at Franciscan Health is completely noninvasive. According to Bales, therapists typically place two to four cups at a time on your body during treatment. Depending on the area they treat, the diameter of the cups may range in size from 0.5 to 2.5 inches.

Most times, the cups stay in place for roughly five minutes. Then, the therapist releases them and moves them to another area if necessary. Sometimes, providers move the cups around while they're in place on your skin. This is known as dynamic cupping, which Bales describes as “more like a massage."

How Does Cupping Differ From Massage Therapy?

When you're using massage, the therapist is packing that tissue down. With cupping, the cups and a manual pump create suction on the skin, which increases blood flow to painful areas to promote tissue healing.

“You can get into some of those tighter areas or trigger points,” said Austin Kiel, a physical therapist at Franciscan Health Indianapolis.

Cupping can address trigger points

“It kind of varies in the literature and among professionals, but a trigger point is just defined as a taut band of tissue within that soft tissue fiber kind of complex,” said Kiel. “But it’s nice to use cupping as a different kind of treatment modality to sort of decompress that area, to allow all that good blood supply to come to help heal the damaged tissue or injured tissue.”

Cupping A Complementary Approach To Pain Relief

Usually, you don't get cupping by itself. Therapists combine cupping with exercises, stretching or other massage techniques to help make it easier for you to move. Movement is key to overall healing.

When you're stiff or sore, you're usually not able to move normally.

"Typically, that's due to muscle guarding," Bales said. "Your muscles get very tight because they're trying to protect themselves."

Cupping increases blood flow, which lessens muscle tension.

"Once muscles relax and release, you open yourself up to new movement," Bales said. "Then, we can strengthen other areas so that those sore muscles don't tighten back up."

When Can I Feel Results After Cupping?

Often, people report immediate symptom improvement after a cupping session. The improvement may last up to a week, Bales said. Once the effects wear off, therapists may suggest that you repeat the treatment.

How Long Do Cupping Treatments Take?

Usually, after three to four sessions of cupping treatments, your therapist will evaluate your progress. When treatment has helped, but you're still uncomfortable, you may be able to continue cupping therapy at home.

"If you're dealing with a chronic issue, this is a very easy treatment to do yourself," Bales said. You can get the needed tools yourself, and they're not expensive.”

Is Wet Cupping Available At Franciscan Health?

Some providers offer wet cupping, a procedure in which they pierce your skin to allow blood to flow into the cups. Wet Cupping is not available at Franciscan.

What Conditions Can Cupping Help?

While some places are exploring the use of cupping to help treat various health problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, at Franciscan Health Rehabilitation, we limit cupping to musculoskeletal conditions.

Are There Risks From Cupping Therapy?

Cupping carries very little risk, although Bales suggests checking with your doctor before beginning therapy if you have a circulatory disorder or sensitive skin.

Bruising of the skin is common, although typically not painful.

"The bruises look a lot worse than they feel," Bales said.

The cupping process itself might be a bit uncomfortable.

"We tell patients it's a strong suction," Bales said. "You're going to feel some discomfort. But most people handle it well."

That discomfort after cupping goes away quickly and drinking water can help. The liquid replenishes tissues.

Some people report feeling flushed, nauseous or dizzy after treatment. However, these problems are rare.

Cupping: One More Tool In The Toolbox

Cupping sessions generally cost less than $100. Health insurance plans typically cover cupping as a type of manual therapy.

With health insurance, you can access treatment directly from a nearby Franciscan physical therapy provider. They can evaluate you to make sure cupping is appropriate for your musculoskeletal condition. If it is, they'll get you started.

Researchers continue to study cupping. They want to better understand if and how it might help different conditions. But anecdotally, patients who've had it will tell you it's made a difference for them. When you're in pain, anything that can help you get relief is valuable.

"This is one more tool in our toolbox," Bales said.