The First Step
You may then be asked to remove your shirt (and if you’re a woman, your bra) and made to lie on your stomach. The doctor will then burn a bit of cotton and stick it into a glass ball with an open lip on one end. This open end will be stuck to your skin, causing an immediate suction.
The burning cotton will not be kept inside the ball, so you shouldn’t worry about getting burned. The cup will only be heated briefly, so the most you’ll feel is a warm, round, glass being stuck on you. You will feel the suction immediately as your flesh rises into the lip. Depending on your condition, you can expect anywhere from one to as many as ten (or more) cups getting stuck to your neck, shoulders, and back. The longer the cups are kept on, the tighter the suction becomes. Most find it pleasurable and relaxing.
Smaller Cups Will Be Used On Certain Areas
Bony areas, like your shoulders and neck, will get smaller cups to intensify the suction and keep them on. Fleshier areas like your back will get bigger cups so they can suck in more of your skin. Silicone is used more and more for better suction on bonier sections. Blood will then rush to the surface of your skin, causing a painless bruise, and your pores will open up.
Your doctor will be watching carefully, because the extent of the coloration and other changes to the affected skin area will form part of his/her diagnosis. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the blood will also flow better to areas that have been starved of oxygen. Qi, a power inherent in your body, will also focus on the spot to promote healing and recharge that weakened part.
Removing The Cup
Your doctor will then remove the cup after three to five minutes. Removal is also painless, after which you’ll look like you’ve been attacked by an octopus. A normal bruise should be a vibrant reddish or reddish orange. It usually takes three to four days for it to leave completely, though in some cases, it can take up to as long as a week. This is an important thing you must take into consideration in case you’re expecting to join a bathing suit contest shortly after. If you do feel pain, you must let your doctor know right away, though this is extremely rare.
In lieu of glass, some clinics prefer to use plastic or hypoallergenic silicone cups. It should be noted, however, that these other materials do not in any way mitigate the amount of bruising that results. The area will not be tender or sore, despite the ugly coloration left behind. Normal bruising is usually caused because the area has been hit hard enough. Since no hitting is involved, it will actually look a lot worse than it feels.
A Massage of Acupuncture Treatment Afterwards
A massage or acupuncture treatment may follow if you go to a traditional Chinese clinic. In cities throughout Southeast Asia where cuppers are offering their trade on the streets, cupping is about all you’ll get out of the session, though some may insist on giving you a backrub if they feel you need it.
The Feeling
Some feel a mild tingling on their skin after the cups are removed. This can last anywhere from several minutes to a couple of hours, which is normal, depending on the situation. In cases where you’re suffering from stiff joints or aching muscles, you may be asked to come in for several sessions. If so, they’ll usually ask you to come back after the bruising is gone. At most, you may get two sessions in a week. Three sessions a week is not recommended, so if you get an offer for one, you’re not in a traditional Chinese clinic. Most likely, you’ve wandered into a spa.
Since Chinese medicine believes that ill-health is the result of many factors including the accumulation of toxins in your body, you’ll be asked to drink plenty of water after each cupping session. The general recommendation is about eight 8 oz glasses of water everyday throughout the course of your treatment. Since dry cupping is usually part of a much more holistic series of treatments, an entire session can last anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour. Depending on your symptoms, your treatment can involve certain exercises, the drinking of certain teas, and even lifestyle changes like cutting down on alcohol or giving up smoking.
As you see, during your first cupping procedure, there is no need for you to be nervous. In fact, you may actually enjoy it enough to go back again!
In spite of the fact that a cupping session may sound difficult, it is nothing of the sort. Truth be told, ordinarily the main thing that you feel is a slight suction where every glass is put. After a session and you may have roundabout red imprints on your skin from the mugs. These red imprints will blur and are a sign that the cupping treatment has effectively expanded the blood stream inside of your body.
