Cupping

What is Cupping Therapy?

“Cupping therapy” is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist places cups on your skin with a pump to create suction.

Techniques we use:
In static/fixed cupping a cup is placed on the desired treatment area with moderate suction and left in place for 5+ minutes.
*can cause a circular red/purple mark on the skin for a few days indicating an area of stagnation of fluids (blood/lymph). This is not a true bruise and will not be painful to the touch.

Massage cupping or glide cupping involves moving the cup over the affected area, such as the back, to combine both massage and cupping, this effectively causes a myofascial release.
*will likely not cause any marks

Cupping is recommended to be coupled with exercise instruction, motor retraining and other manual techniques provided by physical therapy staff.

    Benefits from cupping:

  • decrease pain
  • improve lymph drainage
  • promote healing
  • improve blood flow
  • improve range of motion
  • manipulate dermal/subdermal connective tissue
  • neurosensory stimulation

    Diagnosis that are recommended for cupping:

  • Sciatica
  • ITB syndrome
  • low/mid back pain
  • arthritis
  • plantar fasciitis
  • scoliosis
  • adhesions from previous surgeries
  • migraines
  • athletic stress and injury
  • carpal tunnel
  • chronic pain
  • fibromyalgia

Cupping Picture

The medical providers at Midwest Physical Therapy Services have attended seminars to become proficient in providing cupping to their patients.