Make sure to eat a small and easily digestible meal 2 hours before treatment. Cupping on an empty stomach can cause dizziness or nausea. Keep yourself hydrated starting from the evening prior to your treatment. Keep your social weekly plan in mind. Cupping marks will appear on the areas of the body being cupped and can last from 1 hour to 3 weeks. You may feel tired from the detox that happens after the treatment. Keep your schedule light for the rest of the day after treatment. Wear light clothing; a sports bra or an easily adjustable shirt for back and neck accessibility. Bring clothes that can cover the area where you will be cupped. Exposure should be kept to a minimum and the body should stay warm after the cupping treatment.
It is normal to feel a warm, pulling, or stretching sensation from the suction of the cups. This feeling can be strong but can be adjusted to your comfort level by your practitioner. If at any moment during the treatment it feels uncomfortable, let your practitioner know immediately. There might be a brief tenderness at the places where the cup has been applied after the treatment. It is okay to apply arnica gel, a mild healing conditioner, or massage oil as long as there is no broken skin or strong irritation on the upper layer of the skin.
The marks after cupping are not bruises. They are the result of internal unwanted toxins being drawn up into the skin. Where there is dead or static blood, lymph, cellular debris, pathogenic factors, and toxins, cupping can leave marks indicating that stagnation or disease has moved from the deeper tissue layers to the surface where it can be more easily flushed. This is a normal skin reaction. The extent of the mark depends a lot on the length of the treatment and the suction power. The cup markings can vary from light pink, to light red, to dark purple, depending on the amount of stagnation present.
Cup marks can last anywhere from an hour to up to three weeks depending on the severity of the toxins released. Occasionally there may be bleeding or blisters, but this is not something to worry about. Be sure to keep the area clean and covered until it is healed.
Everyone can react to cupping in different ways, some feel tired while others feel more energetic. It is important to give your body a chance to recover from the experience. It is best to rest as much as possible after the treatment and try to go to bed early. Eat a healthy meal (avoid heavy, high-fat meals with excessive dairy or meat). Drink plenty of fluids to help flush out any toxins from your system. After a strong cupping treatment along with toxin release, all prolonged emotions can be stirred. Some people feel more emotional in the next few days. This is a normal detox reaction.
Physically, mentally and emotionally after cupping treatment. Avoid using steam rooms, saunas, hot tubs, swimming (indoors or outdoors) or doing any form of excessive exercise (which may physically strain you), or sunbathing. Be mindful to not get a draft or a cold for 48 hours after the treatment. The following treatment of cupping is suggested only when the discoloration has cleared or when recommended by your practitioner. The following acupuncture treatments are okay at any time after cupping, or in addition to cupping as a lighter adjunctive treatment as both can be highly detoxifying to the body.
Cupping is an ancient therapy that is safely practiced in many traditions around the world. Cupping is an extremely effective treatment that alleviates and removes the symptoms of many different health problems. The cupping treatment creates a vacuum in the cup placed on specific areas of the body to pull the underlying tissue into the cup. The vacuum produced creates a suction effect that increases blood circulation in the local area to help relax muscle tissues, facilitate joint stiffness, clear blockage, and relieve pain. Cupping helps to remove all stagnation in the body and opens the meridians so that they can flow freely. It activates meridians and organs that do not work properly.
The cells in the body use oxygen and emit carbon dioxide; when the energy is blocked, the cell debris or carbon dioxide is blocked. This is called the build-up of acid or toxin. Physical pain involves a blockage of the flow of energy through a certain area. When toxins or cell debris stagnate in muscles or joints, it can be very difficult for the body.