Cupping therapy is quite often utilised by our practitioners within Tuina Treatments. Cupping is a technique that uses glass, plastic, bamboo or silicone cups as a suction device on the skin, pulling the skin, muscles and tissue into the cups and then removed. The cups may be used statically on specific points, repetitively applied and removed, left on the skin for a short time or applied and moved over the skin with the aid of a massage cream/oil. Cupping therapy helps to stretch and relax muscles and fascia, stimulates circulation and promotes relaxation. It is used for many conditions such as back/neck pain, stiffness, migraines, rheumatism, cellulite, respiratory conditions, boosting the immune system and more.

Depending on the condition and health of the body, cupping can sometimes leave temporary marks (petechiae) that look similar to bruises. These marks can take between 3days and 2 weeks to dissipate. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the marks (and how long they stay for) are a diagnostic method to see how stagnated the blood and tissues are in the body.