Cupping therapy is an ancient Chinese therapy that improves blood circulation. Traditional cupping involves heating glass cups with fire and placing them on areas where there is blood stagnation. The heat forms a seal and draws out the toxins that are held in the body creating stagnation. The cupping itself creates a temporary stagnation that penetrates deeply into muscle tissues. While you do not want muscle stagnation normally, by creating this temporary stagnation, when the cup is released, the blood that was held tightly in the area quickly moves away from the area and new blood replaces it.

Chinese medicine holds the theory that all diseases are the result of blockages of chi energy. It is imperative that you get the blood flowing and the chi moving to obtain optimal health. The dysfunction that occurs in our bodies happens when meridians are blocked by toxins or stress. We live with many environmental toxins that when built up can be harmful to our bodies, for example automobile exhaust, air conditioning, pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Some of these are inhaled and some are eaten. Either way, our liver has to filter them out so that our bodies function properly.

Sometimes when our bodies are overloaded with toxins, they start to store them away from vital organs such as in your arm or leg. When too many get stored in an area, the energy meridians get blocked. Increasing the blood flow through acupuncture or cupping can help release toxins and bring new blood to the area.

Cupping is an alternative form of medicine that can be practiced at home. The points for cupping are not as specific as they are for acupuncture and therefore even someone who is not experienced and trained in cupping can do it whenever they feel that they need additional blood flow to an area. It is effective for preventing colds, relieving tension and muscle aches.

Cupping works just like an ice pack. In that it temporarily slows down the blood circulation, so that when removed, the blood circulation is increased. Cupping penetrates the skin to a deeper leve though and does not change the temperature. It also releases toxins while cold traps them inside the cells.

I have used cupping therapy for three weeks now. I have noticed a considerable reduction in the shoulder pain that I had for years. This is amazing to me. Doctors took x-rays and did tests, but could not figure out what was wrong. They gave me steroid injections that provided minimal relief. So far, only cupping therapy has been able to reduce the pain.