Cupping Therapy

healthy balanced body with Cupping treatment!

What is Cupping?

Cupping is used to treat acute and chronic pain, ease scar tissue deep within muscles and connective tissues, and reduce swelling and muscle knots.

It involves briefly attaching rounded inverted cups to certain parts of the body using a vacuum effect. The pressure that the cups create draws blood to the affected area. As a result, it increases your blood flow overall. That increased blood flow can relieve muscle tension, improve circulation, reduce inflammation and sedate nervous system. In addition, increased circulation improves oxygen supply and cell metabolism, which reduces inflammatory substances.

It has gained considerable popularity in recent years among athletes. For instance, swimmer Michael Phelps is said to have had the therapy in preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

What can Cupping treat?

Musculoskeletal Conditions

Back pain, muscle cramping, muscle pain/weakness, neck pain, knee pain

Neurological Conditions

Headaches or migraine, facial paralysis

Digestive Conditions

Abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, hyperacidity and indigestion

Miscellaneous Conditions

Athletic performance, blood pressure regulation, chronic fatigue and stress reduction

What does Cupping feel like?

Don’t be scared of the red marks because it doesn’t hurt. In fact, the relief is instantly noticeable.

A lot of people say it feels like a deep tissue massage with a feeling of release that lasts for weeks.

Though you’ll likely leave the office with hickey-like bruises on your skin, you can expect those to disappear within a few days.

Our Approach

At Rivernorth Acupuncture, we harness the time-honored healing technique of cupping therapy to address a myriad of conditions afflicting our patients.

With a holistic approach to wellness, we integrate cupping into our treatment plans to promote balance and vitality. Whether our patients suffer from chronic pain, stress-related ailments, or respiratory issues, cupping therapy serves as a powerful adjunct to acupuncture, enhancing its effects and providing targeted relief.

By strategically placing cups on specific points along the body, we stimulate circulation, release muscle tension, and facilitate the body’s natural detoxification process.

Our skilled practitioners tailor each cupping session to the individual needs of our patients, ensuring a personalized and effective healing experience.

Through the time-honored practice of cupping therapy, we empower our patients to achieve optimal health and well-being.

Research demonstrates the effectiveness of cupping

A 2012 review showed cupping therapy combined with other TCM treatments was significantly superior to other treatments alone. For example, it increased the number of cured patients with herpes zoster, facial paralysis, acne, and cervical spondylosis. 1
In a 2016 study, patients receiving cupping therapy found that their chronic neck and shoulder pain was reduced by more than half, even after just one treatment. The pain scale used included physical markers like blood pressure. 2
A 2017 review says that it was reported as beneficial for perceptions of pain and disability, increased range of motion, and reductions in creatine kinase when compared to mostly untreated control groups. 3
A 2009 study explains that wet cupping (bloodletting combined) applies negative local vacuum pressure to subcutaneous muscle and tissue. Also, it showes the lymph-flow modulating effects. 4