What is cupping therapy and how does it work. What are the potential benefits and risks of cupping. How to prepare for a cupping session and what to expect. Why is cupping gaining popularity in alternative medicine.

The Origins and Evolution of Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy, an ancient healing practice, has roots tracing back to Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. The Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical texts in existence, mentions its use as far back as 1550 BC. Despite its ancient origins, cupping has experienced a resurgence in popularity as a form of alternative medicine.

How has cupping therapy evolved over time? Initially, practitioners used rudimentary materials like animal horns or bamboo. Today, cups are typically made from glass, earthenware, bamboo, or silicone. The basic principle remains unchanged: creating suction on the skin to promote healing and wellness.

Types of Cupping Therapy

• Dry Cupping: The most common form, involving suction only
• Wet Cupping: Combines suction with controlled medicinal bleeding
• Moving Cupping: Slides cups across lubricated skin
• Needle Cupping: Combines acupuncture with cupping

The Science Behind Cupping: How Does It Work?

Cupping therapy operates on the principle of creating negative pressure on the skin’s surface. This suction is believed to increase blood flow, loosen fascia, and promote healing. But what exactly happens during a cupping session?

In traditional fire cupping, the practitioner places a flammable substance like alcohol or herbs in a cup and ignites it. As the fire extinguishes, the cup is quickly placed on the skin. The cooling air inside creates a vacuum, causing the skin to rise and redden as blood vessels expand. Modern techniques may use a rubber pump to create suction, eliminating the need for fire.

Is there scientific evidence supporting cupping’s effectiveness? While research is limited, some studies suggest potential benefits. A 2015 report in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine indicated that cupping might help with acne, herpes zoster, and pain management. However, more rigorous studies are needed to substantiate these claims.

Potential Benefits of Cupping Therapy

Proponents of cupping therapy claim a wide range of benefits. While scientific evidence is still emerging, many practitioners and patients report positive outcomes. What conditions might cupping potentially help with?

• Pain relief: Particularly for back, neck, and shoulder pain
• Skin conditions: Including acne and eczema
• Respiratory issues: Such as bronchial congestion from allergies and asthma
• Blood disorders: Anemia and hemophilia
• Rheumatic diseases: Arthritis and fibromyalgia
• Gynecological issues: Including fertility problems
• Mental health: Anxiety and depression

It’s important to note that while these potential benefits are intriguing, more research is needed to definitively prove cupping’s efficacy for many conditions. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.

The Cupping Process: What to Expect During a Session

If you’re considering trying cupping therapy, understanding the process can help alleviate any apprehension. What happens during a typical cupping session?

1. Consultation: Your therapist will discuss your health history and treatment goals.
2. Positioning: You’ll be asked to lie down or sit comfortably, exposing the treatment area.
3. Cup placement: The therapist will place the cups on your skin, creating suction.
4. Duration: Cups are typically left in place for 3-5 minutes.
5. Removal: The therapist gently removes the cups, breaking the suction.
6. Aftercare: If necessary, the area is cleaned and bandaged.

How many cups are used in a session? For first-timers, practitioners often start with 3-5 cups. As you become more accustomed to the treatment, sessions may involve up to 7 cups, according to the British Cupping Society.

Special Considerations for Wet Cupping

Wet cupping involves an additional step. After the initial suction, the therapist makes small, superficial incisions on the skin before reapplying the cups. This technique is believed to draw out small amounts of blood, which some practitioners claim helps remove toxins from the body. However, this practice requires extra precautions to prevent infection and should only be performed by highly trained professionals.

Potential Risks and Side Effects of Cupping

While cupping is generally considered safe when performed by a trained professional, it’s not without potential risks. What side effects might you experience after a cupping session?

• Skin discoloration: Circular bruises that typically fade within a week or two
• Mild discomfort: During and immediately after the treatment
• Burns: Rare, but possible with fire cupping if not done correctly
• Skin infection: A risk if proper sterilization procedures aren’t followed
• Scarring: Particularly with wet cupping if incisions are too deep

Are there people who should avoid cupping therapy? Cupping may not be suitable for everyone. Individuals with certain health conditions, such as blood disorders, skin conditions, or those taking blood-thinning medications, should consult their healthcare provider before trying cupping.

Preparing for Your First Cupping Session: What You Need to Know

If you’ve decided to try cupping therapy, proper preparation can help ensure a safe and effective experience. How should you prepare for your first cupping session?

1. Choose a qualified practitioner: Look for someone with proper training and credentials.
2. Discuss your medical history: Be honest about any health conditions or medications.
3. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water before and after your session.
4. Wear loose, comfortable clothing: This allows easy access to treatment areas.
5. Avoid heavy meals: Eat lightly before your appointment.
6. Plan for rest: Avoid strenuous activities immediately after treatment.

What questions should you ask your cupping therapist? Before beginning treatment, consider asking about their experience, the specific techniques they use, and what you can expect during and after the session. Don’t hesitate to voice any concerns or ask for clarification on any aspect of the treatment.

Cupping in Modern Medicine: Integrating Traditional and Contemporary Approaches

As interest in holistic and alternative therapies grows, cupping is finding its place alongside conventional medical treatments. How is cupping being integrated into modern healthcare practices?

Some physical therapists and chiropractors are incorporating cupping into their treatment protocols, particularly for musculoskeletal issues. Athletes, including Olympic swimmers, have popularized cupping as a recovery tool, sparking wider interest in its potential benefits for sports medicine.

Can cupping complement conventional medical treatments? While cupping shouldn’t replace prescribed medical treatments, some practitioners believe it can work synergistically with conventional approaches. For example, cupping might be used alongside physical therapy for pain management or in conjunction with dermatological treatments for certain skin conditions.

The Need for Further Research

Despite its long history and growing popularity, cupping therapy still lacks robust scientific evidence for many of its claimed benefits. Why is more research needed? High-quality, controlled studies are essential to:

• Determine the true efficacy of cupping for various conditions
• Understand the physiological mechanisms behind its effects
• Establish standardized protocols for different applications
• Identify any long-term benefits or risks

As interest in cupping continues to grow, it’s likely we’ll see more research emerge, helping to bridge the gap between traditional wisdom and modern scientific understanding.

The Cultural Significance of Cupping: From Ancient Tradition to Modern Trend

Cupping therapy’s journey from ancient healing practice to modern wellness trend is a fascinating study in the persistence of traditional knowledge. How has cupping maintained its relevance across cultures and centuries?

In many Eastern cultures, cupping has long been an integral part of traditional medicine systems. It’s often seen as a way to balance the body’s energy and promote overall wellness. This holistic approach to health aligns well with current trends in wellness and alternative medicine in Western countries.

Why has cupping gained popularity in recent years? Several factors contribute to its resurgence:

• Celebrity endorsements and visibility in popular media
• Growing interest in natural and alternative healing methods
• Increased cultural exchange and globalization of health practices
• Desire for non-pharmacological pain management techniques

As cupping continues to gain attention, it serves as a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern wellness practices, highlighting the enduring human quest for health and healing.

What Is Cupping Therapy? Uses, Benefits, Side Effects, and More

Written by Rick Ansorge

• Types
• What Does the Research Show?
• Side Effects
• What to Ask Your Doctor First

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. People get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.

The cups may be made of:

• Glass
• Bamboo
• Earthenware
• Silicone

Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus, describes how the ancient Egyptians used cupping therapy in 1,550 B.C.

There are different methods of cupping, including:

• Dry
• Wet

During both types of cupping, your therapist will put a flammable substance such as alcohol, herbs, or paper in a cup and set it on fire. As the fire goes out, they put the cup upside down on your skin.

As the air inside the cup cools, it creates a vacuum. This causes your skin to rise and redden as your blood vessels expand. The cup is generally left in place for up to 3 minutes.

A more modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump instead of fire to create the vacuum inside the cup. Sometimes therapists use silicone cups, which they can move from place to place on your skin for a massage-like effect.

Wet cupping creates a mild suction by leaving a cup in place for about 3 minutes. The therapist then removes the cup and uses a small scalpel to make light, tiny cuts on your skin. Next, they do a second suction to draw out a small quantity of blood.

You might get 3-5 cups in your first session. Or you might just try one to see how it goes. It’s rare to get more than 5-7 cups, the British Cupping Society notes.

Afterward, you may get an antibiotic ointment and bandage to prevent infection. Your skin should look normal again within 10 days.

Cupping therapy supporters believe that wet cupping removes harmful substances and toxins from the body to promote healing. But that’s not proven.

Some people also get “needle cupping,” in which the therapist first inserts acupuncture needles and then puts cups over them.

There haven’t been many scientific studies on cupping.

One report, published in 2015 in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, notes that it could help with acne, herpes zoster, and pain management.

That’s similar to the findings from a 2012 report, published in PLoS One. Australian and Chinese researchers reviewed 135 studies on cupping. They concluded that cupping therapy may be effective when people also get other treatments, like acupuncture or medications, for various diseases and conditions, such as:

• Herpes zoster
• Acne
• Facial paralysis
• Cervical spondylosis

But those researchers noted many of the studies they reviewed could have been biased and that better studies are needed.

The British Cupping Society says that cupping therapy is used to treat:

• Blood disorders such as anemia and hemophilia
• Rheumatic diseases such as arthritis and fibromyalgia
• Fertility and gynecological disorders
• Skin problems such as eczema and acne
• High blood pressure
• Migraines
• Anxiety and depression
• Bronchial congestion caused by allergies and asthma
• Varicose veins

There isn’t research to back all of that up.

Cupping is fairly safe, as long as you go to a trained health professional. But you could have these side effects in the area where the cups touch your skin:

• Mild discomfort
• Burns
• Bruises
• Skin infection

If the cups and equipment become contaminated with blood and are not sterilized correctly between patients, bloodborne diseases such as hepatitis B and C can be spread.

Talk with your doctor before you start cupping or any other type of alternative or complementary medicine. And talk extensively with your cupping therapist, too, before you try it. Ask:

• What conditions do they use cupping for?
• What is your training?
• What is your experience in using it?
• Am I already getting the standard treatments for my condition?
• Are there reasons I should not get cupping?

Top Picks

Fatigue Is Dangerous: Understand the Harmful Effects and Learn How to Manage Your Exhaustion

• Fatigue can be described as a state of exhaustion, which often results from overworking yourself mentally or physically.
• Large amounts of stress and anxiety that aren’t properly handled, as well as feeling bored or stuck, can lead to your feeling fatigued.
• Fatigue can have some pretty harmful effects from reduced concentration to irritability, reckless risk-taking, poor work quality, and even falling asleep behind the wheel.
• The aforementioned side effects signify the importance of recognizing fatigue and doing what you can to manage it.
• To properly manage your fatigue you should identify its source, get proper rest, engage in stress-relieving activities, and prioritize your overall health.

*Anna Lexi is a health enthusiast and blogger. She hopes to inform her readers of health concerns that they may not be aware of and provide solutions to help them. When she isn’t writing about health she can be found running.

Fatigue, or the state of feeling extremely tired, stems from several possible causes. The most direct causes of fatigue are lack of proper sleep and being either mentally or physically overworked. Other possible causes are prolonged periods of stress and anxiety, as well as being stuck in boring and/or repetitive tasks.

Being a workaholic is another definitive way to eventually suffer from regular bouts of fatigue. That’s why it’s important to slow down and remember to get sufficient rest, as a way to combat workaholism and the fatigue that can result. Because while being addicted to work might translate to some productivity-related benefits, there’s a huge chance that this will result in some form of chronic fatigue in the long run, which will ultimately harm your productivity.

Understanding the Harmful Effects of Fatigue

Apart from exhaustion or excessive sleepiness (including microsleeping), fatigue may also manifest as…

• Reduced concentration
• Impaired memory
• Irritability
• Depression
• Lack of motivation
• Headaches
• Lack of appetite
• Digestive problems
• Impaired resistance to illness or disease
• Reckless risk-taking

In short, untreated fatigue can reduce a worker’s ability to make sound decisions, communicate with others, or maintain focus and attention on the tasks at hand. Ultimately, this may result in more worker errors, absenteeism, and sick leaves. Certain accidents or unfortunate incidents, particularly in the heavy duty industries, can also be traced back to fatigue. If this work environment sounds familiar to you it is important to see a doctor, and find ways to stay alert and safe.

Irreversible Ramifications on the Road

Additionally, research via the CCOHS reveals that fatigue has an even deadlier effect on the road. The perception impairment that’s associated with a lack of sleep is directly comparable with the same impairment that’s associated with blood alcohol levels. Being awake for 21 hours straight for instance could impair your senses as much as having a blood alcohol level of 0.08%, which is the legal limit for driving while intoxicated in most US states.

This is the reason why the government brought in the ELD Mandate. It’s a new law that now requires all heavy trucks to install Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) that record hours of service in order to prevent over-driving on our roads and highways. Verizon Connect details how ELDs provide automated timesheets that allow fleet operators to know exactly when their employees start work, take breaks, and stop working for the day. This allows the trucking industry to ensure that not a single truck on the road is being operated by a fatigued driver, thereby increasing road safety on a national level.

Don’t Waste Any More Time: Manage Chronic Fatigue

The only way to manage or eliminate chronic fatigue is to deal with its main sources: over-work, stress, lack of sleep, unsatisfying work conditions, or any combination of these factors. The good news is that this can be done in a number of ways. Talk to your company to see if they offer health benefits like gym or yoga memberships to employees. The benefits of moderate to strenuous exercise in improving sleep patterns are well-documented. Meanwhile, in the diet department, consult a nutritionist to ensure that you’re eating healthy. Whatever you put in your body definitely factors into how well you can process stress and other sources of fatigue.

If these methods don’t work for you, it’s time to talk to a professional. Ask your doctor, nutritionist, or physical trainer about lifestyle changes that can help manage chronic fatigue and its symptoms.

What is chronic fatigue and how it manifests itself

Survival instructions

Dmitry Kozachenko

July 19, 2017 16:34

Together with neurologist Dmitry Ivanov “Afisha Daily”
understands what overwork is, what chronic fatigue can lead to and why it is more serious than we think.

What is overwork

Overwork occurs due to a long lack of rest. In the International Classification of Diseases, overwork is described as “a state of exhaustion of vitality.”

Overwork can be physical and mental. With physical overwork in the muscles, there is a deficiency of the actin substance myosin, which is necessary for the contraction of muscle fibers. In addition, lactic acid accumulates, which causes pain. All this does not allow the muscles to contract in the truest sense of the word. In this case, rest will help.

The cause of mental fatigue can be a combination of high intellectual and emotional stress with a low level of physical activity – this is especially true for residents of megacities. Mental overwork is much more dangerous than physical overwork. During serious intellectual stress, stress hormones accumulate, the purpose of which is to increase the heart rate and increase blood pressure. Stress hormones should only be produced during times of stress, but when overtired, they are constantly produced and accumulated. Because of the accumulated stress, a person begins to get sick.

What is chronic fatigue syndrome

Overwork can develop into chronic fatigue syndrome. If, with overwork, a person can go on vacation for two weeks and feel better after it, then the fatigue syndrome is not eliminated even after a long rest.

There is no such thing as chronic physical fatigue: today we unloaded three wagons of coal, but tomorrow we simply won’t be able to unload the same amount, so we’ll rest. Chronic fatigue is the result of mental fatigue. Mental activity can be stimulated – for example, coffee and energy drinks, and this aggravates the condition.

Why it’s dangerous

Chronic fatigue syndrome can cause depression, bipolar disorder, an increase in infectious diseases and allergic reactions, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract with exacerbation of existing diseases. The nervous system occupies a dominant position in the body, so an imbalance can occur in any organ, and this will manifest itself in a complex way. The diagnosis is not always determined immediately: chronic fatigue has common features with a number of other diseases, including cancer.

5 signs that you have chronic fatigue

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease that a doctor must diagnose in order to prescribe treatment. Unfortunately, many symptoms of chronic fatigue go unnoticed because people usually do not realize the danger of overwork or cannot break out of their usual rhythm of life. But there are several common signs, upon detection of which it is necessary to contact a neurologist.

Your productivity has halved.

You used to be able to easily make ten reports a day, but now you can hardly get five. After a meeting with colleagues, you feel killed, and the next two days you come to your senses. You began to notice that you were losing your concentration: you had to check several times what was previously done on the machine. Until recently, you could easily cook dinner after work, go to an exhibition, and then walk your dog, but now even the way home is given as climbing Everest.

Your muscles and joints hurt, and not from playing sports

You catch up with a departing bus and then your body hurts like you’ve run a half marathon. You are especially concerned about pain in large joints: knee, elbow, hip. “Flying” pains are very characteristic: today one knee hurts, tomorrow – elbows, the day after tomorrow – the other knee, and so constantly. You went to the doctor, performed x-rays and computed tomography of the joints: the results indicate the absence of pathology, but any movement still causes pain.

Also a headache

Everyone can have a headache, but for the last six months you have had it almost every day. The nature of the pain has changed: it has become pulsating, and at certain points there is a feeling as if this place had been hit with a hammer. Headache does not go away after taking drugs that previously brought relief. You stopped going to a bar with friends and even forgot about your hangover, but nothing changes.

Bad sleep has become commonplace for you

The central nervous and autonomic systems rest during sleep. The amount of sleep varies from person to person, but the general recommendation is to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep. The most important thing is to sleep at night, at night. At this time, melatonin is produced – one of the main hormones that is responsible for the daily rhythm, has anti-stress and immunostimulating effects. During the day, no matter how you cover the curtains, trying to create darkness, it will not help. Melatonin deficiency may also contribute to the development of depression.

You go to bed, but toss and turn and cannot fall asleep, and when you have to get up for work, it turns out that you have not yet fallen asleep. Or you fall asleep, but open your eyes sharply – it seems to you that you slept for a day, but in fact 30 minutes, and so on all night. Your partner complains that you twitch, flinch, or talk in your sleep. You wake up in the morning feeling very tired.

Your memory has deteriorated

You met a person, but after two minutes you do not remember his name. Forget when is the birthday of your parents, grandmother and close friends. It seems that it seems to be nothing serious, but in fact, memory impairment leads to a decrease in the quality of life. You forget simple things – this indicates that your nervous system does not have time to remember and process information. Long-term memory also suffers: you used to know how to build a table in Excel, but now you don’t remember where to enter the formula.

How to get rid of overwork and prevent chronic fatigue syndrome

– Rest – no matter how trite it may sound. You should not once again agree to overtime work and, moreover, refuse to take a vacation. You can’t work after work either.

— Go in for sports. Even a 20-minute fitness at home will help unload the brain.

— Do not self-medicate. According to the signs described above, it is impossible to make a diagnosis on your own. For example, an increase in blood pressure against the background of a headache may indicate a problem in the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and not chronic fatigue. For diagnosis, a doctor’s consultation is necessary.

– In Russia, not everyone knows about chronic fatigue syndrome. Perhaps the clinic will prescribe treatment for you, but the diagnosis will be marked differently – for example, as a migraine.

— Chronic fatigue syndrome is treated on an outpatient basis or in health centers. Chronic fatigue is not treated in hospitals of neurological departments. Previously, with a diagnosis, one could go to neurosis clinics, where there were psychiatrists, psychotherapists and neurologists. Now more often people end up in a psychiatric hospital when fatigue develops into depression.

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Dmitry Ivanov

what is the danger of overwork and how to distinguish it from fatigue?

The feeling of fatigue overtakes us every day – in the evening after work, during a difficult sports training, during prolonged mental stress, etc. There can be many reasons. But often people confuse the concepts of “fatigue” and “overwork”. While fatigue is a temporary general exhaustion of the body, from which it is quite easy to recover, overwork is a much more serious and dangerous condition that can provoke a number of diseases. What causes overwork, how to deal with it and what it actually threatens – Mir24.tv found out from a doctor.

“Work, urgent matters, irrational nutrition, inability to properly rest and allocate one’s time, an abundance of negative information can lead to chronic fatigue. Fatigue – a condition in which there is a decrease in efficiency, a deterioration in well-being caused by a person’s labor activity – can be temporary. We usually call it fatigue,” explains Maria Menshikova, therapist and senior medical consultant at Teledoctor24.

• How often do you feel that you have run out of strength, feel weak?
• Have you found yourself forgetting the simplest things?
• Do you experience insomnia or, conversely, drowsiness?
• Suddenly there is shortness of breath in the usual situation of climbing stairs?
• Palpitations, nervousness, difficulty with self-control?

All of these are possible signs of chronic fatigue .

“Such manifestations are non-specific and may indicate the initial stages of many diseases of the cardiovascular system, the nervous system. Please note that there are several stages of fatigue. From simple fatigue after a hard day’s work, which does not affect the next day, to severe fatigue with a significant decrease in productivity and the manifestation of all signs of fatigue, which can turn into overwork,” says Maria Menshikova.

It is important to distinguish between “fatigue” and “overwork”. Overwork is chronic fatigue, also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) . In addition to overwork itself, this includes:

• decreased memory and ability to concentrate;
• pharyngitis;
• swollen lymph nodes in the neck and axilla;
• unexplained muscle pain;
• joint pain with swelling and no redness of the skin;
• sleep problems;
• inability to restore working capacity and mood within 24 hours.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is difficult to diagnose because it has no specific symptoms. First, your doctor will have to rule out all other possible diseases. The criterion for diagnosis is chronic fatigue lasting six months or more and 4-8 of the symptoms listed above. CFS is often accompanied by depression, the doctor emphasizes.

“There is such a thing in medicine – “the place of least resistance”. That is why we react differently to external influences. Someone complains of stomach problems, someone of insomnia and emotional disturbances. And someone is worried about the region of the heart.

There is probably no need to remind you that the heart is the main muscle, that it never rests. And that all our experiences, all emotions, diseases that have occurred – everything affects not only the heart, but also the whole body, ”says Maria Menshikova.

If you constantly feel tired, try to be as gentle as possible, lead a healthy lifestyle and avoid negative information that is accompanied by strong emotional overtones.