How does cupping work? The suction associated with cupping is what makes the therapy work. This is due to the difference in pressure, for example, the low pressure inside the cup caused by the presence of fire or pumping action.

Different grades of suction are used in cupping, sometimes up to five types, and are essential in the treatment of a patient’s condition - especially when faced with an excess or deficiency in the body. The practitioner recognises what is needed and either uses the cups to tonify and strengthen a particular organ, meridian, body region or energy – or to disperse and minimise a particular condition.

Using the cups heavy-handedly is not always the most optimal approach. Sometimes the softest and most gentle pressure or suction is far more effective. A fundamental holistic understanding of the body, as well as its anatomy, physiology and energetic-based principles are essential.

The suction force generated while cupping helps focus and activate the body’s natural self-healing process by drawing fluid, nutrients, oxygen and energy to the area under treatment.

Oils are often used and chosen for their healing properties. In certain cases, small incisions or pin pricks can be made in the skin, and the cups applied, whereby blood is letted, which is a technique and skill that predates acupuncture. Moxa can be used with cupping to warm and stimulate an area of cold, weakness or stagnation.

Cupping influences the movement of fluid, energy and conditions, such as wind, dryness, dampness, cold, heat and their manifestations such as phlegm. Therefore it is a proven therapy for respiratory illnesses and digestive disorders.

Cupping is used for relieving pain, improving circulation, releasing stagnation, softening tissue, treating infection and detoxifying the body. It can speed up the healing process because of its direct and immediate stimulation of the body.

Cups are typically made of glass, bone, bamboo, silicon or plastic. They can be left to stand for 15-20 minutes or used in sliding cup massage.

A typical side effect of cupping is the discoloration of the skin after the removal of cups. There are many ways to interpret the discoloration but in general it signals the condition of our internal environment (stagnation, heat, damp, cold) and how this condition has been drawn to the surface to be released.

Sliding cup massage along the iliotibial band, achilles, hamstrings, calves, quads, glutes, hips, lower back, feet, etc., has a similar effect on the body as foam rolling: it minimises and reduces fatigue, soreness and tightness, calms the nervous system, refreshes the body, breaks down and transports away any hard or soft build up of waste.

Posted by Jasmin on Dec 31, 2025