Cupping Therapy

For patients who want to find alternatives to pharmaceutical pain relief, cupping therapy has a lot to offer. Dr. Shangyou Zhong offers cupping therapy as one of many treatments at Sunyo Acupuncture Center, with offices in San Juan Capistrano and Santa Monica, California. Booking a visit today brings you one step closer to relief. Call the office or request an appointment online today. 

How does cupping therapy work?

Cupping therapy is an ancient healing method that uses suction to draw blood to or from specific areas of the body. It gets its name from the small treatment cups placed on your skin and attached to a source of suction. 

Cupping increases circulation to the targeted area, which can have several positive effects. Healing requires good circulation, as does managing localized swelling. 

Dr. Zhong places the cups on the surface of your skin. The suction device then gently pulls your skin upward into the cups, which are left in place for a short period. Even after the cups are removed, circulation in the area remains strong, creating lasting improvements. 

Your skin will remain raised in the shape of the treatment cups for a while after your sessions. Cupping creates broken capillaries in the skin that are pulled into the cups. After treatment, you’ll see redness that looks like bruising, but this skin discoloration will quickly fade.  

What kinds of conditions can benefit from cupping therapy?

Cupping therapy is primarily used as a pain management technique. Some of the issues that bring people in for cupping treatments include:

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Knee pain
• Arthritis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• High blood pressure
• Headaches and migraines

As you can see, cupping has the potential to alleviate various health issues. It’s often used in conjunction with other therapies, such as acupuncture, massage therapy, and Chinese herbal medicine. 

How do I know if I’m a good candidate for cupping therapy?

Cupping therapy does not require any form of anesthesia or drug therapy. It also requires no surgical intervention. This makes it a very accessible treatment that is a good fit for many people. 

You can try cupping even if you cannot tolerate pain medication, or if you’ve tried other treatments and failed to achieve the desired results. Cupping is an option for adults of all ages, and older teens can also give it a try. 

Because of the relatively low risk of side effects, cupping is considered a safe option for virtually everyone. The best way to learn more about how cupping therapy might align with your treatment needs and goals is to schedule a visit with Sunyo Acupuncture Center. Call the office or request an appointment online today.