Ancient Remedy Leaves Its Mark on Tolucans

A few weeks ago I used a Groupon certificate to.   As I was leaving the Alternative Health Care Concepts office on Riverside Drive I noticed a table full of glass and plastic bell jars. I asked Christine Marino, my new alternative health advisor, what they were for. 

She explained the ancient Asian art of cupping. Many of her patients swear by it.  Cupping began in ancient China where bamboo cups were boiled and applied to the skin, causing the skin and underlying tissue to be drawn to the cup. Later, cups made of glass were heated over a flame before application. The heat reduces the amount of oxygen in the cups, which causes suction when placed on the skin. Blood flows to the area, supposedly easing obstructions that cause pain and increasing circulation to help speed healing and reduce inflammation.

A treatment related to acupuncture, cupping is believed to unblock congested energy, or qi. It has been used to relieve everything from back pain and digestive problems to the common cold.

I thought I would give it a try since I’ve been having some joint and back pain.

Christine began by heating the inside of the cups and quickly placing them on my back.  Initially, the cups cause a pinching and pulling sensation which goes away after a few minutes. This process is called stationary cupping. The cups are left on for about fifteen minutes. I caught a view of my back and at first glance it seemed like a form of medieval torture. Under the cups were discolored circular lesions where the blood had risen to the skin. Once the jars were taken off, most of my previous back pain had diminished.

Other patients receive moving cupping where the skin is lubricated with oil and a single plastic cup is slid in long rectangular patterns.

The marks left from cupping procedures go away within a few days, but often the results last for much longer. I was free of back pain for several weeks after my visit.