There are also certain areas, such as the lower abdomen, lower back and certain acupuncture points, that should not be cupped on pregnant women. And be warned! Cupping will leave slight bruising. Patients are often well advised about this by their practitioner so that they aren't surprised or scared when it happens.
Preventable adverse events of cupping therapy include scarring, burns, bullae, abscesses, blood-borne and skin infections, pruritus, anemia, and panniculitis.
The days of Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday are considered the best days for Hijama according to the noble Prophetic tradition. Moreover, the Prophet advised us not to perform cupping on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and especially on Wednesdays.
It is not recommended for people with liver, kidney or heart failure or those with a pacemaker. As well, it can't be used if you have hemophilia, anemia or similar blood disorders, heart disease or are on blood thinners. “If pregnant, it has been advised to avoid cupping to the abdomen and lower back,” Ebinger said.
The cups are commonly placed on areas with abundant muscles. The back is the most common site of application, followed by the chest, abdomen, buttocks, and legs. Other areas, such as the face, may also be treated by cupping.
It shouldn't be done over areas of edema, large blood vessels, or varicose veins. It shouldn't be performed on pregnant women. In addition, people who are easy bleeders, have any kind of bleeding disorder, or are taking blood thinners, shouldn't be cupped.
It pulls stagnant blood, lymph, cellular debris, and toxins to the surface of the skin, helping to clear them from the body's tissues. It also removes substances that might contribute to pain and inflammation, possibly including metabolic wastes and other byproducts from the fluid between cells.
“The suction from cupping breaks capillaries, which is why not infrequently there are bruises left in the shape of the cups afterward…. If you repeatedly injure the same area of skin over time … by placing the cups in exactly the same place over and over again, the skin there can actually die.”
Local Contraindications
Cupping work should not occur over certain areas due to: Recent cuts or burns (ex: sunburns, kitchen cuts/burns) Healing scars. Skin tags and large moles.
In fact, your cupping therapist will probably tell you to avoid taking a shower right after your session. The reason? – Your pores will be opened for a few hours after the cups are removed, and exposure to hot water and soap could lead to damage or infection.
It's normal to feel a little feverish after a cupping session. When you loosen the built up toxins in your body, they are carried by the blood to your lymphatic system for removal. This is essentially the same process your body goes through when you are battling a minor illness like a cold.
Cupping can cause side effects such as persistent skin discoloration, scars, burns, and infections, and may worsen eczema or psoriasis. Rare cases of severe side effects have been reported, such as bleeding inside the skull (after cupping on the scalp) and anemia from blood loss (after repeated wet cupping).
Critics of alternative medicine have spoken out against cupping therapy. Harriet Hall and Mark Crislip have characterized cupping as "pseudoscience nonsense", "a celebrity fad", and "gibberish", and observed that there is no evidence that cupping works any better than a placebo.
- What They Mean: Dark red or purple marks are commonly associated with chronic conditions, indicating long-term stagnation of blood or a buildup of toxins in the area. These marks suggest that there has been restricted blood flow or tension in the muscles for an extended period.
Cross fiber friction, trigger point release and myofacial release techniques are great for breaking down those knots. Another modality that is great for these "knots" is cupping. Cupping is a technique of creating a suction in a cup that is applied to the tissue.
Avoid placing cups on the front of the neck. This is where your Carotid artery and your trachea are, and is unsafe for placement. Never leave cups on for more than 15 mins in a single spot. Do not place cups over open wounds.
There are also certain areas, such as the lower abdomen, lower back and certain acupuncture points, that should not be cupped on pregnant women. And be warned! Cupping will leave slight bruising. Patients are often well advised about this by their practitioner so that they aren't surprised or scared when it happens.
Additionally, it has been proposed that cupping may play a role in reducing inflammation. The treated areas of blood vessels by cupping can stimulate the release of NO from endothelial cells, reducing inflammation by enhancing blood flow to body tissues.
Can cupping therapy cause blood clots? There's no conclusive evidence, but some believe it's a risk. Experts warn to avoid cupping if your skin is scraped, oozing, or infected, as this can increase the chance of blood clotting. Also, if you're on a blood thinner or have heart disease, you shouldn't do cupping therapy.
The author indicated that the absolute value of negative pressure should not exceed −375 mmHg (−0.05 MPa), which may be harmful to the tissues. For example, negative pressure at −450 mmHg (−0.06 MPa) is considered too large and may harm the soft tissue within the cupping cup.
Cupping therapy can be done as often as necessary. For most people, cupping therapy is done once a week. However, if you are using cupping therapy for pain relief, you may need to do it more often. Some people find that they need cupping therapy two to three times a week to get relief from their pain.
The suction force from cupping breaks open tiny blood vessels called capillaries under your skin. You'll have red, round cupping therapy marks that should fade in a week or two. Although these marks will look like bruises, they're not true bruises that injure muscle fibers.
A randomized controlled trial from China also reported cupping could reduce waist circumference and BMI and lower the level of TC and TG in obese patient. A network meta-analysis from Korea showed cupping plus acupressure was optimal for BMI reduction compared with non-treatment in childhood simple obesity.
What is Severe Stagnation. In Cupping Therapy severe stagnation can be determined by the aforementioned dark purple mark. This usually indicates that the injury or ailment is not new and it's been left alone for long periods of time. The injury will therefore require more time to clear the stagnation.