What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine Cupping? 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, negative compression is applied to the body using cups to remove stagnation and stimulate the flow of qi. This treatment often results in the creation of red circular marks on the client. Meng et al. state that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) cupping that involves an “intensity of –0.04 MPa for 10 min during cupping has been reported to cause rupture of the capillaries and lead to ecchymosis. The greater the suction force, the greater the rupture, and the deeper the colour of the skin that had been cupped” (Meng et al., 2019). Ecchymosis is a word that describes the discoloration of the skin (the red circular marks) left by Traditional Chinese Medicine cupping.

TCM Cupping and formation of new lymphatic vessels

TCM cupping will not be covered in this class, but it does have an effect on the lymphatic system.  Researchers found that lymphatics in a mouse model were affected after TCM cupping. Meng et al. found that when mouse tails were exposed to a negative pressure of 0.4 MPa for 15 minutes, local vascular endothelial stem cells and lymphatic endothelial stem cells initiated lymphangiogenesis, but not new blood vessel formation” (Meng et al., 2019). 

Lymphatic Cupping does not strive to cause ecchymosis, but if ecchymosis occurs, it is not necessarily bad for the lymphatic system. 

Wet Cupping and Dry Cupping 

In the article ‘Dry cupping for musculoskeletal pain and range of motion: A systematic review and meta-analysis,’ Wood et al describe the difference between wet and dry cupping. In wet cupping, “superficial skin incisions are made using a surgical instrument to promote blood-letting” while “dry cupping does not involve incisions or penetrate the skin barrier” (Wood et al., 2020). I will only be covering dry cupping techniques in this class.