Cupping is an ancient Chinese therapy used to improve circulation, relieve pain, and draw out toxins from the body tissues.

Glass, bamboo or silicone cups are used, with a vacuum being created with a brief dab of a naked flame or squeezing before they are placed on the skin.

For larger, less bony, muscular areas glass or bamboo cups tend to be used since they are difficult to apply outside of this profile. Silicone cups provide much greater flexibility and can be used in areas where glass or bamboo cups would not adhere, for example neck, hips, knees, or even feet.

The vacuum causes the cup to tightly adhere to the skin decompressing the area to which it is applied. This opens up the spaces between the tissues and clears blockages, referred to as stagnation, in the flow of blood or Qi, identified in Chinese medicine as the primary causes of muscular or joint pain.

Depending on the condition being treated the cups may be left where they are placed (fixed cupping) or moved around (running cupping); for running cupping the therapist will first lubricate the area to be covered with massage oil. The nature of the condition also determines the length of time which the cups are left on the skin. A tight sensation if felt in the area where the cup is placed, typically patients feel this to be relaxed and soothing.

The skin will turn red or purple, depending on the extent of the energetic blockage in the area, lasting from a few days to a couple of weeks and rarely causing any pain. Further cupping treatments will not take place until the marks have cleared.

Many conditions respond really well to Cupping including coughs, colds, flu, back, muscle and joint pain, poor circulation, anxiety, allergies, fever, and aches.

Cupping has attracted significant media attention in recent years due to celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Anniston turning up with red cupping marks showing. Further credence has been given to the therapy through testimonies of sports stars such as Tennis player Andy Murray and former Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps of it helping address injuries and improve performance.