Chinese medicine isn't just about acupuncture. The art of cupping has a long history of being used for therapeutic reasons in Asia, Europe and North America. Many Greeks and Italians may remember their grandparents having an old set of cups and many Asian nationalities know what it's like to be cupped at home by a parent or grandparent.

 

Cupping is believed to have originated from the idea of sucking out the poisons or a way of clearing evil energies from the body. An animal horn was used in ancient times but then progressed to bamboo cups and eventually glass cups were created. 

 

Glass cups are most commonly used today and a flame is used to burn out the oxygen inside the cup forming a vacuum and allowing the cup to create suction when placed against the skin. The cups are then left in place on the body or the practitioner may slide the cup over a specific part of the body. 

 

Cupping can leave marks on the body that look like bruises but are not like a true injury. In a person that has a lot of tension, there tends to be more colour than in a person with less tension. Ideally, treatment continues a few times until no more colour comes to the surface. Cupping is very safe when carried out by an experienced practitioner.

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Melbourne Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Clinic offers a range of services. Please contact us for more information.