Dry Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy is an ancient form alternative therapy which dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese and middle Eastern cultures. During cupping therapy therapists apply glass, bamboo or silicone cups to the skin for a few minutes to create suction.

How does Dry Cupping work?

Initially the vacuum application of the cup pulls blood into an area. This leads to the effected tissue becoming saturated with fresh blood. This saturation can often leave a circular mark, which is consistent with a hicky or love bite mark. However, this usually disappears after a day or so and happens to a lesser extent on subsequent treatments.

Neovascularisation (new blood vessel formation), occurs in response to blood being draw into the tissue. This leads to an increase in nutrient and oxygen content within the localised area.

Due to the vacuum effect, the soft tissue often experiences micro-trauma and separation between the tissue layers. The body responds to this micro-trauma by stimulating an inflammatory response, which is the natural process of healing. During this stage, the body releases chemicals such as white blood cells, platelets and fibroblasts to initiate healing.

Finally, the stretch that is produced in the soft tissue and fascia leads to a relaxation effect within the muscle, which results improved range of motion and performance.