What is cupping therapy and what are those round marks left behind afterwards?
Cupping therapy is a traditional Chinese medicine that in recent years has become a popular form of healing therapy used by many athletes and celebrities in the west. The cups are used to make negative pressure on the skin whether with fire or a pump. The skin, muscle, fascia and other soft tissue are then sucked into the cup causing vasodilation. This increases blood flow to the areas being treated. It’s been used to help recover from injury and pain by improving blood circulation. Cupping can also help people suffering from mental health issues like insomnia and anxiety among other things.
What are these round marks?
The marks left behind after a cupping session are often mistaken for bruises, this is not the case. These marks are not bruises however, they can be used to tell you a great deal about how far you’ve progressed in your treatment.
Meaning of Round Marks
The round marks left behind can let us know if your treatment is going well. Healthy blood circulation should result in a mild redness, it will signify that there is only a slight stagnation in the blood and there is overall good blood flow. When we begin to see marks resulting in this color, it’s likely that you are nearing the end of your treatment. If you still feel pain, perhaps you require another form of therapy like acupuncture or IV therapy.
If the resulting mark is pale or has no change, it can mean there is an imbalance in your circulation. This can also mean that a particular area is not functioning or performing properly.
Fair stagnation typically results in the round marks being pink or a light shade of red. Usually this means there is an accumulation of toxins near or around this area causing some pain. Blood flow is still good but you may still require some work to be done.
A red mark with dark spots shows that there is a large accumulation of toxins in the body. You may be experiencing pain and other symptoms. Don’t be alarmed, this just means you need more treatment.
Dark marks which have a purple color to them can mean there is severe stagnation of toxins. These are the parts of the body which require the most attention.
How Long Do The Marks Last?
Any discoloration of the surface of the skin is temporary, but depending on the range of colors produced by cupping will determine how long the marks will last. Typically, the lighter the color the quicker the mark will fade. The lightest colored marks such as light red or pink tend to fade a few hours after a cupping therapy session. The red cupping marks which signify a fair amount of stagnation will fade after a couple of days. The red marks with dark spots tend to take much longer to clear out but usually 3 days to a week. The deep red marks which can take as long as 2 weeks to completely fade.
These marks are normal after a cupping therapy session, and have nothing to worry about. Although many people will call them bruises, these marks don’t hurt. They are more along the line of a hickey, except performed by a specialist to help treat your ailments and pains.
Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine
Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health.
Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.
We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.
