Do back cups really help with illnesses and improve well-being?

Cupping therapy is an alternative medicine technique in which small glass or plastic vessels are suctioned to the skin using a vacuum.

If simple glass jars are used, the oxygen inside is burned by placing a lit wick inside for a few seconds. In more modern models, the air is pumped out using a special pump after the can is placed on the body.

Cupping therapy: poylock19 / shutterstock.com

It is believed that external influence on the skin increases blood volume and the rate of capillary filtration, and pressure stimulates the outflow of lymph and removes excess fluid from tissues. In other words, blood flows faster through the vessels, supposedly cleansing the diseased area from inflammation and all sorts of harmful substances.

Cupping has a long history. This method was used in folk medicine of China, Egypt, Persia and other ancient countries, and then regained popularity in the modern world.

Cupping therapy attracted particular attention from the public after the 2016 Olympic Games. Famous swimmer Michael Phelps showed up with round bruises from cupping, and athletes picked up the trend, hoping to speed up recovery.

What is cupping therapy used for?

Like many other alternative medicine methods, cupping is used for almost any ailment you can think of.

Fans of this method believe that cupping will help alleviate the following diseases and conditions:

• Acute or chronic pain in the lower back and neck.
• Cervical spondylosis.
• Facial nerve paresis.
• Migraine.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Heavy menstrual bleeding.
• Digestive problems.
• Bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia.
• Eczema.

As for scientific evidence, it is scanty and ambiguous.

A 2015 Cochrane systematic review found that cupping therapy may help with shingles, acne, facial paresis, low back pain and cervical spondylosis, a degenerative disease of the cervical vertebrae.

The review authors noted that it is impossible to draw a firm conclusion because the studies demonstrating the effectiveness of cupping therapy are of low quality.

And since then no more reliable evidence has appeared. Thus, in a 2020 meta-analysis, scientists found that cupping helps with chronic pain better than no treatment. But when the effect was compared with placebo cupping – the same method, but without a vacuum, or with other procedures, the effect was insignificant.

In the end, the researchers noted that cupping, in principle, can be used to treat. But their effectiveness has not been proven because the quality of the scientific papers included in the review is poor.

In the most recent review from 2023, scientists checked as many as 14 meta-analyses and found that there were still no good studies.

The authors noted that cupping therapy may help with a variety of pain and herpes zoster, but all evidence was of moderate, low, or very low quality, and none of high quality.

Thus, despite the popularity of cupping therapy, its effectiveness has not yet been proven. Moreover, no one knows exactly why it works.

What theories explain how cans work?

There are several suggestions for how cupping therapy can help with pain and illness. We list the main theories:

1. Gate control theory of pain. Information about pain is transmitted to the central nervous system through thick and thin nerve fibers, which deliver signals differently. When cupping is placed on a person, pressure acts on one type of pain receptor, causing them to close the “pain gate”, so that other impulses, such as muscle or lower back pain, simply do not reach the brain .
2. Conditioned pain modulation. According to this theory, one type of pain can suppress or mask another. Thus, signals from cupping may relieve discomfort from another source.
3. Reflex zone theory. It is believed that different organs of the body are connected through nerves, muscles, and connective tissue. If you place cups, they will supposedly stimulate receptors in the skin and, through nerve connections, restore circulation in the affected organ.
4. Release of nitric acid. Cupping is supposed to stimulate the production of nitric acid, which speeds up blood flow and dilates blood vessels, improving blood circulation.
5. Activation of the immune system. It is believed that cupping may increase the production of immune-regulating substances and reduce the release of pro-inflammatory substances.

You must understand that these are only attempts to explain how banks can influence a person’s condition and provide some benefits.

So far, the only obvious and proven effect is the appearance of red spots after the procedure.

Can cupping therapy cause harm?

In general, cupping therapy is considered a safe method of alternative medicine, but it still has some side effects:

• hematomas in places where cups are placed;
• increased pain and tingling at the site of exposure;
• dizziness;
• worsening of psoriasisor eczema;
• nausea;
• increased sweating;
• scars on the skin.

If you place plastic jars, pumping out the air using a pump, skin damage is unlikely. Another thing is glass jars. If you accidentally heat the edge, the procedure may cause a burn, which will leave a scar at the site of exposure.

Who should not use banks

Cupping therapy is not recommended for the following diseases and conditions:

• children and old age;
• pregnancy;
• period;
• taking anticoagulants – medications that thin the blood;
• oncology;
• insufficiency of the function of individual organs;
• hemophilia and other blood diseases;
• presence of a pacemaker and other implanted electronic devices;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• acute infections;
• elevated cholesterollevels .

How to Try Cupping Safely

If the lack of reliable evidence doesn’t bother you, you can try cupping in addition to basic treatments.

But before you seek out a specialist, ask your doctor if you can use this alternative medicine method.

If the specialist approves, make an appointment with a massage therapist who knows where to place the cups. As a rule, they are placed on areas rich in muscle mass: the back, chest, abdomen and buttocks.

At the same time, areas over nerves, arteries, veins, varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, skin lesions and inflamed areas, body orifices, and lymph nodes are avoided.