What the Cup?

Cupping. Perhaps you’ve seen people sporting those tell-tale round, brownish-red marks on their shoulders and arms. Or maybe you’ve already tried cupping, but aren’t sure what it’s all about. Allow us to fill you in with a crash course! 

Cupping is an ancient folk remedy hailing from China and the middle east, but it only gained prominence in the United States this century - Michael Phelps competing with visible cupping marks at the 2016 Olympics was the first time many Americans learned of the practice. The cups themselves can be made of glass, plastic or silicone, and they cause suction to the skin by creating negative pressure - a bit like a vacuum, actually.

Why would I want cupping?

While massage is compression-based, cupping lifts and decompresses. If you’re already getting massage, cupping introduces a novel stimulus to your nervous system. The brain loves variety! To that end, cupping can be static - left in one spot for up to several minutes; or dynamic - gliding on the targeted area much like a therapist’s hands would. Your therapist may use static, dynamic or both techniques in the session. If you find you prefer one over the other, let us know! The amount of suction from each cup also varies, so let your therapist know if something feels too intense or not strong enough. 

Those marks look like bruises. Are they bruises?

We’re going to get into hot water here with some massage therapists, but yes - the marks from cupping are bruises. Negative pressure from the cups stretches the skin and dilates capillaries, increasing blood flow. Eventually, the capillaries rupture, causing a bruise. There is no damage to any deeper tissues like muscles, and the marks generally go away within a few days. Factors affecting how much a person will bruise from cupping include amount and duration of suction, and genetics. Cupping might not be for you if you have any bleeding disorders, but otherwise it is widely regarded as a safe therapy for (almost) everyone. 

The mechanism of action for cupping isn’t well understood, unfortunately, so we can’t confidently say how it achieves its therapeutic effects. What we do know is that people report decreased pain and increased range of motion after receiving cupping therapy - much like they do from almost any kind of bodywork. In empirical studies, the term “nonspecific effects” is used when a client feels relief, but we can’t fully explain why. 

How can I try it?

Many, but not all of our therapists incorporate cupping into their practice. Call or text us and our studio managers can help you find the right therapist. Additionally, our therapist bios include some (but not all) of the modalities each therapist uses. When in doubt, feel free to reach out!