16554 Cupping

Overview

Cupping is a type of complementary therapy. It means placing special cups on your skin and creating suction, so the skin and the tissue just beneath it are gently pulled upward into the cup. Practitioners usually offer it to try to ease muscle tightness, stiffness and pain. Cupping has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine and in some Middle Eastern, Asian and other cultures. Today you can find it in spas, complementary therapy clinics and sometimes in physiotherapy or sports settings. There are two main types: dry cupping, where cups are simply placed on the skin, and wet cupping (sometimes called hijama), where the skin is lightly scratched or pricked and a small amount of blood is drawn into the cup.

Yes. Cupping is popular around the world and is often in the news when athletes and celebrities are seen with round marks on their backs. Surveys suggest many people try it at least once, usually for muscle or joint pain.

Anyone can try cupping, but it is most often used by adults with ongoing back, neck, shoulder or knee pain, by athletes as part of recovery routines, and by people looking for a relaxing complementary therapy. It is generally not recommended for very young children, and older adults need extra care because skin becomes thinner and bruises more easily with age.

Symptoms

Common symptoms

• Muscle tightness, stiffness or aching, especially in the back, neck and shoulders.
• Joint or general body aches that have not fully settled with other approaches.
• Headaches or tension-type discomfort, which some people try cupping for.
• Feeling stressed, tense or worn out, or wanting to relax.
• Muscle soreness after exercise or sport.
• After a session, round marks on the skin, mild tenderness in the treated area, and sometimes a temporary feeling of light-headedness or relaxation.

Symptoms in children

• Cupping is not generally recommended for babies and young children, whose skin is thinner and more easily damaged.
• Children cannot always explain pain or discomfort during a session, so there is a higher risk of burns or injury.
• If you are considering any complementary therapy for a child, speak to their doctor or nurse first.
• For children, pain and stress are usually better assessed and managed with standard medical care.

Symptoms in older adults

• Skin becomes thinner and more fragile with age, so marks and soreness may be more noticeable and slower to settle.
• Bruising is more likely, especially for people taking blood-thinning medicines.
• Conditions such as diabetes can slow healing and raise the risk of infection, particularly with wet cupping.
• It is worth checking with your doctor or pharmacist before trying cupping, especially if you take several medicines.

Causes

Main causes

• People usually try cupping because of pain that has not fully improved with rest, physiotherapy or standard care, most often in the back, neck or shoulders.
• Some people use it to manage stress, tiredness or tension, or simply to relax.
• Athletes sometimes include it in recovery routines between training sessions.
• In some families and communities, cupping is a long-standing tradition passed down through generations.
• Wider interest from sport and social media has also made cupping more visible and more widely tried.

Risk factors

• Taking blood-thinning medicines or having a bleeding disorder, which makes bruising and bleeding more likely.
• Skin that is broken, sunburnt, infected, inflamed or very thin.
• Diabetes or poor circulation, which can slow healing and increase infection risk.
• Pregnancy, as some practitioners avoid certain areas such as the belly and lower back.
• A tendency to form keloid or raised scars.
• Having cupping from someone who is not trained, or where equipment is reused without proper cleaning and sterilising.
• Very young age, or frailty and thin skin in older age.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor urgently if:

• You have signs of infection at a treatment site, such as spreading redness, heat, swelling, pus or fever.
• You have a burn, blister or broken skin from cupping.
• You fainted or felt very unwell during or after a session.
• Bruising is large, spreading or not settling, especially if you take blood thinners.
• You have severe or worsening pain after treatment.

Book a routine appointment if:

• You want to know whether cupping is safe for you given your health conditions or medicines.
• You are pregnant or trying to conceive and are thinking about cupping.
• You have pain that is not improving after several sessions, or that keeps coming back.
• You are thinking about wet cupping and want to understand the infection risks.
• You have diabetes, a skin condition or a healing problem and are considering cupping.
• You are unsure whether a practitioner is properly trained and registered.

Diagnosis

Cupping is a treatment, not a condition, so there is no test that 'diagnoses' it. What matters is what happens before a session. A trained practitioner should ask about your health, your medicines and any allergies, look at the skin where the cups will go, and explain the risks and what the marks will look like. Your doctor can also help you work out whether cupping is a sensible add-on to your care, and whether your pain needs to be checked for an underlying cause first.

Tests that may be done

• A short health and medication questionnaire before treatment.
• A visual check of your skin for cuts, rashes, bruising or infection.
• A conversation about allergies, pregnancy, bleeding problems and long-term conditions.
• Your doctor may arrange standard tests, such as a physical examination or imaging, if you have ongoing pain that has not been properly assessed.

What to expect at your appointment

A typical session lasts between 20 and 40 minutes. You lie down and the practitioner places cups on the area being treated. The cups may be plastic with a hand pump, glass with a flame used briefly to remove air, or silicone. You may feel a strong pulling or tightness, which usually settles. Cups are often left for 5 to 15 minutes, and sometimes moved gently across the skin with oil. Afterwards, round marks are normal. You can usually go back to your day straight away, though the area may feel tender for a day or two.

Treatment

Cupping is a complementary therapy, which means it is used alongside standard medical care rather than instead of it. It is not a cure for any condition. Most practitioners suggest a short course of sessions, often one or two a week for a few weeks, and then review whether it has helped. The evidence is strongest, though still limited, for short-term relief of back and neck pain; for most other uses the research is too weak to be sure. The most important 'treatment' decision is whether cupping is safe for you and whether your underlying pain has been properly checked.

Self-care at home

• Keep the treated area clean and dry, and wash gently with mild soap and water.
• Avoid sunbathing, sunbeds, hot baths and saunas for a day or two after treatment.
• Do not scratch or pick at the marks, and avoid tight clothing rubbing on them.
• Use a plain moisturiser if the skin feels dry or tight, but not on broken skin.
• Rest if you feel light-headed, and drink water as normal.
• Keep up any physiotherapy exercises or movement plan your clinician has given you.
• Tell your practitioner straight away if a mark becomes hot, painful or starts to weep.

Medical treatments

Cupping itself is the treatment being described. If you are using it for pain, the strongest approach is to combine it with evidence-based care: a proper assessment, advice on staying active, physiotherapy, and pain relief recommended by your doctor or pharmacist. Never stop a prescribed medicine because you are having cupping. If you take blood thinners, ask your doctor before any treatment that breaks the skin. Choose a practitioner who is trained, insured and registered with a recognised professional body, ask how equipment is cleaned, and check that single-use items are genuinely new. If sessions are not helping after a few weeks, it is worth reviewing the plan with your doctor rather than continuing indefinitely.

When is surgery considered?

Surgery is not relevant to cupping as a therapy. However, if you have ongoing pain caused by a condition that might need an operation, such as a damaged joint, your doctor will discuss surgical options separately from any complementary therapy you choose.

Living with this condition

Cupping is usually something you dip in and out of rather than a daily routine. If you have sessions, plan them around work, sport and social events, since the marks can be visible for a couple of weeks. Loose clothing helps if the treated area is on your back or shoulders. Many people find it useful to keep a simple note of their pain and how they feel before and after sessions, so they can see honestly whether it is making a difference.

Lifestyle tips

• Stay generally active, with gentle movement and stretching most days, as this is well proven for back and neck pain.
• Build sleep and rest into your week, since tiredness makes pain feel worse.
• Learn a relaxation or breathing technique you can use when you feel tense.
• Set up your desk, chair and screen so you are not straining your neck and shoulders.
• Pace heavier activities rather than doing everything in one burst.
• Choose a qualified, insured practitioner and ask about hygiene before booking.

Diet and exercise

No diet or exercise plan is specific to cupping. But if you are using cupping for muscle or joint pain, regular gentle activity, strength work and stretching are among the best-supported things you can do, along with a balanced diet and enough fluids. Build activity up gradually rather than all at once. If exercise makes pain much worse or causes new symptoms, get it checked by a clinician rather than pushing through.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing

Ongoing pain and tension can wear you down, and it is understandable to look for something that helps you feel better. Some people find complementary therapies relaxing, and that sense of being cared for can be genuinely supportive. But cupping is not a treatment for anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions. If low mood, worry or stress is affecting your daily life, please talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, contact your local emergency number or a crisis helpline in your country straight away.

Prevention

Cupping is a therapy, not an illness, so there is nothing to prevent in the usual sense. What you can do is lower the chance of harm. Choose a properly trained and insured practitioner, ask how cups are cleaned and whether single-use items are used, and tell them about your medicines, allergies, pregnancy and any skin problems. Avoid cupping on broken, sunburnt or infected skin, and never use home cupping kits on yourself or others without proper training. If you have a health condition, check with your doctor first.

Screening programmes

There is no screening test for cupping. The nearest thing is a careful health check before treatment, covering your medical history, medicines, allergies and skin. This matters most if you take blood thinners, have diabetes, are pregnant or have a bleeding disorder.

Complications

If left untreated

• Cupping is optional, so choosing not to have it is a perfectly reasonable decision and carries no risk.
• The bigger concern is delaying proper assessment of pain that has an underlying cause, or relying on cupping instead of effective treatment.
• Possible harms from cupping itself include bruising and soreness, burns or blisters from heat or faulty equipment, infection (especially with wet cupping), scarring, and fainting during a session.

Long-term outlook

For most people, the marks fade and any soreness settles within days to a few weeks. Some people find cupping helps them feel looser and more comfortable for a while; others notice no difference, and that is useful information too. If you have ongoing pain, the most hopeful path is a combined one: a proper diagnosis, staying active, physiotherapy where appropriate, and treatments your clinician recommends. Complementary therapy can sit alongside that plan, as long as it is safe for you and you review honestly whether it is helping.

Find support

External links open third-party websites. Ruqelo Health is not responsible for external content. Listing an organisation does not imply endorsement.