Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy is a treatment modality option that may help manage pain, tension and injury. Your osteopath can use cupping during your treatment in conjunction with a holistic osteopathic treatment approach. The most common forms of cupping in the allied health space are fire cupping and vacuum cupping with a handheld device. At The Reform Lab Osteopathy we utilise a handheld device to apply a pressurised vacuum to apply the cups to the skin. Although your osteopath is trained in the use of fire cupping, we do not utilise this form due to time constraints and fire safety. The effect of the flame certainly looks cool, although it does not offer any additional benefits clinically. All the flame does is create a pressurised environment so that the cup can stick to the skin.

Cupping is theorised to work via many mechanisms such as increasing blood flow to the area of the cups, removing toxins and promoting muscle relaxation as a result. It is important to understand that cupping has not been proven to do any of the described. Its effects are more than likely explained via central and peripheral nervous system modulation. The pressure of the cups acting as a vacuum to lift the skin, creates a stimulus where the nervous system has to respond. It often and can respond by reducing perceived muscle tension and pain.

Cupping therapy will lead to those purple marks on the skin which can sometimes last weeks as they fade. These are of no concern and what they are due to is the superficial capillaries (blood vessels) in the skin bursting.