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Link to your collections, sales and even external links
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Link to your collections, sales and even external links
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Add description, images, menus and links to your mega menu
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Link to your collections, sales and even external links
Add up to five columns
Add description, images, menus and links to your mega menu
A column with no settings can be used as a spacer
Link to your collections, sales and even external links
Add up to five columns
Add description, images, menus and links to your mega menu
A column with no settings can be used as a spacer
Link to your collections, sales and even external links
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Link to your collections, sales and even external links
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October 31, 2023 4 min read
The practice of massage cupping has become increasingly popular in recent years. Supporters claim that cupping therapy helps remove toxins from the body and improves circulation. But is there any scientific evidence to support these purported health benefits?
In this article, we’ll examine what is cupping therapy, its proposed mechanisms of action, and whether research backs up the detoxification claims.
Massage cupping involves placing round suction cups on the skin and creating a vacuum by manually pumping the air out of the cups or using a mechanical suction device. The vacuum draws the skin, tissue, and muscles up into the cup, increasing blood flow to the area. The cups may be left stationary or moved around to massage the tissue.
Proponents claim that cupping massage therapy mobilizes fluids, loosens adhesions, lifts connective tissue, and enhances skin cellular function. It’s believed that these effects help remove toxins and metabolic waste from the body. This is why cupping is commonly touted as a detoxification therapy.
Does cupping remove toxins? There are a few ways that cupping massage may help remove toxins:
These points suggest how cupping could aid detoxification, and it's promising to consider their potential for measurable cleansing benefits in the body.
Despite cupping’s popularity, there have been very few high-quality studies examining its effects on detoxification. Here is a brief summary of the existing evidence related to detoxification:
Overall, there is evidence from well-designed studies to conclusively determine if cupping massage can help with detoxification throughout the body, but larger controlled trials are still needed.
The practice of using cupping as a detoxification therapy dates back thousands of years. According to traditional Chinese medicine, cupping is believed to purge toxins by moving stagnant qi and blood that accumulate from poor diet, stress, environmental factors, and other pathogenic influences. Toxins are thought to deposit in the body's tissues, organs, and energetic meridians, causing illness if not cleared.
Ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern cultures also viewed cupping as a way to restore health and vitality by sucking out impurities from the skin.
Modern proponents believe the suction and negative pressure of cupping may stimulate the movement of lymphatic fluid, excretion of toxic sweat and sebum, and elimination through the gastrointestinal system. This reportedly facilitates the release of heavy metals, metabolic wastes, excessive hormones, pathogenic organisms, and inflammatory biomolecules.
While traditional medicine hasn't yet validated these processes scientifically, the long historical use of cupping as a detox modality may offer some wisdom. Many integrative health practitioners now incorporate cupping into comprehensive detox protocols.
Targeting cupping along acupressure meridians associated with the lymphatic system and organs of elimination is believed to enhance their function and waste-filtering capacity. Lifestyle factors like diet, stress management, and using saunas or detox baths may work synergistically with cupping therapy for improved results.
Use only as directed. Do not cup over veins or major arteries. Do not use cups on the face, fresh scars, blemishes, sunburned or broken skin, eczema, or other skin inflammations. Do not use it if you are on blood thinners, have a history, or may have blood clots or clotting disorder. Consult your health care provider if you are pregnant, or have pre-existing medical conditions, varicose veins, heart disease, malignant or benign tumor, cancer, or other medical condition. Keep out of reach of children and pets.
While massage cupping is an ancient practice that many people swear by, preliminary research does suggest suction cupping may have local effects that could support detoxification claims.
As with most health therapies, massage cupping may offer potential benefits, but it’s not a miracle cure. Consulting your doctor before trying new therapies is always advisable.
Ready to explore and experience the potential benefits ofcupping for yourself?
Shop our cupping catalog today to find the right cups to get you started.
Listen to your body, go at your own pace, and monitor how you feel. Be patient - and remember, practice makes perfect.
Happy Cupping!
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