Cupping at home, you need to know these

Cupping is a treatment and health care method that we often use in our daily life. It has an ancient history. Cupping was called "horn method" in ancient times. In the silk book "Fifty-two Disease Prescriptions" in the Mawangdui Han Tomb in Changsha, there is already a record of the treatment of diseases with horn method: "Male hemorrhoids are located beside the orifices. The big ones are like dates, and the small ones are like pits. Use small horns to squeeze them. It is like two dou of rice, and then open the horns." "Use small horns to squeeze them" refers to using small animal horns for suction.

Cupping has the effects of opening the pores, dispelling wind and cold, unblocking the meridians, promoting qi and blood circulation, removing blood stasis and promoting new blood, reducing swelling and relieving pain. It has a wide range of treatments. It can treat local symptoms such as low back pain, abdominal pain, shoulder and neck pain, and joint pain, and can also be used as an auxiliary treatment for symptoms such as headaches, colds, coughs, asthma, indigestion, irregular menstruation, and dysmenorrhea.

There are many cupping methods that have been passed down from ancient times to the present. They have gradually developed from ancient animal horns to bamboo cups, glass jars, metal cups, vacuum cups and other tools, and the techniques have also been improved and developed. Among them, fire cupping and vacuum cupping are widely used in home health care because their operating tools are easy to obtain, the methods are simple, and they have a wide range of applications.

Although cupping tools are now available in every household, many people only have a basic understanding of how to operate the cupping tool. There are still some improper operations in daily use, which makes cupping not only fail to achieve the expected effect, but even cause harm to themselves and their families.

How to operate cupping at home

Fire cupping is one of the most widely used cupping methods. Fire throwing and flash fire are usually used when cupping at home to cool the air after burning in the cup to form negative pressure in the cup, so that the cup is adsorbed on the body surface.

The fire throwing method is to light a flammable paper or alcohol cotton ball and throw it into the can, and then quickly buckle the can on the part to be pulled. This method is generally used for horizontal pulling on the side of the limb because the remaining burning material in the can after the operation is easy to fall and burn the skin.

The flash fire method is to use tweezers to hold the lit alcohol cotton ball, rotate it several times in the fire cup, pull it out, and then quickly buckle the cup to the part to be removed. This method is safer than the fire throwing method and is not restricted by body position, but requires the operator to act quickly, otherwise it will be difficult to attach the cup to the body surface when the air temperature in the cup drops.

Although the vacuum cupping method does not have a long history, it is simpler to operate than the fire cupping method. It uses a mechanical device to suck out some of the air in the cup, forming a negative pressure inside the cup, allowing the cup to be adsorbed to the body surface. This process does not require combustion and is safer, but the corresponding effect of warming the meridians and activating the collaterals will be reduced.

Precautions when cupping

1. Select the site: When cupping, choose the appropriate site according to the size of the cup used. Try to choose a site with thick muscles and smooth skin surface for cupping.

2. Cupping technique: When cupping, the technique should be skillful, and the movements should be fast, accurate and steady to avoid unnecessary injuries. When cupping, be careful not to burn the bottle mouth with burning materials to avoid scalding the skin.

3. Keep the cup: After the cup is attached to the body surface and confirmed to be safe and stable, it is generally kept for 10 to 15 minutes. The cupping time should not be too long. Some people deliberately extend the time of cupping to enhance the effect of cupping, which causes many blisters to form locally and abnormal skin redness and swelling. This practice increases the risk of local infection. If the local pain of cupping is unbearable during the cupping process, you can choose to deflate the pressure or remove the cup. If blisters appear during the fire cupping, they need to be disinfected in time and try to avoid local contact with water.

4. When removing the can, do not pull or rotate the can forcibly. Hold the lower middle part of the can with one hand and gently press the skin at the edge of the can mouth with the other hand to allow air to enter the can. For vacuum cans, lift the valve on the top of the can to allow air to enter the can. Do not remove the can by force, otherwise it will cause pain and discomfort or even damage the skin.

5. Keep warm: Cupping can open the pores, so you need to keep warm after cupping to prevent colds. Try not to take a bath within half a day after cupping, especially a cold bath, which will hinder the flow of yang energy in the body.

6. Make a clear diagnosis: Although cupping has a wide range of treatments, it is not suitable for everyone. When symptoms such as limb pain and colds that are suitable for cupping appear, it is recommended that you go to a regular hospital for a systematic examination. After a clear diagnosis, you can use cupping for auxiliary treatment under the guidance of a doctor. Do not blindly self-diagnose and treat, so as not to delay the condition and miss the best treatment period.

Cupping is a unique treatment and health care project handed down by traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, and is widely popular in daily health care. Through the above learning, mastering the correct operation, and keeping in mind the above precautions, you can truly play the magical role of cupping and achieve the effect of strengthening the body, eliminating evil and preventing diseases.