Can cupping be done continuously?

In the field of traditional Chinese medicine, it is generally believed that many diseases of the human body are caused by the accumulation of pathogenic qi in the body. There are different acupoints distributed in various parts of the human body. As long as the acupoints are dredged, many diseases can be cured without treatment, which has a very good therapeutic effect. Acupuncture, massage and cupping are very popular treatment methods in traditional Chinese medicine. However, before cupping, you should also understand some related matters to avoid side effects. So can cupping be performed continuously?

Frequent cupping is not good for health

Mr. Xu, a middle-aged man, is busy with work and under great pressure. He often feels back pain and fatigue, so his wife often performs cupping treatments for him. At the beginning, Mr. Xu felt that the effect was very good. The symptoms of muscle and bone pain were alleviated, and he felt refreshed and comfortable all over. So his wife "continued her efforts" and cupping Mr. Xu every night before going to bed. As the number of times increased, Mr. Xu felt more and more afraid of the cold. On one occasion, he even developed "blood blisters" from the cupping. Several of the "blood blisters" at the cupping sites ruptured and bled, causing him unbearable pain.

It is understood that cupping has the effects of dredging meridians, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, reducing swelling and relieving pain, removing toxins and purging heat. It has a good therapeutic effect on acute pain, sore muscles and bones and other discomfort symptoms caused by wind, cold and dampness. But cupping is actually a purgation method. Under the action of negative pressure, the local skin of the meridian area becomes congested, and pathological products such as blood stasis, phlegm, turbid water, and evil fire are sucked out of the body through the pores of the skin. However, when cupping, the pores of the skin are opened and the Yang energy is easily leaked out. Therefore, frequent cupping without considering the physical condition can easily damage the Yang energy, reduce the person's resistance, and make people feel tired, afraid of the cold, and even suffer from back pain and diarrhea.

"Cupping therapy is not suitable for some long-term pain and chronic fatigue." Experts say that most elderly people are weak, have liver and kidney deficiency, and insufficient qi and blood, so cupping therapy is not suitable as a daily health-preserving method. Even for middle-aged people with good physical conditions, cupping should not be done every day. It can be done every other day for the treatment of diseases, and twice a week for preventive health care.

Cupping precautions

When performing cupping therapy, the room must maintain an appropriate temperature and avoid drafts. The basic technique of cupping requires stability, accuracy and speed. The suction force is determined by factors such as the timing and speed of cupping, the size of the cup, and the temperature inside the cup.

Before cupping, you must accurately select the treatment area. The best areas for cupping are those with plump muscles, abundant subcutaneous fat tissue and less hair. Cupping is not suitable for areas with superficial blood vessels, delicate skin, ulcer scars, nose, eyes, etc., as well as areas with loose skin and many wrinkles.

During the cupping process, you should always observe and ask the patient about his or her feelings and condition, and pay attention to the patient's local and systemic reactions. When the patient shows symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, pale complexion, cold limbs, rapid breathing, and weak pulse, the cupping device should be removed in time, and the patient should be allowed to lie flat with his head low and his feet high, and given an appropriate amount of warm boiled water. The patient will return to normal after lying quietly for a while.

When cupping, the patient should be advised not to move to avoid the cup falling off and causing burns or bruises. When a large number of cupping treatments are performed, the distance between the cups should not be too close, so as to avoid the cups pulling the skin and causing pain, or causing skin damage due to overlapping cupping, or even causing the cups to fall off due to squeezing each other.