What is the purpose of cupping therapy?

Sep 13, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Sun Lianqing

Introduction

In general, cupping therapy can help unblock meridians, relieve muscle soreness, improve local blood circulation, remove dampness from the body, and assist in regulating immune function. Additionally, after receiving cupping therapy, one should keep warm, avoid taking a shower immediately, and prevent cold pathogens from entering the body. Individuals with skin injuries, infections, or skin diseases should not undergo cupping therapy.

Generally speaking, cupping therapy can help unblock meridians, relieve muscle soreness, improve local blood circulation, eliminate dampness from the body, and assist in regulating immune function. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Unblocking Meridians

Meridians serve as channels for the flow of Qi (vital energy) and blood in the human body. When meridians become blocked, physical discomfort may occur. Cupping therapy uses negative pressure to suction the skin, stimulating acupoints along the meridians. This promotes smoother flow of Qi and blood, helps clear blocked meridians, and alleviates symptoms such as limb numbness and pain caused by meridian obstruction.

2. Relieving Muscle Soreness

Maintaining the same posture for prolonged periods, overexertion, or post-exercise muscle fatigue can lead to lactic acid buildup, causing soreness. The negative pressure created by cupping increases local skin and muscle congestion, accelerates blood circulation and metabolism, promotes the removal of metabolic waste such as lactic acid, reduces muscle tension, and effectively relieves muscle pain while restoring muscle vitality.

3. Improving Local Blood Circulation

During cupping, the negative pressure inside the cups causes local blood vessels to dilate, increasing blood flow and improving circulation speed in the treated area. Adequate blood supply delivers more oxygen and nutrients to local tissues, enhances tissue cell activity, and removes metabolic waste products. This helps alleviate symptoms such as localized coldness and swelling caused by poor blood circulation.

4. Removing Dampness from the Body

In traditional Chinese medicine, excessive internal dampness is believed to cause symptoms such as body heaviness, fatigue, and thick greasy tongue coating. Cupping therapy, through its warming stimulation and negative pressure effect, opens skin pores and promotes the expulsion of dampness and cold from the body via sweat. This helps regulate the body's yin-yang balance and alleviates discomfort caused by excessive dampness.

5. Assisting in Regulating Immune Function

During cupping, the stimulation of the skin triggers the body's stress response, enhancing the activity of immune-related cells and strengthening the body's resistance to external pathogens. Regular and appropriate cupping therapy can assist in regulating immune function and maintaining good health. However, it should be noted that cupping cannot replace medical treatment for diseases.

Additionally, after undergoing cupping therapy, it is important to keep the body warm and avoid showering immediately to prevent cold invasion. Individuals with skin wounds, infections, or skin diseases should not undergo cupping therapy.

View All

What are the benefits of cupping therapy for the body?

In general, cupping therapy, as a traditional physical treatment method, offers several health benefits, including promoting blood circulation, relieving muscle soreness, eliminating dampness from the body, improving sleep quality, and enhancing metabolic function. When undergoing cupping, it is important to choose a reputable facility, control the duration and frequency of the sessions, and avoid performing cupping on broken or allergic skin, or during special physiological periods to prevent adverse reactions.

View Full Answer

Can children with fever be treated with cupping therapy to reduce body temperature?

Whether a child with a fever can use guasha (scraping therapy) to reduce body temperature should be determined based on the severity of the fever and the child's overall health condition. If the child's body temperature is below 38.5℃ and there are no other discomforts, guasha may be considered under professional guidance to assist with cooling. However, if the temperature exceeds 38.5℃, or if the child experiences symptoms such as coughing, vomiting, or has other concerns including young age, sensitive skin, or underlying medical conditions, guasha is not recommended for reducing fever.