Is cupping therapy effective for cervical spondylosis?
Disease description:
I often feel stiffness in my neck, soreness in my shoulders, and sometimes experience dizziness and numbness in my hands. After visiting the hospital, I was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis. I've heard that cupping therapy can help relieve these symptoms, and I would like to know whether cupping is effective for cervical spondylosis.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Chen Jian
Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative condition affecting the cervical spine structure. Common symptoms include neck pain, stiffness, and numbness and weakness in the upper limbs. Cupping therapy, as one of the traditional Chinese medical treatments, creates negative pressure on the skin surface to promote local blood circulation, relieve muscle tension, and thereby assist in alleviating symptoms of cervical spondylosis to some extent.
1. Promotes blood circulation: The local negative pressure created by cupping helps dilate blood vessels, improve local blood circulation, accelerate the removal of metabolic waste, and reduce inflammatory responses.
2. Promotes meridian畅通 and activates collaterals: Through its negative pressure effect, cupping can promote the畅通 of meridians and collaterals, helping to relieve stiffness and pain in the neck and shoulders of patients with cervical spondylosis.
3. Expels wind and cold: For cervical spondylosis caused by factors such as cold and dampness, cupping can effectively dispel wind and cold, further relieving related symptoms.
4. Relieves muscle tension: Patients with cervical spondylosis often experience neck muscle tension or spasms, and cupping can help relax muscles and relieve pain.
Although cupping can alleviate symptoms of cervical spondylosis, it cannot fundamentally resolve cervical spine problems.
