Is Cupping Therapy Beneficial For Fibromyalgia?
Cupping Therapy is a treatment method used in traditional Chinese Medicine, such as Acupuncture. This method of treatment is progressing rapidly and is beginning to gain public acceptance. Although research is still ongoing, some medical schools in China have research on Cupping Therapy to treat Fibromyalgia, and the results appear to be highly positive.
What is Cupping Therapy?
It is a traditional treatment made with small mugs. The doctor puts a flammable substance (alcohol or various herbs) in the cup and sets it on fire. The oxygen in this container is depleted after a certain period. Then the doctor turns the cup upside down and places it on the skin. The air in the container cools and creates a vacuum. The vacuum causes the skin to pull into the container, which allows the blood vessels to expand. Glass mugs and fire aren’t safe materials to work. Therefore, some doctors have begun to use plastic cups. Although the impact of plastic pump mugs is the same, the risk is much less.
According to research, Cupping Therapy has been shown to open pores, stimulate blood flow, and balance CHI energy and energy flow in your body. Usually, this therapy is done by combining it with Acupuncture. In China, Cupping Therapy has long been used to treat a variety of conditions, including:
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Arthritis and other types of pain
- Digestive problems
- Depression
Cupping Therapy For Fibromyalgia
The first Chinese research on Cupping Therapy as a treatment for Fibromyalgia was published in 2006. The researchers used Acupuncture, Cupping Therapy, and Amitriptyline drug in the treatment group. In the control group, they only used Amitriptyline.
They concluded that Acupuncture, Cupping Therapy, and the drug group showed more improvement in both pain and depression than the drug group alone. In a similar but more extensive study conducted in 2010, participants were divided into three groups. These:
- Group 1: Acupuncture + Cupping Therapy + Amitriptyline
- Group 2: Acupuncture + Cupping Therapy
- Group 3: Amitriptyline only
The researchers emphasized that patients in Group 1 had the best leads and suggested that both the drug and Traditional Chinese Medicine could effectively complement each other.
A 2010 literature review on Traditional Chinese Medicine for Fibromyalgia mentioned the positive results of Cupping Therapy. But conventional Chinese Medicine treatments should be better designed than previous studies and should be tested in more extensive studies.
A 2011 study looked at the results of Cupping Therapy alone. 30 Fibromyalgia patients underwent Cupping Therapy for 10 minutes a day for 15 days. The researchers checked for sensitive spots along with pain before, during, and two weeks after treatment. They concluded that Cupping Therapy reduced Fibromyalgia pain and the number of sharp points and that their findings required a placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Is Cupping Therapy Right For You?
Cupping Therapy is generally considered a safe treatment when performed by a qualified doctor. Acupuncturists and massage therapists also serve it. If you have a high fever, menstrual pain, or bleeding easily in the event of an incision, you may want to consider Cupping Therapy. This therapy should not be performed on the surface of the inflamed skin. Many people with Fibromyalgia have a type of pain called ‘allodynia.’ This means that your nervous system usually turns painless sensations into pain. Therefore, you may feel more pain during Cupping Therapy.
Note: If you want to try this therapy, you should first consult your doctor. If you decide to have Cupping Therapy, make sure that the practitioner is experienced and respected. Note that this procedure is an effective complementary treatment. Don’t expect it to change the medications you use or other therapies you see. Cupping Therapy alone isn’t used as a treatment for Fibromyalgia. Pay attention to how you feel in the days after Cupping Therapy to see if any symptoms are triggered.
