Glass cupping is a popular health preservation method for many people. It has many benefits and can be used to treat various diseases. So, what diseases can be treated with glass cupping? And where are the 36 positions for cupping for weight loss?
What diseases can be treated with glass cupping?
Glass cupping therapy can help expel cold and dampness, promote blood circulation, relieve swelling and pain, detoxify the body, and achieve the goal of adjusting the balance of Yin and Yang, relieving fatigue, and enhancing physical fitness. Therefore, many common diseases can be treated with cupping therapy, such as acute and chronic bronchitis, cervical spondylosis, indigestion, neuralgia, hypertension, and fever and cold.
Is glass cupping effective for treating cold uterus?
Glass cupping can expel toxins from the body, relieve pain caused by cold uterus, and has no side effects.
The main cupping area is the lower back and abdomen, extending downward to the coccyx. Each cupping session should last for 20-25 minutes, twice a day, for three consecutive days to significantly alleviate the symptoms of cold uterus.
Can glass cupping help remove dampness from the body?
Glass cupping can help remove dampness from the body.
The health benefits of glass cupping include promoting blood circulation and removing dampness. Therefore, regular cupping can help remove dampness from the body, especially in summer when the temperature is high and the humidity is heavy. Cupping can help eliminate internal dampness and heat.
Is cupping on the abdomen effective for weight loss?
The effect is not very significant.
Long-term practice has shown that cupping can provide some relief for body pain, but the effect on weight loss is not very significant. However, cupping can improve the circulation of meridians and the metabolism of the body, enhance physical fitness, and assist in fat burning, which can help with weight loss and body shaping.
36 positions for cupping for weight loss
Shenque Point
Location: In the middle of the navel.
Functions: Strengthening the body, relieving yang deficiency, harmonizing the stomach and intestines. It is mainly used to treat diarrhea, abdominal pain around the navel, prolapse of the anus, urinary disorders, women's infertility due to coldness, stroke recovery, etc.
Shenshu Point
Location: 1.5 inches beside the second lumbar spinous process. When determining the position, the patient is usually in a prone position. The Shenshu point is located in the lower back, two finger-widths away from the second lumbar spinous process, on the left and right sides.
Functions: This point is mainly used to treat diseases such as back pain, kidney disease, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, tinnitus, and decreased vitality.
Dazhui Point
Location: Located in the depression below the seventh cervical vertebra. When determining the position, the patient should sit upright and lower their head. The point is located at the lower end of the neck, in the depression below the seventh cervical vertebra. If the protruding bone is not very obvious, the patient can move their neck, and the immobile joint is the first thoracic vertebra, which is approximately level with the shoulders.
Functions: Tonifying qi and invigorating yang. It is mainly used to treat fever, malaria, cough, asthma, bone steaming, stiff neck, shoulder and back pain, strong waist and spine, torticollis, infantile convulsions, and other conditions.
Hegu Point
Location: Between the first and second metacarpal bones on the back of the hand, at the midpoint of the radial side of the second metacarpal bone. Another method is to place the thumb joint on one hand on the interdigital web between the thumb and index finger of the other hand, and the point is located under the tip of the thumb.
Functions: It is mainly used to treat fever, headache, red and swollen eyes, nosebleeds, blood in the stool, sore throat, toothache, deafness, facial swelling, strabismus, stroke-induced speech disorders, fever without sweating, excessive sweating, diabetes, jaundice, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, difficult labor, etc.
Yongquan Point
Location: On the sole of the foot, in the depression when the foot is curled, at the intersection of the front one-third and the back two-thirds of the line connecting the head of the second and third metatarsal bones with the heel.
Functions: Dispersing heat and invigorating qi. It is mainly used to treat respiratory diseases, difficult bowel movements, difficult urination, and tetanus.
Zusanli Point
Location: Located on the outer side of the lower leg, three inches below the Dubi point, on the line connecting the Dubi point and the Jiexi point. The superficial layer of the skin is rich in the lateral cutaneous nerve of the calf.
Functions: Drying dampness, promoting gastric qi. It is mainly used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, lower limb paralysis, neurological disorders, surgical diseases, and general weakness.
Sanyinjiao Point
Location: Located on the inner side of the lower leg, three inches above the medial malleolus, behind the medial border of the tibia.
Neiguan Point
Location: On the palmar side of the forearm, on the line connecting the Quze point and the Daling point, two inches above the transverse crease of the wrist, between the flexor carpi radialis tendon and the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon.
Functions: Calming the mind, regulating qi, and relieving pain. It is commonly used to treat angina pectoris, myocarditis, arrhythmia, gastritis, hysteria, etc.
Baihui Point
Location: Located seven inches above the midpoint of the posterior hairline, directly above the apex of the ear, at the midpoint of the vertex.
Functions: Opening the orifices and reviving yang. It is mainly used to treat headaches, dizziness, nasal congestion, tinnitus, stroke, aphasia, prolapse of the anus, impotence, long-term diarrhea, etc.
Zhongwan Point
Location: When locating the point, the patient can lie on their back. The point is located on the midline of the upper abdomen, at the midpoint between the xiphoid process and the navel.
Functions: This point is mainly used to treat digestive system diseases such as abdominal distension, diarrhea, abdominal pain, borborygmus, acid regurgitation, vomiting, constipation, jaundice, etc.
Guanyuan Point
Location: Three inches below the navel.
Functions: Nourishing the source and strengthening the lower jiao. It mainly regulates the endocrine system to treat diseases of the reproductive system.
Yanglingquan Point
Location: Located on the outer side of the lower leg, below the head of the fibula.
Functions: Treating hemiplegia, lower limb paralysis, numbness, knee and ankle pain, beriberi, rib pain, bitter taste in the mouth, vomiting, jaundice, infantile convulsions, etc.
What are the methods of cupping?
Single-cup Therapy
This method is used for diseases with small lesion areas or tender points. A cup with an appropriate diameter is selected according to the range of the lesion or tenderness. For example, cupping can be performed on the Zhongwan point for stomach problems, or on the Jianjing point for supraspinatus tendinitis.
Multi-cup Therapy
This method is used for diseases with a relatively large lesion area. Multiple cups can be applied according to the anatomical shape of the affected area. For example, when treating certain muscle strain, multiple cups can be applied in a row according to the position of the muscle fibers, which is called "row cupping". When treating stasis in certain organs, several cups can be applied on the corresponding surface of the body according to the anatomical location of the organ for cupping therapy.
Flash Cupping
After the cups are suctioned, they are immediately removed and repeatedly suctioned multiple times until the skin becomes red. This method is commonly used for local numbness or functional decline.
Stationary Cupping
After cupping, the cups are left in place for a certain period of time, usually 5-15 minutes. Cups with strong suction should have a shorter stationary time. In summer or areas with thin skin, the stationary time should not be too long to avoid skin damage.
Pushing Cupping
Also known as walking cupping, this method is generally used for areas with a larger surface area and abundant muscles, such as the lower back and thighs. After the cups are suctioned, lubricating oil is applied to the rim of the cup. The cup is then held with one hand, with the back half exerting force and the front half slightly lifted, and the cup is pushed back and forth or left and right on the skin surface several times until the skin becomes red.
Acupuncture Cupping
Acupuncture is first performed at the relevant acupoints. After achieving a certain level of stimulation, the needle is left in place, and then a cup is applied over the needle. If combined with herbal medicine, it is called "needle and herb cupping" and is commonly used for rheumatism.
Pricking and Cupping
This method involves pricking small blood vessels in the affected area with triangular needles, ceramic shards, coarse needles, small eyebrow knives, skin needles, or rolling needles, and then applying cupping to enhance the effect of bloodletting. It is suitable for various acute and chronic soft tissue injuries, neurodermatitis, skin itching, erysipelas, neurasthenia, gastrointestinal neurogenic disorders, etc.
Moxibustion Cupping
After cupping, the cups are left in place for 10 minutes, and then moxibustion is performed on each acupoint for 10 minutes using moxa sticks until the skin feels warm.
Precautions for cupping
1. If using fire cups, use tweezers to clamp 1-2 cotton balls soaked in alcohol. When removing the cotton ball, press it against the wall of the alcohol bottle to squeeze out excess alcohol to prevent the cotton ball from catching fire and burning the skin during the process.
2. The time the flame stays in the cup should be controlled. If the time is too long, the mouth of the cup will become too hot and may cause burns. If the time is too short, there will be more air inside the cup, making it difficult for the cup to adhere to the skin or the suction force will be weak. The best method is to quickly insert the flame into the cup and then remove it, without stopping, and then quickly place the cup on the skin.
3. The cupping time should not be too long or too short, generally around 15 minutes. If the time is too short, the effect will not be good; if the time is too long, blisters or blood blisters may form. If the skin becomes congested, it should be stopped immediately, especially on the back.
4. When assisting with cupping, always pay attention to changes in the person being cupped, especially on the back.
5. When removing the cup, do not pull it forcefully. Hold the cup with one hand and press the skin along the edge of the cup with one finger. When there is a small amount of air in the cup, gently remove it.
6. After removing the cup, it is necessary to dress warmly and keep warm. Do not take a shower within 1 hour after cupping. Also, do not go outside immediately to avoid catching a cold.
7. Do not perform cupping on an empty stomach or when overly full. It is best to wait for 1 hour after a meal before cupping.
8. Cupping should not be performed on areas with large blood vessels, allergic skin, edema, or ulcers. Cupping on the waist and abdomen of pregnant women should also be avoided to prevent miscarriage.
