Sunday 6 October 2013

CHINESE CUPPINGS and their application in Chinese medicine



Chinese cuppings or Schröpfgläser is a contemporary health practise that is yet to be fully asimilated in other societies. From its name, it’s obvious that it is one of the Chinese inventions in the practise of medicine. The therapy itself is known as cupping and is as a result of the use of cup shaped jars that are inverted on the body.

The earliest forms of Chinese cupping used jars made out of bamboo wood as the suction devices. This has later evolved into the use of modern cupping sets made of glass and lately there has been the introduction of plastic made jars. The glass jars or Schröpfgläser are relatively thick and are transparent to enhance the practitioner observe on the effects taking place during the therapy.

HOW CHINESE CUPPING TAKES PLACE

The therapy of Chinese cuppingwith Schröpfgläser operates on the principle of suction. Suction is the creation of a vacuum inside of the cups by removing the air in them. In order to achieve the vacuum several methods can be used. One is the traditional one which involves the swabbing of cotton wool in alcohol and then fitting it into the glass jar. The cotton ball is then ignited. As the combustion of the alcohol takes place, air is consumed leaving the jar a vacuum. Simple science, isn’t it? Its important to take note that this procedure is only applicable to the glass cuppings and not the plastic or bamboo cuppings. 

The modern way of achieving suction is by the use of cuppings that have already been fitted with small hand pumps. These pumps are operated by the practitioner and are very effective in the suctioning of air out of the cuppings. This has been in corporated with the introduction of plastic cuppings in the practise of Chinese cupping.

MEDICINAL EFFECTS OF CHINESE CUPPING

Once suction has taken place, the cuppings orSchröpfgläserare strategically placed at startegic positions on the surface of the body, locations known as the meridians. The meridians can only be located by well trained acupuncturists. Once in place, they are left to settle for a duration of about five to ten minutes.

In corporation with the use of acupunctural herbal oils, an acupuncturist first applies oil on the body of the patient and then places the cuppings. The oiling enables the afcupuncturist to move the cuppings along the meridians as the therapy takes place. This therapy is known as gliding and is very effective.

Chinese cupping is painless and takes only ten to fifteen minutes depending on the preference of the patient and the condition being treated. 

Chinese cupping therapy is used in treating the folowing conditions, fatigue, cellulite, stiff muscles, anxiety and to relieve back and neck pains.

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