Cupping Therapy and Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia affects millions of people around the world, and the health condition is poorly understood by many. There is no best way to treat fibromyalgia pain, sleep problem and fatigue. However, most experts recommended different approaches such as physical therapy, medication and lifestyle changes. The results vary from one person to another. Considering this fact, 91% of people living with fibromyalgia have tried alternative therapies in an attempt to relieve pain. These treatments have proved fruitful for some people and didn't work for others.

Some different treatments might seem unusual when it comes to treating fibromyalgia. Perhaps it’s because dealing with pain can be difficult and people tend to try anything to feel better. Cupping therapy is one of a unique therapy for treating fibromyalgia symptoms. Can this treatment relieve fibromyalgia pain? Studies have shown that cupping reduces fibromyalgia symptoms more effectively than other treatments. However, it doesn’t appear if the procedure works better than sham cupping.

Cupping Therapy and Its Origin

Cupping is a traditional Chinese medicine and involves creating a vacuum in the glass cups placed on acupuncture points on people’s skin. It is achieved by heating air in the cup and then placing the cup on the skin. There would be a suction which pulls some part of the skin into the cup. The cup is left for several minutes. When the cup is removed, it leaves behind a circular welt which is bright red. Wet cupping requires the pricking of the skin using a needle, and then the cup gets placed.

Some believe that this therapy helps in promoting healing and increasing circulation. This procedure is safe when professionals perform it. However, the treatment can cause burns, soreness, bruises and sometimes skin infections. Cupping studies measure the effectiveness of this process by comparing the procedure with that of other treatments. However, advanced research studies include people who receive placebo.

A study conducted by Mayo Clinic suggest that cupping helps in healing by increasing circulation. Researchers have not tested the cupping effectiveness in relieving fibromyalgia pain, but those who have gone through the procedure have reported that it does reduce pain. Some also suggest that this could be due to the placebo effect. Cupping offers temporary benefits and is usually safe and finding a trained professional to perform the therapy is crucial.

How is Cupping Therapy Useful?

There are few ways that this therapy can help fibromyalgia patients. First, the procedure helps in blood circulation. Fibromyalgia patients sometimes feel stiff and have difficulty moving. Better blood flow helps in relieving the pain as it will help in feeling less stiff. This can help in fibromyalgia management. The therapy may also include massage therapy, and this helps in managing anxiety and assist in relaxing.

It also helps in sleeping better at night. It makes one more comfortable and moving around becomes easy. Both cupping therapy and traditional massage help in relieving pain.

Those living with fibromyalgia usually talk to their doctor about trigger points that affect them on a daily basis. The trigger points may spread into every part of the body and may tend to irritate for some reasons. Sometimes these trigger points are sensitive than other times. Cupping therapy can help with this and help in increasing blood flow, and the sensitivity is lessened. Some also suggest that the procedure can help in increasing the range of motion. Most people struggle to achieve more range of motion when dealing with the pain caused by fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia patients might feel pain or something will be happening in their bodies that increase pain. Clumsiness and dizziness are common.

Does Cupping Therapy cure other Disease?

Increased blood flow due to cupping plays a huge role in healing the wounds associated with fibromyalgia. If it helps in healing the wounds and reduce the toxins in the blood stream, then it can play a huge role in helping in the prevention of illness, chronic diseases, injury and other diseases.

There is a large list of diseases that can be cured by cupping. It can help in diabetes, cancer, gout, cataracts, and neuralgia. However, the therapy isn’t a miracle medication. It encourages the body to heal by improving the blood circulation.

Is Cupping Painful?

Cupping can be painful or not depending on the person and the areas that the cups are placed. Some people say cupping feel like an insect bite and after that, the patient undergoing the therapy may feel dizzy and lethargic. However, the side effects last after some time.

Acupuncture and Cupping

Fibromyalgia treatments involve placing acupuncture needles in pressure points and heating the air in the cup which reduces the amount of air inside the cup. The double therapy takes about 20 minutes and increases the white blood cells which treat the pain and symptoms of fibromyalgia. Recent studies have shown that combining cupping and acupuncture increases the success and decrease the pain more effectively than mainstream medicine. However, scientists have not helped in coming up with a methodology to conduct double-blind studies. The scientist is conducting other studies using a placebo to investigate how to help fibromyalgia patients.

Acupuncture and cupping therapy helps in managing the pain by the release of toxins. Oxygen will enter the blood stream, tissues, and cells through the vacuum created by the suction. Waste materials are then released through the skin and kidneys. This restores the body’s vital energy. Therefore, cupping therapy is an option, and most people consider it when looking for fibromyalgia treatments.