Traditional Chinese Medicine is a form of complementary or alternative medicine that includes a number of different therapies. In addition to acupuncture, other complementary treatments, such as cupping therapy, auricular acupuncture, or gua sha, may also be included. Your acupuncturist will determine what is the most suitable combination for you. There are several different types of cupping methods. In our clinic, generally silicone cups are used in physical therapy and massage therapy, while our acupuncturist typically performs cupping with glass cups. Cupping therapy is great for overall wellness. It helps to promote blood flow and eases tight, aching muscles, and generally feels good. It is also frequently used in the treatment of respiratory issues such as colds, flu, pneumonia, and bronchitis. In cupping therapy, a glass or silicone cup is used to create a vacuum against the skin. The cups may be left in place or moved across the skin. Usually, your acupuncturist will do a treatment involving needles, and then at the end of the session, she may add in cupping or gua sha, depending on what is most suitable for your particular concerns. The cups may be left in place from five to 15 minutes, and up to ten cups may be used at once. Cupping techniques There are many variations and types of cupping treatment. As for the cups themselves there are several types of these as well, including glass cups, plastic suction cups, and silicone cups. The most traditional type used are glass cups. These are thick glass cups that are used with fire cupping and flash cupping. The suction that is created with glass cupping is achieved by using a flame inside the glass cup to cause a vacuum. The cup is then placed on the skin. The flame typically warms up the cup but is not hot or painful. When the cups are left in place for a longer amount of time, there is more of a deep tissue effect. Flash cupping is the process where the cup is quickly lifted off the skin and re-suctioned, either in the same spot or a slightly different spot. The main benefit of cupping in this way is the improvement of circulation; this method does not use a very strong suction. In our clinic we only do dry cupping, we do not do wet cupping. Wet cupping is the form of cupping where the skin is pierced or cut prior to cupping. Then when cupping is performed, bleeding occurs. This is not a technique that we perform. The other type of cups that may be used in cupping treatment are suction cups, or silicone cups. Suction cups are hard plastic cups that have a small pump that is attached to create suction after they are put into place. These are hard to sterilise and have generally been replaced by silicone cups. Silicone cups are soft silicone cups that are squeezed to create suction before they are placed on the skin. These cups are more flexible and may be more comfortable over certain parts of the body. Usually there is less suction with these types of cups than there is with glass cups or plastic suction cups.