It is common for cupping to leave distinctive small, circular bruises on the areas where the cups were applied and it is usually painless. These cupping marks are discoloration of the skin due to broken blood vessels just beneath the skin, much like a bruise. From a traditonal Chinese Medicine perspective the marks actually tell us a little about your health.

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, the marks left by the cups can be an indication of what is occurring in the muscles.

Excess dampness – Accumulated fluids in the tissues or superficial oedema.

Qi and blood deficiency – Not enough blood flow into the muscle, can occur in iron deficiency

Moderate to Severe stagnation – The muscles are tense restricting blood flow through an area

Toxin Accumulation – More inflammation in the tissue

During a Cupping therapy session there are several things that occur to assit the body in healing;

• Suction pulls blood toward the surface: This causes small capillaries under the skin to break, leaving round red or purple marks (they’re not bruises from blunt trauma — more like controlled micro-bleeding).
• Increased circulation: Blood flow to the area increases, which may help bring nutrients and immune cells for tissue repair.
• Nervous system effect: Some evidence suggests it can modulate pain signals and relax muscle tension by stimulating nerve endings and fascia.
• Inflammatory response: The mild, localized inflammation may trigger your body’s natural healing mechanisms.

Commonly treated conditions include;

• Muscle tightness or pain
• Sports injuries
• Tension headaches or migraines (anecdotal reports)
• Respiratory issues (traditional uses)
• General relaxation & stress

Here are some examples fo cuppign research;

• Chronic musculoskeletal pain (umbrella): A 2025 BMJ Open systematic review of RCTs through Dec 2024 found statistically significant short-term improvements in pain and function with cupping vs comparators, but evidence quality was low–moderate, follow-ups short, and blinding rare. BMJ Open
• Low back pain: A 2024 systematic review/meta-analysis of RCTs reported benefit for non-specific LBP in the short term; authors still rated the overall certainty as low due to bias and inconsistency. A Cochrane review specifically for chronic non-specific LBP is underway. ScienceDirectCochrane Library
• Neck pain, myofascial pain: Included in pain evidence maps with signals of short-term benefit, but heterogeneous protocols and limited high-quality sham-controlled trials. Frontiers
• Knee osteoarthritis: Earlier meta-analyses (pre-2020s) suggested added benefit when combined with standard therapy, but evidence quality was low, with many trials from single regions and variable methods. More contemporary guideline sets don’t routinely recommend cupping. ScienceDirect
• Migraine: Newer RCTs are emerging (e.g., 2022–2023 trial of wet cupping vs acupuncture vs standard care); early results suggest possible improvement, but methods and controls are debated, and replication is needed. ScienceDirectICHGCPEdzard Ernst
• Herpes zoster (shingles) pain: Older RCTs and a systematic review suggested benefit of wet cupping vs medications, but trials were small, dated, and at risk of bias; contemporary protocols call for higher-quality studies. Europe PMCResearchGate

We offer two main types of cupping;

• Fire Cupping (Traditional): In this method, a flame is briefly introduced into the cup to heat the air inside. The heated cup is then placed on the skin, and as the air inside the cup cools down, it creates a vacuum, causing the skin to be drawn up into the cup. Fire cupping can be applied as Moving Cupping, where the cups are slide across muscles and  Dry Cupping where cups are left in a stationary position, typically on a sore or tense area in the muscle.
• Vacuum Pump (Modern): In modern cupping, a handheld pump is used to remove the air from the cup, creating a vacuum without the need for heat.

Cupping can be a stand alone appointment or can be combined with Acupuncture or Massage. See our appointment booking page for Appointment types, duration and prices.