Health: "Cupping"
Nov 8, 2004 11:00 pm US/Eastern
PHILADELPHIA (KYW) There is a new trend for treating back pain and all sorts of other ailments and as Medical Reporter Stephanie Stahl explains, it dates back centuries.
It抯 an unusual treatment favored by Hollywood stars that can leave behind a unique signature.
Called 揅upping,?the ancient Chinese practice takes burning hot flames and swipes them into a glass jar.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is said to be a big fan of 揅upping?and as a result, apparently has circular bruises on her back.
Ashley Fuchs says she gets tremendous relief from chronic back pain with the practice: 揑t抯 not anything to be afraid of. You can feel all your pain just melt away, it抯 wonderful.?br />
To treat Fuchs?back pain, the glass cups are placed all over her back. They're not hot and the flame is used to create a suction once the glass is placed on the skin.
揟he cup sucks all your skin and muscle up and it just feels like they're ringing you out like a wash cloth, it抯 fantastic,?Fuchs added.
Steve Mavros, a certified Acupuncturist is also trained in 揅upping,?which is used mainly to treat muscle aches but its also done for stomach aches and respiratory problems: 揑t抯 been documented for upwards of 2,500 years to show that it actually helps.?
As Stahl reports, empirical evidence from patient to patient shows that it is in fact doing something.
Mavros says 揅upping?works by increasing blood circulation and releasing lactic acid, similar to what happens with a deep massage
In addition, Mavros there抯 a second eastern explanation that involves energy flow: 揑t causes that energy to sort of rush in and fix the stagnation and therefore move more smoothly and then you don't feel any more pain.?br />
But still, skeptics question the resulting circular bruises.
Stahl has learned they're simply sporadic and temporary, a minor inconvenience for the fans of the practice.
Although there are no scientific studies on cupping to prove how or why it works and aside from the bruises, there are no reported serious side effects.
Stahl reports that the procedure is performed at some acupuncture and wellness centers for a cost of $85.
|