What Is Cupping Therapy? Benefits for Muscle Tension and Pain Relief

If you have ever noticed circular marks on someone's back after a massage or chiropractic appointment, you may have wondered what they were and why they were there.

Those marks are often the result of a treatment called cupping therapy.

At Tennessee Back Pain Center, we use a variety of techniques to help patients manage pain, improve mobility, and get back to the activities they love. Cupping is one of the tools we may incorporate into a patient's treatment plan to help address muscle tension and discomfort.

How Does Cupping Work?

Cupping is a therapeutic technique that uses specialized cups to create suction against the skin. The suction creates a pulling force on the tissues beneath the cup. This may temporarily increase local blood flow and influence how the nervous system processes discomfort. Depending on the treatment approach, the cups may remain stationary for several minutes or be gently moved across the skin.

What Are the Benefits of Cupping?

1. Help Reduce Muscle Tension

2. Improve Mobility

3. Decrease Exercise-Related Soreness

At Tennessee Back Pain Center, cupping may be used alongside other treatments, such as chiropractic adjustments, muscle therapy, and therapeutic exercises.

What Are the Circular Marks After Cupping?

One of the most common questions about cupping is why it sometimes leaves circular marks on the skin. These marks occur when suction causes small blood vessels near the skin's surface to leak blood into the surrounding tissue.

Although they can look similar to bruises, they are not necessarily caused by the same type of impact or injury.

The marks are generally temporary and often fade within several days to two weeks.

If you are experiencing back pain, neck pain, or muscle tightness that is keeping you from doing the things you enjoy, we would love to help. Give us a call today or visit our website to schedule a chiropractic appointment online!