Introduction
To enhance Yang Qi and detoxify the body, it is recommended to perform cupping on the entire back, placing a row of cups along each side of the Bladder Meridian (Pangguang Jing). For those with a robust constitution, each cupping session should last 15 minutes, once a week or every two weeks; for those with a weaker constitution, each session should last 7 to 10 minutes, once every two weeks or once a month.
In today’s world of advanced communication, everyone has a mobile phone. Just by looking at the caller ID, we can tell who is calling. Similarly, the marks left by cupping are like messages from within the body, indicating where there may be issues and the severity of those issues. Let us first examine what the cupping marks reveal about our bodily discomfort:
1. Purple-black — Indicates insufficient blood supply and accumulation of cold.
2. Purple with black spots — Indicates stagnation of Qi and blood.
3. Purple spots with varying shades — Indicates wind-damp conditions.
4. Bright red with local heat — Indicates Yang syndrome, heat syndrome, excess syndrome, intense heat toxin, and a constitution of Yin deficiency with excess fire.
5. Dark red — Indicates thick blood lipids, high blood lipids, and insufficient blood supply.
6. Bruises or blood blisters that are gray-white or pale — Indicates deficiency-cold and dampness.
7. Mild itching of the skin — Indicates wind and dampness.
8. Blisters, edema, and dampness — Indicates cold syndrome and excessive dampness.
9. Water droplets inside the cup — Indicates heavy cold-dampness.
10. Purple-red or dark red — Indicates Yin syndrome, cold syndrome, and blood stasis.
11. Flushed or light red — Indicates deficiency syndrome.
12. Quick recovery of the skin to its original state after cupping — Indicates a sign of quick recovery.
Cupping Mark Health Manual
1. Tight, dark black marks generally indicate blood stasis, such as in dysmenorrhea or insufficient blood supply to the heart. If the marks do not fade after several days, it usually indicates a long-standing condition that requires a longer time for adjustment. If large areas of black-purple marks appear during cupping, it suggests a significant area affected by wind-cold, and treatment should focus on dispelling cold.
2. Purple marks with patches generally indicate local cold and blood stasis.
3. Scattered purple spots of varying shades generally indicate Qi stagnation and blood stasis.
4. Light purple marks with patches generally indicate a deficiency syndrome with blood stasis. If the spots are prominent at acupoints, it indicates weakness in the corresponding internal organs; for example, if it appears at the Shen Shu (Kidney Shu) point, it suggests kidney deficiency.
5. Bright red marks generally indicate Yin deficiency or a combination of Qi and Yin deficiency, which can also occur with excess fire due to Yin deficiency.
6. Bright red scattered spots usually appear after extensive cupping and do not protrude above the skin. If concentrated at a specific acupoint and its vicinity, it indicates abnormalities in the related organs or existing conditions.
7. If there are no marks (or they are not obvious) after cupping, or if they disappear immediately after removing the cups,
8. and the skin returns to its normal color, it suggests that the body is generally normal or the condition is mild.
9. If cupping or sitting cupping easily leads to blisters, it indicates heavy dampness. If many small blisters appear at the affected area, it suggests that it is caused by dampness and will require multiple cupping sessions for optimal results.
10. If wind bumps (like acute urticaria) appear during cupping, it suggests wind-heat or an allergic constitution.
11. As the condition improves, the cupping marks will also lessen and will be less likely to appear, which can serve as a preventive measure.
How to Cupping for Weight Loss and Detoxification
To lose weight, detoxify, and relieve constipation, perform cupping on the abdomen for 10 minutes. Cupping should be done twice a week, using six No. 3 cups each time; for those who are particularly overweight, use No. 4 cups. Cupping locations: Tianshu (2 cun lateral to the umbilicus, one cup on each side), Daheng Lian Dai Mai (moving outward from Tianshu, near the waist, one cup on each side), Zhongwan (4 cun above the umbilicus, one cup), and Guanyuan (3 cun below the umbilicus, one cup).
Precautions
1. Cupping time should not be too long, as it may lead to large blisters and skin inflammation.
2. Cupping should not be performed on the chest, eyes, ulcerated areas, or surgical wounds.
3. Individuals with moderate to severe heart disease, systemic edema, bleeding tendencies, leukemia, high fever, or severe convulsions should not undergo cupping.
4. Individuals with severe nervousness or active pulmonary tuberculosis should not undergo cupping.
5. Women during menstruation or pregnancy should not undergo cupping.
6. Individuals who are extremely weak, overly fatigued, or in a state of hunger or excessive thirst should not undergo cupping.
7. Individuals with systemic skin diseases, skin damage, or severe skin allergies should not undergo cupping.
8. Cupping should not be performed on areas with fractures, on the lower back of pregnant women, or on sensitive acupoints.
9. Cupping should not be performed after drinking alcohol or after intense exercise.
10. Individuals with heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, etc., should use caution based on their condition.
11. Choose different sizes of cups based on the patient’s body area; generally, select areas that are muscular, elastic, hairless, and free of bony protrusions and joints for cupping.
12. After use, disinfect the cup openings with 75% alcohol cotton; apply lubricant to the sealing rings of the cups periodically.
13. Strictly pay attention to warmth before, during, and after cupping to avoid exposure to wind and cold.
14. Do not bathe for at least 4 hours after cupping.
15. Immediately drink a large glass of warm water after cupping to aid detoxification.
Note: The various prescriptions and formulas mentioned in this article are for reference and learning purposes for professional TCM practitioners only and should not be used as prescriptions. Please do not self-medicate; this platform does not bear any responsibility for any consequences arising from this.
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