CUPPING THERAPY

Abstract

Traditional cupping therapy (CT) has been around for a long time and is still used today to treat many different kinds of medical issues. Still, researchers have yet to pin down exactly how (CT) works. Looking at CT through the lens of contemporary medicine, this review set out to determine how it might work and provide some explanations for its effects. A search was conducted using keywords in the English publications in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. From the 223 articles that were found, 149 records were reviewed and 74 articles were deemed irrelevant and removed. Of the 75 full-text publications that were considered for this review, 64 were ultimately included. There are six competing explanations for the benefits of cupping therapy. Nitric Oxide theory may provide an explanation for the calming effects on muscles, alterations in local tissue structures, and improvements in blood circulation. The Activation of immune system theory may explain the hormonal changes and immunological effects. According to the "Blood Detoxification Theory" heavy metals and waste are eliminated while toxins are released. These theories can complement one another or even be used interchangeably to treat different diseases and ailments. It would appear that the many impacts of cupping cannot be adequately explained by a single theory. The aforementioned theories require further investigation to either confirm or disprove them, and future research should also aim to develop novel conceptualizations of CT.