Contemporary cupping equipment

            CONTEMPORARY CUPPING EQUIPMENT

Much of the cupping equipment used and sold today in the East as well as in the West is made of fire resistant tough glass or clear Perspex material. Earthenware and bamboo cups are still used in developing countries. In the West, however, the use of earthenware and bamboo cups is now discontinued, or limited perhaps to an emergency situation where no other cupping equipment is available. 

*Bamboo cups have now been replaced by clear Perspex cupping sets in most Chinese hospitals and clinics. 

In recent years many versions of electrical or mechanized cupping apparatus have also been introduced.Most of the new generation and elaborate vacuum cups are designed for use in the acupuncture clinics,sports clinics, beauty salons and health spas particularly during body toning, weight loss or cellulite reduction programmes.

 The manually operated valve cupping set (pistol-handle) is the most popular version among the Western practitioners who prefer not to employ fire during the cupping sessions.

              Electromagnetic Cupping Apparatus

In China the use of electric cupping apparatus involves the patient incurring additional cost. In addition,the electric cupping machine itself is expensive, bulky and impractical as far as mobility is concerned.These machines are heavy, and are consequently mounted on a portable table so that they can be taken to the nearest bed and positioned next to the patient. In Chinese hospitals almost every acupuncture department has an electric cupping machine. The cup is attached to the machine through an umbilical suction cord. At the same time, if necessary, a separate cable can be fitted to activate an electromagnetic probe inside the cup. Suction strength and duration can be adjusted and controlled electronically by the operator. The use of electromagnetic stimulation during a cupping treatment is a new experience for me; therefore I am unable to comment on the therapeutic efficacy of such a technique.

 According to some doctors who use such devices regularly, electromagnetic stimulation increases the therapeutic effectiveness of cupping, especially when applied to joints, including the knees and elbows.One of the drawbacks of this rather sophisticated machine is that the cups cannot be sterilized as often and as efficiently as plain glass cups.

                                Portable Cupping Pumps

These are smaller, portable versions of mechanical cupping machines, powered by small petrol engines or batteries. They are heavy to carry around, especially when visiting patients; they are also very noisy to operate and difficult to clean.The average weight of these machines is around 5 kg – not so practical for a busy practitioner doing visiting rounds! Various electrically operated cupping machines, which have come to the market in recent years particularly from the European sources.However, most of these new machines are aimed at the cosmetic sector, in particular for toning up the skin as part of ‘weight loss’ programmes.

                                       Screw-Top Cups

A more modest and rather inexpensive cupping set has an adjustable screw-threaded handle located on top of the cup and attached to a piston-like suction pump inside the cup. The cups are made of clear Perspex material. The level of suction required is obtained by turning the handle anticlockwise and allowing the piston ring inside the cup to touch the patient’s skin. The handle is then turned clock-wise in order to pull the piston upwards, thereby creating a negative pressure inside the cup. Using this method, cupping treatment can be carried out in almost any environment, as neither electricity nor fire is needed. However, again a sufficient degree of sterilization cannot be achieved as the cups are lined with a fine lubricant in order to facilitate the movement of the piston. This version is the least used of the cupping sets in the clinics.

                     Pistol-Handle Valve Cups

This type of cup is usually made of toughened glass or clear Perspex material and has a valve attached to its top. So far I have seen two varieties of this cupping apparatus: one has a pump, which resembles a bicycle pump, and the other is the pistol-handle type. The operator places the cup in the desired position, inserts the pump into the valve and then proceeds to pump air out of the cup, creating suction. The strength of suction can be adjusted from the valve, which is positioned at the top of the cup. With this method the operator has absolute control over the vacuum, in particular when sensitive and small areas such facial points or a boil needs to be cupped.

                           Cups with Squeeze Rubber Tops

These cups are made with a hollow rubber handle attached to the top. The operator simply squeezes the rubber handle and places the cup on the desired point. When the rubber handle is released, a vacuum is created. A major disadvantage of these cups is that only a limited amount of air can be drawn out of the cup, and therefore the suction obtainable remains limited to light and medium strength. When treating children under the age of 7 years this method is preferable, as there is no fire or machinery involved, and it is the only type of cupping method that parents can easily and safely be taught for use on their children at home.

                      Magnetic Squeeze Rubber Cups

These are operated exactly the same way as the cups above. However, these cups are attributed extra benefits owing to the magnetic field created by the magnet, which is fixed on the inside to the upper part of the cup.

                                              Bamboo Cups

Without doubt cups made of bamboo are the most commonly used in China today. Bamboo is easily available, inexpensive and extremely light to carry, and the cups are durable and last for years. There are a few disadvantages, however:

*First, the edges of the bamboo cups are very sharp compared with glass cups, and dig into the flesh. For this reason, I personally refrain from using bamboo cups on my Western  patients, as the concept of pain in Western patients is very different from that of the Chinese. For the Chinese patient, the discomfort caused by the bamboo cup is quite acceptable.

 *A second disadvantage is that the operator is unable to see inside the cup to monitor the strength of suction and avoid blistering.

*Thirdly, adequate sterilization cannot be achieved as the bamboo is very porous and absorbent, and a strong suction may draw blood or body fluids into the fibres of the cup.

In a busy clinic, for example, there would therefore be a greater risk of cross-infection. For personal use in the home, however, bamboo cups are very safe.

                                        Glass Cups

Before glass cups were introduced, earthenware and china cups were used for many hundreds of years. People often used large earthenware vessels resembling water jugs to treat their patients. Because of the obvious disadvantages of earthenware cups (expensive, easily broken and very heavy to handle or carry), glass cups were introduced soon after the invention of glass itself (around 2500 bc, by the Egyptians). The drawings on the entrance of one of the tombs in Luxor, Egypt, clearly show a cupping set, most probably made of glass, among other medical instruments. The edges of glass cups are thicker and smoother than those of bamboo cups. They are also available in different sizes. It is often difficult to purchase a set of glass cups all the same size: wholesalers and retailers often prefer to sell them in sets of three, all varying in size, so that large numbers of the less popular sizes do not remain in their stock! Glass cups are the type most favoured by Western practitioners. From a practical point of view the advantage of the glass cupping set is its transparency, which enables the practitioner to observe and monitor the strength of suction and the treatment time. Glass cups are also easier and faster to use and more suitable to sterilize. For the reasons given above I prefer the use of glass cups in my clinics. There appears to be only one disadvantage: if dropped, glass cups break very easily and are expensive to replace.

                                         Rubber Cups

In late 1999, a new cupping set was introduced that is made completely of a natural rubber material. The cups are corrugated in shape and, when the air is pushed out, a rather strong suction is obtained. The cups give a good strength of suction and are versatile in their application. Because of the nature of the rubber material, these cups are expensive and cannot be boiled or sterilized in a strong cleaning solution as the rubber becomes soft, edges wear thin and are unable to hold onto the skin. It can be used in a busy clinic when new. Otherwise, they are only recommended for personal use. Most massage oils used during the treatment also damage the rubber, which reduces its effectiveness. When new, the smooth surface of the mouth of the rubber cup makes it ideal for treating children as well as the Moving cupping technique on adults. Rubber cups can safely be used on the face, stomach, legs and other tender parts of the body.

                                           Silicon Cups

 Silicon cups are more resistant to any damage from oil or sterilizing liquid. The edges of the silicon cups are smoother, they are lighter in weight than rubber cups and I am also assured that they last much longer owing to the toughness of the silicon material. Silicon cups are particularly suitable during cosmetic cupping sessions, especially for cellulite treatment on the thighs and for a facial rejuvenation programme.

                                 Disposable Cupping Sets

These are the most recent innovation in the cupping arsenal! The most truly innovative and practical cupping set I have seen in recent years is the disposable cupping unit. Apart from the suction pump, the entire cups are once-use only and disposable. Some manufacturers, however, produce the entire cupping unit as a disposable unit. Disposable cups are most suitable for ‘Wet cupping’ (Hejama, Bleeding method), where the used cups can be disposed of immediately after use. This type of cupping equipment is quite reasonable to purchase and therefore affordable in terms of disposal. The cups are made of clear durable plastic material

Two-In-One Cupping Set with Electrical Stimulation

This new version of cupping set is designed to provide electric stimulation simultaneously with conventional cupping therapy. The electrical stimulation during treatment is similar to transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) stimulation. According to the manufacturer’s prospectus, it ‘provides cupping therapy and allows stimulation by TENS unit simultaneously, thus enhances the effect for both suction and electric stimulation treatments’. The application instructions are as follows:

For Cupping Application Only

1. Apply a thin layer of moisturizer or lotion to the skin or treatment area before operation.

2. Place the vacuum cup on the treatment area; it is recommended to use at least two cups per treatment.

3. Use your thumb to press the top of the vacuum cup and release; the cup will stay on the skin or treatment area firmly. Press the top of the cup firmly to create a strong force, and mild pressure for less force. Adjust the suction strength according to your diagnosis.

4. When treatment is completed, squeeze the cup on both sides and the cup can be lifted up easily from the treatment area.

5. After treatment, clean the cups with soapy water and sterilizing liquid.

For Simultaneous Cupping and Electrical Stimulation

1. Attach the cups as described above.
2. Attach the pin lead wire to the vacuum cup. Use two cups at the same time for positive and negative poles.
3. Connect the pin lead wire to the TENS unit for electric stimulation.
4. Adjust output intensity and pulse rate /width of the TENS unit according to your treatment protocol.

5. Now the cupping and TENS therapy is applied simultaneously.

6. When treatment is completed, turn off the TENS unit. Squeeze the cup on both sides and remove the cup from the treatment area.

7. Clean and sterilize the used cups as described above.

Contraindications and Precautions Regarding the Unit

This two-in-one unit is not recommended for pregnant women and persons with any form of cardiac history, in particular persons fitted with a heart pacemaker.

☺☺☺