Fire Cupping is a technique we do quite frequently in our clinic, usually in combination with acupuncture. In Chinese medicine, as a stand alone therapy, it can be great for relieving muscle tension and other acute symptoms, and is excellent for PREVENTION & MAINTENANCE.
HOWEVER, if you are dealing with an injury (new or old), or if your issues are more chronic, acupuncture is the better option; those sessions (when necessary) will often include cupping as an adjunct!
With chronic symptoms and/or injuries, there is usually something deeper going on that is (#1) causing the pain/discomfort, (#2) causing that pain/discomfort to flare up &/or linger around even after proper rest & care, or (#3) can be contributing to the frequency of similar and related injuries. [ie: frequent strain/sprains, “it’s always my tendons/ligaments,” “my joints ache and take forever to get loose” etc…]
So while cupping may and often does provide temporary relief for chronic ailments, it does not address the underlying root of the problem; for that we turn to acupuncture!
ATHLETES – Everything above still applies, BUT if you have a known potential problem area or are looking to stay ahead of general muscles soreness, fire cupping is an excellent way to stay ahead of that before/after an intense workout. This means a better and quicker RECOVERY!