Cupping
Cupping therapy dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus, describes how the ancient Egyptians used cupping therapy in 1,550 B.C. The method is used to move qi and blood deep within and on the surface of the body. Glass cups, are filled with a flammable substance such as alcohol, and lit on fire. Once the fire goes out the heat creates suction and the cups are applied to the skin. The suction causes the skin to rise and the blood vessels to expand. The cups are generally left on the skin for 5-10 minutes, and can be used to treat conditions such as neck and shoulder pain, low back pain, headaches, common cold/flu symptoms, asthma, and painful periods. According to the British Cupping Society, cupping can be used to treat blood disorders such as anemia and hemophilia, arthritis, fibromyalgia, fertility and/or gynecological disorders, eczema, acne, high blood pressure, and anxiety and depression, amongst other things.