Why Do Cupping Marks Appear After Cupping Therapy?

Cupping marks refer to the purplish-red bruise-like points, blotches, or blisters that appear on the skin after the application of cupping. These marks can be accompanied by varying degrees of mild warmth and pain, collectively known as cupping imprints. The belief that deeper cupping marks indicate heavier dampness is a common curiosity among many. While the appearance of marks can enhance therapeutic effects to some extent, the reasons behind their formation are multifaceted. It’s not accurate to correlate deeper cupping marks with increased dampness, as it involves various other factors.

Several Factors Influence the Formation of Cupping Marks

Negative pressure within the cup

 The greater the negative pressure inside the cup, the larger and darker the resulting cupping marks.

Stimulating factors during cupping

The main factors affecting stimulation are pressure and time. Under the same cupping time conditions, greater negative pressure leads to darker marks. The impact of time on cupping mark color is complex, not necessarily deepening with longer durations. The color change is primarily related to blood supply, with more intense colors indicating better blood circulation.

Cupping site

Cupping in areas where superficial capillaries are more abundant and closer to the surface tends to produce deeper cupping marks. The activity level of the area also influences the depth of marks.

Individual health and differences

Differences in cupping mark color between individuals with a cold and normal group exist. For instance, individuals with a cold may have dilated capillaries at the Da Zhui acupoint during exposure to wind-cold conditions, making the vessels more susceptible to rupture during cupping.

Cupping marks directly reflect the effects of cupping therapy and can persist for several days. They provide sustained benign stimulation to specific acupuncture points or corresponding skin areas, serving as a specific external reflection of different physiological states. Thus, cupping marks have clinical significance in reflecting symptoms, aiding in diagnosis, preventing and treating diseases, strengthening the body, and evaluating treatment efficacy and prognosis.

Analyzing One’s Own Condition Through Post-cupping Marks

Purple or black cupping marks

After cupping, if the cupping marks appear dark purple or black, it generally indicates insufficient blood supply and the presence of blood stasis, leading to poor circulation.

If there is a large area of dark purple marks during cupping, it suggests a significant invasion of wind-cold.

Purple cupping marks with accompanying clots typically indicate a condition of cold congealing and blood stasis.

When cupping marks are scattered and vary in depth, it usually signifies a condition of Qi stagnation and blood stasis.

The appearance of purple marks and spots around the Jian Jing acupoint after cupping is often indicative of blood stasis in cervical spondylosis.

If there are dark purple imprints with overlapping and bleeding spots, it is considered a positive reaction in the diagnosis of spotted fever typhus. This can be utilized in the differential diagnosis of typhus and spotted fever.

Red cupping marks

If the cupping marks appear dark red, it indicates elevated blood lipids and the presence of pathogenic heat.

After cupping, the emergence of scattered, bright red points, not elevated above the skin, particularly concentrated around a specific acupoint, suggests pathological changes in the corresponding organs associated with that acupoint.

If there is minor bleeding in the cupping area, it can be used as one of the diagnostic criteria for eruptive diseases such as measles, rubella, scarlet fever, spotted fever typhus, etc.

When cupping marks are vividly red and vibrant, it generally signifies Yin deficiency, dual deficiency of Qi and blood, or Yin deficiency with excessive heat.

Blistering after cupping

If there is a pronounced appearance of blisters after cupping, with a higher quantity, clear color, and the surrounding skin exhibiting a low temperature without warmth in the cup, it indicates a syndrome of damp-cold.

If the number of blisters is relatively few, with a slightly yellow or turbid color, and the surrounding skin has an elevated temperature with warmth in the cup, it suggests a syndrome of damp-heat.

Blisters with a blood-red or dark-red color indicate a pathological response to a prolonged illness involving a combination of damp pathogen and blood stasis.

Common Queries about Cupping Marks

In conclusion, cupping therapy, with its observable cupping marks, is gradually becoming a mainstream practice, aligning with the rich principles of traditional Chinese health. By interpreting the colors, patterns, and characteristics of cupping marks, individuals can gain valuable insights into their own health conditions, allowing for informed adjustments in their well-being. Tailoring remedial measures based on different mark presentations during therapy can enhance overall treatment effectiveness.