Jack's Blog on Medicare Plan Choices

Discovering Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy appears to be an ancient healing practice that has been used in various cultures for thousands of years. In this treatment, special cups are placed on the skin to create suction, which is believed to promote healing and relieve pain.

The cups, typically made of glass, bamboo, or silicone, are applied to specific areas of the body, often the back, neck, or shoulders. The suction is created either by briefly heating the air inside the cup before placing it on the skin (fire cupping) or by using a mechanical pump. This suction pulls the skin and superficial muscle layer into the cup, which can leave temporary circular marks on the skin.

Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine and some alternative therapies believe that cupping can help improve blood flow, relieve muscle tension, promote cell repair, and aid in the removal of toxins.

I can understand how this can promote blood flow which is certainly beneficial.  My friend is adamant that she felt better and lighter after her treatment.  I can only listen to what she says and I am not promoting or questioning the procedure.

Here is a breakdown of the procedure as I understand it:

1. Preparation: The practitioner cleans the area of skin where the cups will be placed.

2. Cup placement: Special cups, typically made of glass, silicone, or plastic, are placed on the skin.

3. Suction creation: The practitioner creates suction inside the cup, which pulls the skin and underlying tissue upward into the cup. This can be done in two main ways:

Fire cupping: A flammable substance is briefly lit inside the cup, creating a vacuum as it’s placed on the skin.

Mechanical cupping: A hand pump is used to create suction after the cup is placed on the skin.

4. Duration: The cups are usually left in place for 5-15 minutes.

5. Removal: The practitioner gently removes the cups.

Now let’s look at where Medicare stands on this procedure.  Drum roll please.   Well, it appears that Medicare does not a stand at all on cupping.   My research on Medicare.gov yields no results on cupping.

Consider this:  Medicare typically covers treatments that are considered medically necessary and have strong scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness. Cupping therapy, being considered an alternative or complementary treatment, usually does not meet these criteria.

Here is my disclaimer. I am not promoting cupping therapy.  I gather most of my information from Medicare.gov and to the best of my knowledge, it is accurate.  Please use this information as a guideline and double check it yourself as I am only an average man at my best.

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