Fire Cups

One of the things I thought would be interesting is to try out some of the different types of Chinese medicine while I'm in the motherland. So last night when Joanne wanted to get a massage, I went. One of the options they had on their list was the fire cups... at 20 rmb/time, we figured what the heck? Some had compared the feeling to a cat bite. Some said a minor tingling feeling. Um, no. Unless the cat was a jungle cat mauling his prey. Then, maybe I could agree with that description. I asked the lady as we were going in if it hurt, and she said "yes, very much" as she smiled at us. I guess I should have turned around there and walked out, but I figured she probably didn't understand because then her next comment was "very comfortable". Yeah, right. Joanne has some better pictures, but I found the first two from the internet and the third one is my back. The morning after (we're talking a good 12 hours later...)

So first, the practitioner takes a cotton ball dipped in alcohol and lights it on fire. (they are holding the cotton ball with a pair of tongs) Then, they quickly put the fire in the cup, remove it, and stick the heated cup to your back, creating a suction. (The fire is only briefly introduced to the cup). This continues until your back is covered in little glass cups. The whole process takes less than 2 minutes for about a dozen cups, maybe more. After that, they cover the area with a sheet, and leave them on for 10 minutes. The first minute or so isn't bad, it feels like something is leeching on your back. Then, it grows a bit more intense. By a bit, I really mean tremendously. I wouldn't say it was incredibly painful, but it definitely is uncomfortable enough that after your time is up you are so ready to have those little things off your back.

Apparently fire cupping is a way to improve your blood circulation and help treat a variety of ailments like high blood pressure, back pain, the common cold, bronchitis.... I've seen a whole list of things it claims to treat. I don't know how much of that is true, but I can say that once the cups were removed, you don't feel sore anymore. And those giant red circle are not as painful as they look. The darker ones are a little sensitive, but not awful. I did sleep really well last night and I haven't been sleeping through the night so maybe it had something to do with this? Who knows.