Cupping has become a hit at the Rio 2016 Olympics. 

This non-drug therapy from traditional Chinese medicine has won over many Olympic stars with its significant effect. 

It is very popular among the US swimming team, and Michael Phelps is a big fan. 

So, what benefits can cupping bring?

Protect the immune system

It’s terrible for athletes to get sick right before their match, so prevention is particularly important. Cupping therapy can stimulate the internal energy flow, revive weakened organ functions, and improve immunity. At the same time, it can suck out wind, cold, dampness and blood stasis and straighten out the body system.  Swimming, diving and gymnastics athletes can easily catch a cold, which can be repelled through cupping. 

Modern research shows that cupping therapy can strengthen the phagocytic functions of white blood cells and the reticuloendothelial system, and improve the body's resistance against disease. Cupping of the sides of the back can significantly raise the leukocyte phagocytosis index, serum complement titer and normal red blood cell immune functions.

In addition, cupping produces a strong negative pressure sucking force, causing local capillaries to rupture, resulting in blood stasis and autoimmune hemolytic phenomena. The release of histamine, 5-serotonin and other neurotransmitters can stimulate functions of the whole body through neurohumoral mechanisms, and effectively mobilize the immune system to cure the fever caused by low immunity.

Cupping therapy can improve blood circulation of the lungs and bronchial secretion and cilia movement to accelerate elimination of airway inflammation. It can also improve respiratory ventilation and is commonly used to prevent and treat cold-caused coughing, chronic bronchitis and asthma.

Smooth energy flow and ease pain

The channels through which internal energy flows maintain body balance and coordination. Cupping can smooth those channels and thus improve organ and tissue functions. It can ease pain, especially that common to athletes. 

Many athletes can be over or under excited, both of which are not good. 

Cupping can help regulate nerve excitability. Modern medical research indicates that cupping therapy offers a negative pressure mechanical stimulation, which goes to the cerebral cortex and adjusts excitatory and inhibitory processes through reflex regulation; thus moving the entire nervous system to a balance. Cupping therapy offers dual-direction regulation which targets pathological characteristics. When the body is in a state of excitement, cupping can restrain it; when the body is in a state of suppression, cupping can excite it.

If a player is too nervous or tired, or fails to warm-up enough, muscle cramp might happen. Cupping therapy can directly inhibit muscle spasms through muscle myotatic reflexes and relieve muscle spasm by eliminating pain lesions. Cupping can stimulate the nerves of a region, regulate blood vessels and muscle functions of a certain body part, remove reflection to relieve muscle spasms and offer an obvious analgesic effect.

Dissipate blood stasis and eliminate swelling and heat pain

Injuries are common among athletes. Swelling, heat pain or even blood stasis could happen. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that all bodily tissues need to be fed through internal energy flow and blood circulation. If the energy flow and blood circulation go wrong, organ dysfunction will cause a series of pathological changes.

Cupping therapy can adjust and smooth internal energy and blood circulation. The therapy can dissipate blood stasis and boost internal circulation. It can accelerate the venous return and help absorption of hematoma and edema. Cupping therapy can help with decomposition and excretion of inflammatory mediators, elimination of aseptic inflammation, and pain relief. Blood-letting puncturing and cupping offer a particularly prominent analgesic effect.

Cupping therapy offers warm skin stimulation and dilation of local blood vessels, boosts blood circulation, and accelerates metabolism. The improvement of local blood circulation can quickly reduce inflammation, eliminating swelling and pain.