Cupping Therapies in Adelaide
What Is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping Therapy is an ancient alternative medicine therapy and complementary treatment that utilizes special “cups” to create suction in specific locations of the body with the intention to increase blood flow and reduce pain symptoms and deep tissue inflammation within the body.
These special cups are applied with minimal pressure, heat and suction. This suction is caused by the heat within the cup when placed on the body. The beginning of Cupping Therapy is believed to be around 1500 B.C. From then, many cultures have adopted and added more beneficial techniques to cupping therapies.
How does cupping therapy work?

Cupping Therapy may help with:
- Decreasing Blood Pressure
- Improving Circulation
- Decreasing Migraines
- Decreasing Cellulite
- Boosting skin function to help with acne and eczema
- Anxiety and depression
- Decreasing Myofascial Pain
How does Cupping Theraoy actually work?
Being the skin is the biggest organ of the human body; when doing Cupping Therapy, the cups suction pulls the unhealthy toxins up to the surface of the skin allowing healthy blood and oxygen flow to the needed areas. This allows the toxins to be flushed out through the lymphatic system, kidneys and liver.
What does it feel like?
Cupping is safe, and although it is usually painless, some patients experience a slight sensation of suction and pulling of the skin. This is mostly the only discomfort experienced. For the mayority of people, cupping is enjoyable and relaxing. After the treatment with cupping therapy, it is very normal to have some painless bruising in the circle shapes where the cups were placed. These bruises usually disapear within 3 to 4 days.
Cupping Therapy Services in Adelaide and Surrounding Suburbs
What Types of Cupping Are There?
There are three main types of Cupping available at SA Wellness Centre

DRY CUPPING
Dry cupping is performed by applying a plastic cup to the surface of the skin and using a pump, air is removed by suction. These cups create a suction of the skin and helps remove toxins from the body. Areas of pain and inflammation greatly benefit from cupping as it relieves congestion and allows blood to flow easier.

WET CUPPING / HIJAMA
For Wet Cupping, small scratches are made to the surface of the skin with a sterile blade after dry cupping has been performed for a few minutes. The aim of Hijama is to extract stagnated or congested blood from certain points around your body. Some patients say it tickles and others compare it to the flick of an elastic rubber band.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it hurt?
Pain tolerance differs from person to person though you can be reassured that with the hundreds of people we have serviced to date that we have had no client unable to tolerate the procedure. Some patients say it tickles and others compare it to the flick of an elastic rubber band.
How long are cups applied for in cupping therapy?
Depending on your body and condition, cups may be placed on your skin for up to ten minutes. They may either stay in place for that time, or the practitioner will remove them and place them on another location of your body.
Hijama is different depending on the patient and the practitioner.
Side effects of cupping?
During cupping therapy the patient should expect a slight pulling, stretching and/or warm sensation when the cups are applied to the skin.
Various pressures of the cups are applied depending on your body type and type of pain or condition you are experiencing. If the cups are slid up and down your skin you will feel a slight stretch, almost the same as a massage.
Often the cups will leave reddening of the skin where the cups were applied, depending on the strength of the suction. These marks will fade sooner if they are lighter in color, and may take a bit longer if they are darker in color. Typically the reddening shows up stronger on the first treatment.
How many Treatments are needed?
This is a difficult question to answer as no literature has been published with regards to treatment frequency and diseases. We can only suggest you base treatments on subjective outcomes i.e how you feel the days/weeks following your cupping treatment. Most people will return once per month and others every 3 months, 6 months or 12 months routinely.
What is Hijama (Wet Cupping)?
Hijama is an ancient bloodletting technique utilised in many parts of the Middle East, China and Europe. To be more specific this traditional technique is utilised within the Middles East off the advice given by the Greatest Prophet of Islam.
How does Hijama (Wet Cupping) work?
Hijama involves the application of cups through vacuum to certain points on your body. Once cups are in position blood is drawn into the cups through small skin incisions made prior.
The aim of Hijama is to extract stagnated or congested blood from certain points around your body. The theory is that such blood could slow down the delivery of much needed oxygen, mineral electrolytes, vitamins, enzymes, immune system cells & antibodies to your cells, tissues and organs. With stagnated or congested blood present in your body; your cells, tissues and organs may not function at the best and so latter become progressively weak, inefficient or easily overcome by Bacteria, Infection etc.
Who is not suitable for Hijama?
- Children below the age of 10 years old
- Adults above the age of 70 years old
- People suffering from a lack of red blood cells (Anemia)
- People recovering from surgery
- People using blood thinning or Anti-Clotting medication such as Aspirin, Rivaroxaban (Xarelto), Dabigatran (Pradaxa), Apixaban (Eliquis), Heparin (various), Warfarin (Coumadin) etc
- Pregnant women & women Breast feeding (during and 6 months after feeding ceased)
- People with a history of Cancer, Diabetes, Heart attacks and Asthma attacks.
CUPPING THERAPISTS