Ancient negative-pressure therapy modernised for today's clinic. Releasing fascia, moving Qi and Blood stagnation, supporting recovery and easing deep muscular tension.
Book Cupping Learn About AcupunctureCupping therapy has been practised for thousands of years across Chinese, Egyptian, Greek and Middle Eastern medical traditions. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is used to move Qi and Blood stagnation, dispel Cold and Damp pathogenic factors, release the exterior and support the Wei (defensive) Qi. In contemporary clinical terms, we understand cupping to work via negative pressure — creating a lifting and separating action on skin, fascia and superficial muscle layers.
Cupping gained considerable public attention during the 2016 Rio Olympics, when numerous elite athletes appeared on television and in competition wearing the distinctive circular marks. Far from being curious or fringe, cupping has since been integrated into many elite sports medicine programmes globally — valued for its effectiveness in accelerating muscle recovery, reducing DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) and releasing deep fascial restrictions that conventional massage cannot reach.
At Health Therapies Clinics in Lane Cove, cupping is offered by our acupuncturists and TCM practitioners as a standalone treatment or as a complement to acupuncture. We use both silicone and glass cups, selecting the most appropriate type based on your presenting needs and comfort.
Cupping add-on (with acupuncture): No additional charge for short cupping within an acupuncture session
Cupping standalone: From $135 / 30 minutes
Initial Acupuncture + Cupping: $200 / 90 minutes
Follow-up: $175 / 60 minutes
Hours: Monday – Sunday, 9am – 9pm
Private Health: HICAPS — Medibank, BUPA, HCF, NIB, HBF, AHM
Book OnlineThe traditional method: a flame is briefly inserted into a glass cup to consume the oxygen and create a vacuum, then the cup is applied to the skin. Glass cups produce a strong, even suction and are preferred for stationary cupping at specific acupuncture points. The glass allows the practitioner to observe the colour and texture of the skin response as a diagnostic tool.
Flexible silicone cups are squeezed to expel air before placement, creating a negative pressure without fire. Silicone cups can be slid across the skin (slide cupping) while maintaining suction — similar in effect to a deep tissue massage in reverse. Slide cupping is excellent for broad areas such as the back, hamstrings and shoulders. Silicone is also preferable for clients who are nervous about the fire cupping technique.
A rapid technique where cups are applied and removed in quick succession — sometimes dozens of times over an area. Flash cupping is used to stimulate circulation, disperse Cold and Dampness, and address respiratory congestion. It produces minimal or no skin discolouration and is well suited to acute conditions or clients who wish to avoid the characteristic cupping marks.
The round, reddish-purple marks left by cupping are perhaps its most recognisable feature — and the most misunderstood. They are frequently described as bruises, but this is inaccurate. A bruise results from blunt trauma causing blood vessels to rupture and blood to leak into surrounding tissue. Cupping marks, by contrast, result from the controlled release of stagnant blood, old interstitial fluids, lymphatic waste and metabolic debris from deep within the tissues, drawn to the surface by negative pressure.
In TCM, the colour and depth of the marks carry diagnostic information: a light pink mark suggests healthy tissue with good circulation; a dark purple or near-black mark indicates significant Blood stagnation, often corresponding to areas of chronic pain or injury; a rapid reappearance of dark colour in subsequent sessions suggests ongoing stagnation that has not yet fully resolved.
The marks typically fade within three to seven days — faster in people with good circulation and adequate hydration, slower in those with more significant stagnation. They are not painful (beyond mild skin sensitivity) and do not carry the underlying tissue damage of a true bruise. Most clients notice that as the stagnation resolves over a series of sessions, the marks become progressively lighter — reflecting an improvement in local circulation and tissue health.
We advise clients to keep cupped areas warm and covered for 24 hours after treatment, avoid swimming, cold showers or wind exposure to the treated areas, and increase water intake to support the clearance of released metabolic waste.
Most clients describe cupping as feeling like a deep, pleasant pulling sensation — similar to the feeling of a strong massage pressure, but in reverse. There may be mild discomfort if the suction is strong or if the tissue is particularly tense. Your practitioner will always adjust the pressure based on your feedback. Flash cupping and gentle silicone cupping are very comfortable even for sensitive clients.
Typically three to seven days. The speed of fading reflects how well your circulation is moving. Lighter marks may fade in two days; darker marks from areas of significant stagnation may take a week or slightly more. Staying warm, well hydrated and gently active accelerates the fading process.
Cupping is generally not applied directly over active eczema, psoriasis, sunburn, open wounds, varicose veins or areas of inflammation. If you have sensitive skin, please discuss this with your practitioner before treatment. Gentle silicone cupping at lower pressure may still be appropriate, and adjacent areas can sometimes be treated to encourage circulation without direct contact with affected skin.
For acute conditions — such as a tight back from a recent heavy lift — one to three sessions often produce significant relief. For chronic conditions with long-standing stagnation, a series of four to eight sessions may be recommended, often weekly or fortnightly. As the marks become lighter over time, this reflects the progressive improvement in the tissue.
Cupping therapy at Health Therapies Clinics, Lane Cove. Available as a standalone treatment or combined with acupuncture. Seven days, 9am–9pm.
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