Cupping uses suction cups placed on the skin to lift and decompress the tissue underneath. Where massage presses down into a muscle, cupping pulls up, which is why the two work well together on areas that have stopped responding to hands-on work alone.
At SMSM Therapy cupping is normally used as part of a treatment session rather than booked on its own, most often across the upper back, shoulders and lower back.
What we commonly use cupping for
- Tight, congested upper backs and shoulders, especially from desk work, often alongside neck pain
- Lower back stiffness that keeps returning
- Recovery between hard training blocks
- Areas of old scar tissue and restricted movement
- Alongside sports massage or medical acupuncture when a muscle will not let go
What to expect in a session
Your therapist will assess the area first and explain whether cupping is likely to help. Cups are applied with suction and either left in place for a few minutes or moved slowly across oiled skin. Most people describe it as a strong pulling sensation rather than a painful one, and many find it oddly relaxing.
Cupping commonly leaves round marks. They are not bruises in the usual sense and they are not painful, but they can last anywhere from a couple of days to a fortnight. If you have an event, a holiday or a wedding coming up, tell your therapist beforehand and we will plan around it.
Dry cupping and moving cupping
There are two ways we use the cups and they do slightly different jobs.
Static, or dry, cupping means the cups go on and stay put for a few minutes. It is the one that leaves the clearest round marks. We use it when a specific spot has stopped responding, typically between the shoulder blades or across the lower back.
Moving, or glide, cupping means the skin is oiled and the cups are drawn slowly across the area while the suction holds. It covers more ground, feels less intense, and tends to leave lighter marking. We use it across broader areas such as the whole upper back.
Your therapist will pick based on what they find when they assess you, and will usually combine the two in one session.
Cupping alongside your other treatment
Cupping or acupuncture, if you have to choose
What the evidence actually shows
How often and what it costs
Common questions
Why does cupping leave circular marks?
The suction draws blood towards the surface of the skin. The colour that appears varies from person to person and from area to area, and it fades on its own. It is not a measure of how effective the treatment was.
Can I have cupping on its own?
You can, but we usually get better results combining it with sports or deep tissue massage in the same appointment, so that is what we tend to recommend.
Is there anyone who should not have cupping?
Cupping is not suitable over broken or inflamed skin, recent injuries, or for people on blood-thinning medication without medical advice. Tell your therapist about your medical history and any medication before your session.
Book cupping therapy in Bromley
Cupping sits alongside the rest of our treatments in Bromley. Session lengths and costs are on the prices page, and the conditions we treat page shows what we work with most often.
We are at 5 Station Road, Carlton Chambers, Bromley BR2 0EY, a three-minute walk from Shortlands station. Call 07896 257328 or book online.
Not sure this is the right treatment? Our guide to massage in Bromley compares all five and helps you pick.