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Cupping

Time for a thorough spring clean - inside your body

Do you sometimes feel "constipated"? Not just in your stomach, but in all your tissue? After long flights, stressful weeks in the office in Winterthur or Zurich or an unbalanced diet, metabolic products build up in the connective tissue. The consequences: Your back hurts, you lack energy and you feel heavy.

Cupping at Fly-TCM acts like a powerful vacuum cleaner for your tissue. Instead of applying pressure (as with a massage), I create a vacuum. This negative pressure draws waste products, acids and tension from deep down to the surface, where your body can finally dispose of them.

What is cupping? (Vacuum instead of pressure)

Cupping is a drainage method that is thousands of years old. I place special glasses on the skin and create a negative pressure in them - traditionally with a flame (fire cupping) or more modernly with a pump.

There are two main types, which I use depending on the symptoms:

  • Dry cupping: The glasses remain in one place (usually trigger points) for approx. 10-15 minutes in order to "burst" stagnation points.
  • Cupping massage: I oil your back and pull the suctioned glass over the muscle strands. This is probably the most intensive fascia treatment there is - it promotes blood circulation extremely well.

The effect: why it is so liberating

The suction lifts the tissue. This expands the blood vessels and fresh, oxygen-rich blood rushes to undersupplied areas. At the same time, adhered fasciae (connective tissue) are pulled apart. Many patients describe the feeling afterwards as "unbelievably light", as if a weight has been lifted from their shoulders.

Areas of application: When does cupping help in Winterthur?

Cupping is ideal for anything that is "stuck". My most common indications with Fly-TCM are:

1. chronic back pain & fasciae

Especially for hardening in the lumbar vertebrae ("lumbago" tendency) or between the shoulder blades. The vacuum reaches depths that my hands can hardly reach.

2. cold & bronchitis

In TCM, cold often penetrates the lungs. Cupping on the upper back loosens phlegm, opens the chest and makes breathing easier. A classic treatment for incipient infections or asthma.

3. detox & metabolism

If you feel sluggish, cupping stimulates lymph flow and detoxification through the skin. It helps the body to remove "waste".

4. knee and joint problems

I often don't cup directly on the joint, but around it. In cases of acute heat or swelling, "bloody cupping" can also help - a method that I use safely as a trained therapist to take the pressure off the joint.

Who is this method suitable for?

Cupping is perfect for people who are more robust or have severe tension. It is popular with:

  • Athletes (Crossfit, running): For rapid regeneration (known by Olympic athletes).
  • Asthmatics: To widen the airways.
  • Office workers: To get the "hump" straight again.

Security & the famous circles

Yes, cupping leaves marks. The round, red-blue circles are not injuries, but a desired therapeutic effect (extravasation). They indicate that old stagnations have been released. They are not painful and usually disappear by themselves after 3 to 7 days.

Procedure & costs

Cupping is usually part of a comprehensive TCM session. I often combine it with acupuncture to first open up the energy flow and then remove the blockages.

The costs are billed according to tariff 590 and are reimbursable via supplementary insurance (EMR). Please clarify your cover in advance.

At a glance: Cupping

  • ⏱ Duration: 10-20 min. intensive application within the session.
  • 💆 The feeling: strong pull, tension, then deep relief.
  • 🔵 Optics: Leaves circular imprints (important for sauna users!).
  • 📍 Therapist: Niklas Lütgen (Fly-TCM Winterthur).
  • 🎯 Perfect for: Fascia detox, respiratory tract & stubborn tension.

Do you want to finally get rid of the pressure?

Make an appointment for cupping

Frequently asked questions

The sensation is unfamiliar. You feel a distinct pull on the skin, as if someone is lifting the tissue. There may be tension or pulling in areas that are very tight, but it should not be a sharp pain. Most patients find this “stretching pain” to be very soothing and relieving (“feel-good pain”). I can adjust the strength of the vacuum at any time.

The typical “cupping marks” remain visible for between 3 days and a week, depending on the metabolic situation. They change color from red/blue to yellow (like a bruise) and then disappear without a trace.

Massage works with pressure (compression) from the outside to loosen muscles. Cupping works with suction (decompression/vacuum). It pulls the layers apart. This counteracting action is often necessary to loosen adhesions that no longer respond to pressure.

I recommend not doing any intensive sport or going to the sauna on the day of the treatment. The pores are wide open (“wind” can penetrate) and the body is busy removing the dissolved substances. Drinking plenty of water is important!

Bloody cupping (the skin is lightly scratched beforehand) is a very effective method for acute “fullness conditions” (severe pain, heat). We decide whether to use this method strictly medically and hygienically after the diagnosis. However, we usually work dry.