A fashionable sport-linked trend is for ‘cupping’. Our daughter’s partner is a keen body-builder and recently tried cupping. He’s allowed us to show you these photos.
Whatever I may think of the medical reasoning behind it, (and I’m about to tell you!), I think he was amazingly brave!
Cupping is the revival of an ancient practice where suction to parts of the skin, sometimes combined with blood letting, was used for many ailments, including pain and inflammation.
As an alternative health method, it does not have to abide by the stringent scientific criteria needed for mainstream medicine.
If you read any of our posts about medical journal articles, (for example, this, this or this), you’ll know how medical researchers tend to take large populations and compare one group to another, ideally as a prospective, randomised, placebo controlled, trial. The results are then reviewed to be sure they’re statistically significant, then the findings are written to say “this suggests” or “this correlates with ” rather than “this proves”. This can all seem a bit boring!
Alternative health can seem much more exciting and certain, as the claims are not subject to such scrutiny. By medical standards though, the claims are unproven, so we won’t be recommending any alternative health practices on this website.
However, we know that many of our readers will use alternative medicine.One paper found around 60% of hospital patients used alternative medicine alongside their mainstream treatment.
Like many doctors, Paul feels that alternative medicine often has psychological benefits for his patients, may have (as yet unproven) physical benefits, and usually, at least, does no harm. Because of this, he rarely tries to dissuade people from using treatments they feel are helping them, especially if they are willing to have mainstream medical treatment alongside.
Sometimes though, an idea comes along that is downright DANGEROUS! And if you’re on anticoagulants, cupping is such an idea. It is designed to bring blood to the skin’s surface and break capillaries. If you did this to someone on anticoagulants, you would at best get severe bruising and at worst a large haematoma with a chance of infection.
So even if the photos haven’t put you off the idea of cupping, don’t do it! And remember to always mention any alternative therapies you are using to your health professionals. Other alternative therapies that can be dangerous if you’re on anticoagulants include taking St John’s Wort or vitamin pills containing vitamin K.
Are there any forms of alternative medicine which you have had to avoid since being on anticoagulants? Or alternatively are there any forms you have found helpful?
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