It is a drug-free alternate medicine that may relieve health complaints associated with muscle fatigue, tightness, soreness, or inflammation in the body. Cupping is an open flame from a prepped alcohol cotton ball clamped by forceps, that is placed into and out of the cup and suddenly placed onto the skin.

The cup may be either glass or bamboo. As most of the oxygen in the cup is burnt by the flame and suddenly placed on the skin, it creates a vacuum effect on a specifically targeted area of the body, gently pulling the skin up into the cup.  

This gentle suction where the cups are placed is the action that produces the therapeutic effect.
One of the most obvious and visible side effects of cupping is the cup size minor bruising or blistering that it may leave behind. These skin markings usually dissipate within 7 – 9 days.