FIRE FLASH CUPPING

My nephew Keefe went for an acupuncture session with Rose when he visited me in Ipoh recently.  As he complained of back problems, Rose also did flash cupping for him.  For your information, Chinese cupping is a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique used in the treatment of 'cold, damp and wind' problems,such as bronchitis, colds and arthritis. Warm glass, metal, wood or bamboo cups are placed in an up-turned position on specific acupoints and blood and energy is brought to the surface and surrounding areas.
Acupuncturists sometimes use the flash cupping technique in order to attack acute back pain areas. This method is also used to promote blood circulation for muscle atrophy, numbness, pain relieve, and expels a cold or flu in its beginning stages.
How is it done? The glass cups are depressurized by providing some fire in the cup to heat up the air within before placement. A cotton ball is dipped in alcohol with a pincer and ignited.  Then hold it in the cup, then rapidly apply to the skin; this is called shanhuofa (flash-fire cupping). For this technique, the cup is sucked quickly on body surface and removed instantly. This is done multiple times in different areas all over the body until the area becomes flashed.