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As much as it looks | The Independent</title>   <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://tags.onscroll.com/"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://players.brightcove.net/"/> <meta name="article:content_type" content="story"/> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"/> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://static.independent.co.uk/"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://static.standard.co.uk/"/> <meta name="article:word_count" content="564"/> <meta name="article:internal_link_count" content="8"/> <meta property="article:section" content="Lifestyle"/> <meta name="article:subsection" content="Lifestyle videos"/> <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/rio-2016-cupping-video-what-is-it-how-much-does-it-hurt-we-found-out-a7187486.html?amp" rel="amphtml"/> <meta name="article:image_count" content="2"/> <meta name="article:embed_count" content="0"/> <meta name="article:video_count" content="0"/> <meta name="article:author_name" content="Charlie Atkin"/> <meta name="article:external_link_count" content="1"/> <meta name="description" content="I’ve never been assaulted by a vacuum cleaner but I imagine it feels a lot like cupping. 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As much as it looks"/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/rio-2016-cupping-video-what-is-it-how-much-does-it-hurt-we-found-out-a7187486.html"/> <meta property="og:description" content="I’ve never been assaulted by a vacuum cleaner but I imagine it feels a lot like cupping. The constant pulling of your skin into irritating and ugly shapes forms part of a practice that has surged to prominence during this year's Olympics. The same practice that has everyone frantically googling why some of the world’s finest athletes look like they’ve been hit with tiny frying pans."/> <meta property="og:updated_time" content="2016-08-14T14:48:56+01:00"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/12/17/cupping1.jpg"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@independent"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Rio 2016: How much does cupping hurt? As much as it looks"/> <meta name="twitter:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/rio-2016-cupping-video-what-is-it-how-much-does-it-hurt-we-found-out-a7187486.html"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="I’ve never been assaulted by a vacuum cleaner but I imagine it feels a lot like cupping. The constant pulling of your skin into irritating and ugly shapes forms part of a practice that has surged to prominence during this year's Olympics. The same practice that has everyone frantically googling why some of the world’s finest athletes look like they’ve been hit with tiny frying pans."/> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_GB"/> <meta property="article:tag" content="Cupping"/> <meta property="article:tag" content="Rio 2016"/> <meta property="article:tag" content="Olympics"/> <meta property="article:published_time" content="2016-08-12T16:10:15+01:00"/> <meta property="article:tag" content="Health"/> <meta property="article:tag" content="Alternative Medicine"/> <meta property="article:modified_time" content="2016-08-14T14:48:56+01:00"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/favicon.ico" type="image/ico"/> <meta name="msvalidate.01" content="58C7FB6B9237322BB527AA3C68656AE3"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-60x60.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-72x72.png" sizes="72x72"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-76x76.png" sizes="76x76"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-114x114.png" sizes="114x114"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-120x120.png" sizes="120x120"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-144x144.png" sizes="144x144"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-152x152.png" sizes="152x152"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-180x180.png" sizes="180x180"/> <link rel="android-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/android-icon-36x36.png" sizes="36x36"/> <link rel="android-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/android-icon-48x48.png" sizes="48x48"/> <link rel="android-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/android-icon-72x72.png" sizes="72x72"/> <link rel="android-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/android-icon-96x96.png" sizes="96x96"/> <link rel="android-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/android-icon-114x114.png" sizes="114x114"/> <link rel="android-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/android-icon-192x192.png" sizes="192x192"/> <link rel="ms-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/ms-icon-70x70.png" sizes="70x70"/> <link rel="ms-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/ms-icon-144x144.png" sizes="144x144"/> <link rel="ms-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/ms-icon-150x150.png" sizes="150x150"/> <link rel="ms-icon" href="/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/ms-icon-310x310.png" sizes="310x310"/>  <script>var _sf_startpt=(new Date()).getTime(); ; var _sf_async_config = _sf_async_config || {}; /** CONFIGURATION START **/ _sf_async_config.uid = 62356; _sf_async_config.domain = 'independent.co.uk'; _sf_async_config.useCanonical = true; _sf_async_config.flickerControl = false; _sf_async_config.sections = 'life-style'; _sf_async_config.authors = 'Charlie Atkin'; _sf_async_config.type = 'Sunday, 14 August 2016'; _sf_async_config.title = 'Rio 2016: How much does cupping hurt? 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Read our <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html">Privacy</a> and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html">Cookie</a> Policies to find out more.</p> </div> <div class="tabs"></div> <div class="region region-content"> <article class="full-article" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/NewsArticle"> <meta itemprop="mainEntityOfPage" content="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/rio-2016-cupping-video-what-is-it-how-much-does-it-hurt-we-found-out-a7187486.html"> <div itemprop="publisher" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Organization"> <meta itemprop="name" content="The Independent"> <link itemprop="sameAs" href="http://www.independent.co.uk"> <link itemprop="logo" href="http://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/brand-logo.png"> </div> <div class="dark-background"> <header> <ol vocab="http://schema.org/" typeof="BreadcrumbList" class="breadcrumbs clearfix"><li property="itemListElement" typeof="ListItem"><a property="item" typeof="WebPage" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style"><span property="name">Lifestyle</span></a></li></ol> <h1 itemprop="headline" class=" ">Rio 2016: How much does cupping hurt? As much as it looks</h1> <ul class="caption meta inline-pipes-list"> <li class="author" itemprop="author" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"> <span itemprop="name"><a href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/author/charlie-atkin" title="Charlie Atkin">Charlie Atkin</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/https://twitter.com/charlieatkin18">@charlieatkin18</a> </li> <li title="14 August 2016 13:26 London"><time data-microtimes="{"published":"1471177560000","display":0,"changed":"1471177560000"}" datetime="13:26, 14 August 2016">Sunday 14 August 2016 13:26 BST</time></li> <li class="comments"> <a href="#commentsDiv" id="comment-count" class="icon-comment"></a> </li> </ul> <div id="gigya-share-btns-1"></div> </header> <figure itemprop="associatedMedia video" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/VideoObject" class="featured-media medium-width"> <div class="video-player"> <div class="bc_container"> <video id="5081267068001" data-account="624246174001" data-player="82f79524-152c-485f-bcb0-09197a216c87" data-embed="default" data-video-id="5081267068001" class="video-js" controls></video> <script src="//web.archive.org/web/20160921095852js_/http://players.brightcove.net/624246174001/82f79524-152c-485f-bcb0-09197a216c87_default/index.min.js"></script> </div>  </div> </figure> <div class="video-playlist"> <h2 class="box-title box-title-dark"><a href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/videos">Popular videos</a></h2><ul><li> <a href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/new-york-bombing-chelsea-nyc-acts-of-kindness-solidarity-coffee-hotel-a7317361.html"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/video_thumbnail/public/thumbnails/image/2016/09/19/22/coffee.jpg"> <h2>New Yorkers offer victims free food and shelter after Chelsea bombing</h2> </a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ahmad-khan-rahami-arrested-new-york-new-jersey-bombing-suspect-how-it-happened-a7317316.html"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/video_thumbnail/public/thumbnails/image/2016/09/19/19/ap-16263646733394.jpg"> <h2>How police took down the New York bombing suspect</h2> </a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/carey-mulligan-ashamed-british-refugee-crisis-a7317156.html"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/video_thumbnail/public/thumbnails/image/2016/09/19/18/carey-mulligan-war-child.jpg"> <h2>Carey Mulligan 'ashamed to be British' over inaction on refugee crisis</h2> </a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ahmad-khan-rahami-new-york-new-jersey-bombings-president-obama-isis-terrorism-linden-elizabeth-a7317101.html"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/video_thumbnail/public/thumbnails/image/2016/09/18/09/ap-16262102508799.jpg"> <h2>Obama says Americans must not succumb to fear after New York bombings</h2> </a> </li></ul></div> </div> <div class="article-wrapper clearfix"> <div class="main-content-column"> <div class="text-wrapper" itemprop="articleBody"> <p>I’ve never been assaulted by a vacuum cleaner but I imagine it feels a lot like <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/topic/cupping" target="_parent">cupping</a>.</p> <p>The constant pulling of your skin into irritating and ugly shapes forms part of a practice that has surged to prominence during this year's <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/topic/Olympics" target="_parent">Olympics</a>. The same practice that has everyone frantically googling why some of the world’s finest athletes look like they’ve been hit with tiny frying pans.</p> <p>It’s an ancient form of treatment dating back thousands of years that supposedly aids muscle recovery, any solace to be found in the practice’s age though only brought mercury and leeches to mind.</p> <div class="dnd-widget-wrapper context-sdl_editor_representation type-image"><div class="dnd-atom-rendered"><div class="image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_medium/public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/12/17/cupping-blood.jpg" width="564" height="423" alt="cupping-blood.jpg" title="cupping-blood.jpg"/></div></div><div class="dnd-caption-wrapper">A 'wet cup' in action</div></div> <p>My wish to volunteer came less through any athletic ability or muscle fatigue but through one of the treatment's other supposed effects.</p> <div class="relatedlinkslist inline-block-related-list inline-block-left"> <h2 class="box-title">Read more</h2> <div class="relatedlinkslist-content" style="min-height: 10px;"> <ul class="related"><li><a data-author="David Colquhoun..." data-nid="7182411" data-publish_date="10-08-2016" href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/rio-2016-cupping-michael-phelps-swimming-what-is-it-does-it-work-no-gwyneth-paltrow-cups-marks-a7182411.html">Cupping: Michael Phelps and Gwyneth Paltrow may be believers, but the truth behind it is what really sucks</a></li> <li><a data-author="Harriet Agerholm..." data-nid="7180176" data-publish_date="09-08-2016" href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/rio-2016-michael-phelps-cupping-doping-russian-tv-station-host-anchor-24-a7180176.html">Rio 2016: Michael Phelps' cupping compared to doping by Russian TV news anchor</a></li> <li><a data-author="Harry Cockburn..." data-nid="7178731" data-publish_date="08-08-2016" href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/rio-2016-cupping-what-is-it-olympics-athletes-suction-cups-skin-marks-a7178731.html">Rio 2016: What is ‘cupping’ and why are Olympic athletes doing it?</a></li> </ul></div> </div> <p>Alongside aiding athletes with muscle recovery, the treatment also claims to treat skin conditions and respiratory disorders.</p> <p>A long-time sufferer from <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/topic/eczema" target="_parent">eczema</a>, conflicting accounts were given as to how quickly any patches might clear, all through the placing of several cups on my back and sucking its skin into disconcerting mounds.</p> <p>In the hands of the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.londoncuppingclinic.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">London Cupping Clinic</a> and Dr Farhat, a session can cost between £29 and £49, where they have seen 'a massive impact' on interest from potential patients since the start of the Olympics. </p> <div class="dnd-widget-wrapper context-sdl_editor_representation type-gallery"><div class="dnd-atom-rendered"><div class="image"><script> <![CDATA[// ><!]]> </script><div class="container grid-mod-gallery" data-scald-gallery="3556306">  <h2 class="gallery-title"><span class="media-prefix icon-gallery"></span>Cupping: On your marks for ancient treatment</h2> <div class="images">  <ul><li class="lazy " data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2008/08/05/21/42616.bin"> <a data-gallery-thumb="1" href="#"><span class="pager icon-arrow-left"></span></a> <a data-gallery-thumb="1" href="#"><span class="pager icon-arrow-right"></span></a> </li> <li class="lazy " data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/storylist/public/thumbnails/image/2008/08/05/21/42619.bin" style="background-image: url('/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/ines_theme/img/blank.gif');"> <a data-gallery-thumb="2" href="#"></a> </li> <li class="lazy " data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/storylist/public/thumbnails/image/2008/08/05/21/42617.bin" style="background-image: url('/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/ines_theme/img/blank.gif');"> <a data-gallery-thumb="3" href="#"></a> </li> <li> <a class="show-all initial-open" href="#"> <span class="additional-photos icon-gallery">3</span> <span class="label">show all</span> </a> </li> </ul></div> </div> <div class="full-gallery"> <div class="scroller"> <a href="#" class="close icon-close" title="Close gallery"></a> <h2 class="gallery-title"><span class="media-prefix icon-gallery"></span>Cupping: On your marks for ancient treatment</h2> <div class="images"> <ul><li data-gallery-item="1" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2008/08/05/21/42616.bin" style="background-image: url('/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/ines_theme/img/blank.gif');" class=""></li> <li data-gallery-item="2" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2008/08/05/21/42619.bin" style="background-image: url('/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/ines_theme/img/blank.gif');" class=""></li> <li data-gallery-item="3" data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2008/08/05/21/42617.bin" style="background-image: url('/web/20160921095852im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/ines_theme/img/blank.gif');" class=""></li> </ul><span class="icon-arrow-left"></span> <span class="icon-arrow-right"></span> <a href="#" class="pager prev" title="Previous photo"></a> <a href="#" class="pager next" title="Next photo"></a> </div> <ul class="legends"><li data-gallery-legend="1"> <h2> <span class="counter">1/3</span>  </h2>   <p class="credits">Getty Images</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="2"> <h2> <span class="counter">2/3</span>  </h2>   <p class="credits">Teri Pengilley</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="3"> <h2> <span class="counter">3/3</span>  </h2>   <p class="credits">TeriPengilley</p> </li> </ul><div class="ad-mpu mpu5-container"> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div> <p>The experience isn't billed as a relaxing one – “It’s not like a massage so you’re not going to be very relaxed, it’s not going to be therapeutic in that way, this is a treatment." The pressure of the vacuum can be adjusted to suit the patient's pain threshold, yet any level would surely be uncomfortable to some extent. </p> <div class="inline-block inline-block-related-single inline-block-right" data-nid="/sport/olympics/rio-2016-michael-phelps-cupping-doping-russian-tv-station-host-anchor-24-a7180176.html"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/rio-2016-michael-phelps-cupping-doping-russian-tv-station-host-anchor-24-a7180176.html"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852im_/http://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/readmore_card/public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/09/09/phelps-getty.jpg"/><div class="content"> <div class="context-capsule">Read more</div> <h2>Michael Phelps cupping compared to doping by Russian TV</h2> </div> </a></div> <p>At its worst the dry cupping portion feels like fat, round scarab beetles were trying to burst through the skin, each cup slightly less severe than the last until a pair latches onto the neck à la Frankenstein.</p> <p>The wet cupping was a rather different affair though. Minor cuts are made and then, of course, more zealous suction. </p> <p>In the aftermath things are a bit sore but not for long. there's no discomfort in leaning backwards although the natural impulse is to buckle forwards from the abnormal sensation.</p> <div class="dnd-widget-wrapper context-sdl_editor_representation type-image"><div class="dnd-atom-rendered"><div class="image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_medium/public/thumbnails/image/2016/08/12/17/cupping2.jpg" width="564" height="423" alt="cupping2.jpg" title="cupping2.jpg"/></div></div></div> <p>Will it work?</p> <p>There's no immediate cure for eczema, the slight stress of the process making everything a bit more itchy if anything. Any positive effects are likely to be more long-term and with regular treatment, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/rio-2016-cupping-what-is-it-olympics-athletes-suction-cups-skin-marks-a7178731.html" target="_blank">as the clinic previously told <em>The Independent</em></a>.</p> <p>Despite numerous reports of the treatment's ineffectiveness and lack of evidence to support any counter-argument, Dr Farhat maintains this is more down to resources than the therapy itself.</p> <p>‘There are constraints on alternative therapy that don’t exist in allopathic medicine. We do not have a drug company that will fund our research, pay our statisticians and pay our clinicians to come here and carry out the research.’ </p> <p>Like any treatment that that offers more pain than gain at first sight, the will of non-athletes to undergo the therapy could well remain unlikely, however many gold medal records its patients might break. </p> <meta itemprop="datePublished" content="2016-08-14T14:26:00+01:00"/> <ul class="inline-pipes-list"> <li> More about: </li> <li><a itemprop="keywords" href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/topic/cupping">Cupping</a></li> <li><a itemprop="keywords" href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/topic/rio-2016">Rio 2016</a></li> <li><a itemprop="keywords" href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/topic/Olympics">Olympics</a></li> <li><a itemprop="keywords" href="/web/20160921095852/http://www.independent.co.uk/topic/Health">Health</a></li> <li><a itemprop="keywords" 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