In my practice I use glass fire cups. I soak a cotton ball in 99% isopropyl alcohol and hold it with long tweezers, I then light the cotton ball on fire and because of the alcohol it burns incredibly hot. I hold it in one of my glass cups for a few seconds and then quickly place the cups on your skin. Because the fire has taken all the oxygen out of the cup, a strong suction is formed. This treatment is primarily used when we need to bring fresh blood to the tissues for healing or when we need to release stuck qi and blood from injuries. While the experience of receiving cupping is pleasant, it does often leave bruises that typically take about a week to resolve.
