Cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine in which a local suction is created on the skin.  Through suction, the skin is drawn into the cup by creating a vacuum in the cup placed on the skin over the targeted area via a mechanical pump. The cup is usually left in place for somewhere between five and fifteen minutes.

The purpose of cupping is to enhance circulation, help relieve pain, remove "heat" and pull out the toxins that linger in your body's tissues.