Lincoln Park
Cupping
Cupping is a therapeutic technique that soothes your muscles through the use of hard rounded cups.
Cups are attached to your body, and heat or suction is used to pull your fascia upwards. In addition to treating pain, cupping can also be used to address inflammation, illness, cellulite, colds, digestive disorders, and bodily toxins.
Available cupping modalities include pneumatic cupping, fire cupping, and heart cupping (pneumatic cups in a heart-shape).
The Benefits
Cupping helps relieve tension, improve circulation, and support the body’s natural detoxification and healing processes. Many patients experience immediate relief and openness, with deeper benefits over time as tight muscles release and inflammation decreases.
Digestive Comfort
When used on the abdomen or related areas, cupping can support digestive ease and help relieve feelings of stagnation or bloating.
Stress Relief
The soothing nature of cupping can help calm the nervous system, supporting relaxation and overall ease.
Recovery Support
Often used after physical strain or repetitive activity, cupping supports the body’s natural recovery process.
Cold Support
Cupping can help the body release lingering pathogens by promoting circulation and surface-level immune response, often used at the onset of colds or to help shorten their duration.
Circulation Boost
By encouraging blood flow to targeted areas, cupping supports tissue nourishment and natural recovery.
Muscle Relief
Cupping helps release areas of tension by gently lifting and decompressing soft tissue, allowing muscles to relax more fully.
Your first visit begins with a detailed, one-on-one conversation about your health history, lifestyle, and current concerns. We look beyond individual symptoms to understand patterns in sleep, digestion, stress, pain, and energy, as well as how these systems interact.
This comprehensive intake allows us to create a treatment plan that’s informed, intentional, and tailored specifically to you.
Initial Appointment
Cupping sessions are customized to support areas of muscle tension, pain, or stagnation in the body. Gentle suction cups are placed along specific regions to promote circulation, release tightness, and encourage healthy movement within the tissues. Cupping is often incorporated alongside acupuncture or bodywork to help reduce inflammation, support recovery, and restore a greater sense of ease and balance. Our cupping options include pneumatic cupping, fire cupping, and heart-shaped pneumatic cupping.
Treatment
Cupping is often most effective when incorporated into ongoing care, especially for chronic muscle tension, inflammation, or recovery support. Sessions can be adjusted over time based on how your body responds and where tightness or restriction continues to show up. After a session, circular marks are common and typically fade within several days. Staying hydrated, keeping the area warm, and avoiding intense exercise immediately afterward can help support the body’s response. With consistent visits, cupping can become a valuable way to maintain mobility, comfort, and circulation over time.
Continued Support & Aftercare
Traditional Tools, Modern Comfort
From your first visit through ongoing treatment, care is collaborative, calm, and tailored to you. We take the time to understand what’s happening in your body and adjust treatment as your needs evolve.
The Science Behind Cupping
Cupping therapy creates gentle suction on the skin that stimulates sensory receptors and nervous system pathways involved in pain regulation. This stimulation helps decrease pain signals, reduce muscle guarding, and support healthier communication between the nervous system and soft tissues.
The suction from cupping increases local blood flow to muscles and connective tissue, bringing oxygen and nutrients to areas of tension or injury. Improved circulation helps release tight fascia, reduce inflammation, and support the body’s ability to clear metabolic waste and promote tissue recovery.
Cupping activates local immune and inflammatory responses that support tissue repair and healing. These effects help reduce chronic tension, improve mobility, and promote relaxation, making cupping an effective therapy for both pain relief and overall physical well-being.
Contact Lincoln Park
Have a question about billing, insurance, scheduling, or just want to talk things through with a real person? Our friendly front desk team at the Lincoln Park office is always happy to help - whether you need clarity, guidance, or a human on the other end of the line.
1022 W Armitage Ave
Address
Mon - Wed: 7:30am - 8:00pm CST
Thurs - Fri: 7:30am - 4:00pm CST
Sat: 10:00am - 4:00pm CST
Sun: 10:00am - 4:00pm CST
Hours
Frequently Asked Questions
After a cupping session, avoid showers, saunas, strenuous exercise, and alcohol for at least 24 hours. Keep the cupped area covered, clean, and moisturized, and allow your body to rest so it can fully benefit from the therapy.
What not to do after cupping?
Fire cupping uses heat to create a vacuum inside the cup, whereas regular (or suction) cupping relies on manual pumps or silicone cups to generate suction. Both methods increase blood flow and release tension, but fire cupping may produce stronger suction and more pronounced marks.
What is the difference between fire cupping and regular cupping?
While fire cupping does not literally “detox” the body, it can help improve circulation and lymphatic drainage, which supports the body’s natural ability to remove metabolic waste and reduce inflammation. Many people report feeling lighter and more relaxed after a session.
Does fire cupping remove toxins?
Fire cupping is a traditional therapy that uses heated glass cups to create suction on the skin. This suction helps increase blood flow, release muscle tension, reduce pain, and promote relaxation. It can also stimulate the lymphatic system and support overall healing and energy flow in the body.
What does fire cupping do?
Dark cupping marks indicate areas of stagnation, tension, or minor circulation issues. The darkness reflects how much blood and fluids have been drawn to the surface to promote healing. These marks are temporary, usually fading within 3–10 days.
Why is my cupping so dark?
Yes, cupping can help release muscle knots and tight fascia. The suction draws blood flow to the area, relaxes tension, and encourages muscles and connective tissue to loosen, improving mobility and reducing discomfort.
Does cupping break up knots?
Cupping and massage serve different purposes and often complement each other. Massage focuses on kneading muscles and relieving tension through direct pressure, while cupping uses suction to increase circulation and release deeper muscle and fascial restrictions. Many clients benefit from combining both therapies for maximum relief.
Is cupping better than massage?
Arrive hydrated and avoid heavy meals or alcohol before your session. Wear comfortable clothing that allows access to the areas being treated, and communicate any injuries, health conditions, or sensitivities to your practitioner to ensure safe and effective treatment.
What to do before cupping?
Frequency depends on your goals and body’s response. For general wellness or stress relief, once every 2–4 weeks is common. For acute pain, tight muscles, or chronic tension, sessions may be scheduled weekly until improvements are seen, followed by maintenance visits as needed.
How often should you do cupping?
Cupping therapy uses suction cups on the skin to increase blood flow, reduce muscle tension, and promote relaxation. It stimulates circulation, encourages lymphatic drainage, and can help relieve pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Many clients also report feeling lighter and more energized after a session.
What does cupping actually do?
Cancellation policies are as follows:
If you cancel with 24+ hours’ notice, you won’t be charged anything.
Cancel with 12–24 hours’ notice, and you’ll be charged 50% of the missed service.
Less than 12 hours’ notice—or a no-show—means we’ll need to charge you the full amount, whether you’re using insurance or paying privately.
Should you need to reschedule, you can easily do so via or app - or if your prefer to talk to a person, by calling either of our locations:
🌐 moonrabbitacupuncture.janeapp.com
📞 Lincoln Park – (312) 414–0058
📞 West Loop – (773) 234–1042
We're always here if you need help making changes!
What if I miss my appointment?
Still Have Questions?
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