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cup·ping n
1) a technique formerly employed for drawing blood to the surface of the body by application of a glass vessel from which air had been evacuated by heat to form a partial vacuum
2) a concave depression in a body organ also the formation of such a depression
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n.
the former practice of applying a heated cup to the skin and allowing it to cool, which causes swelling of the tissues beneath and an increase in the flow of blood in the area. This was thought to draw out harmful excess blood from diseased organs nearby and so promote healing. In wet cupping the skin was previously cut, so that blood would actually flow into the cup and could be removed.
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cup·ping (kupґing) 1. the application of a small glass or bamboo cup to the skin, after exhausting the air from within it to create a vacuum, in order to draw blood and lymph to the surface of the body and increase local circulation; currently used in Chinese medicine. 2. the formation of a cup-shaped depression.
Cupping.
Medical dictionary. 2011.