What Type of Alcohol Is Used for Cupping? How to Use It?

Cupping generally uses 95% alcohol. The use of alcohol in fire cupping is to make it burn and consume the oxygen inside the cup, creating a negative pressure that allows the cup to adhere to the surface of the body. The two common types of medical alcohol are 95% and 75%. 75% alcohol is used for disinfection. Although it can also be ignited, its firepower is insufficient, and the suction force of the cup is not strong enough. 95% alcohol has sufficient firepower and provides a strong suction. The principle is that in the same volume container, 95% alcohol burns faster and consumes oxygen more quickly than 75%, making it easier to form a negative pressure.

1. Use a 75% alcohol-soaked cotton ball to wipe the surface of the body where cupping is needed. Apply some lubricating medication or liquid to the skin surface where cupping is required. The lubricating medication will vary depending on the desired treatment effect. In this case, purplegrass oil is used, which has the effect of promoting blood circulation.

2. Ignite a 95% alcohol-soaked cotton ball and quickly insert it into a glass cup. Instantly remove it and adhere the cup to the body surface. Hold the cup and move it back and forth along the meridians. If there are any issues in the body, red marks will appear on the area where the cupping was performed. If there are no issues, it will usually leave a cupping mark, which will fade quickly.

When igniting the alcohol-soaked cotton ball, it should be squeezed dry before cupping and clamped with a clamp to dip into the alcohol for ignition. Generally, hospitals will choose 95% medical alcohol that ignites easily, but when performing cupping at home, it is advisable to use 75% alcohol with less firepower to avoid burns or scalds. For beginners in cupping, it is recommended to make the cotton balls smaller and use medical hemostatic clamps with a "locking mechanism" to securely hold the ignited alcohol-soaked cotton ball and prevent it from accidentally falling and causing skin burns. Additionally, after dipping the cotton ball in alcohol, excess alcohol should be squeezed out to prevent the alcohol from dripping with flames and causing burns.