Looking for cupping therapy in Chicago? Here are 5 places to try

Like acupuncture before it, cupping therapy is becoming a buzzy healing practice that’s gone from being an under-the-radar treatment to mainstream obsession as of late. (You can thank celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow and pro athletes like Michael Phelps for introducing popular culture to the ancient practice.) But before you lie down on a table and let someone dot your back with perfectly round suction marks, there are a few things you should know.

First off, cupping therapy is a modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that’s been used for thousands of years in not only ancient Chinese civilizations but also ancient Egypt. At this point, due to the lack of scientific research, cupping therapy benefits are largely based on anecdotal evidence. But those that swear by the ancient practice credit it with improving blood flow, helping with athletic performance and recovery, stretching muscles and tissues, reducing inflammation, and even calming the nervous system.

Cupping therapy typically involves vacuum sealing cups made out of glass, plastic, bamboo, or silicone on pressure and trigger points by using heat. It’s technically called dry cupping (the most-popular type at most places), but you can also find flash and wet cupping sessions, too. Although the healing method leaves behind marks that look like bruises, the treatment is usually considered to be painless and revitalizing. It’s targeted at deep tissue relaxation similar to the way you’d use a foam roller or Theragun.

As interest in cupping therapy increases, it’s becoming easier and easier to find places that offer the treatment from coast to coast. Should you be looking for a practitioner in Chicago, here are five places worth checking out.

1. Body works health & wellness

A holistic and all-around approach to health and wellness, at Body Works treatment plans are customized according to the patient and can include anything from cupping therapy to nutritional counseling.

825 West Monroe St., Chicago, Illinois, 60607; (312) 733-8676

2. Twisted Roots

Beth Wade, LMT, who helms this practice, is well-versed in cupping therapy, as well as other holistic treatments such as reflexology, Reiki, life coaching, and more. Twisted Roots is a great place to begin dipping your toes into the world of TCM wellness.

17 N. Wabash, Suite 470, Chicago, Illinois, 60602; (224) 585-9785

3. Healing Foundations

A trip to Healing Foundations might be all you need in your self-care schedule. Besides providing cupping therapy, this location also does the lesser-known cupping alternative as known gua sha. Beyond these treatments, you can get a range of energy work (including Reiki, chelation, and sound therapy) done. The foundation also does massages and offers yoga classes.

2112 West Belmont Ave., Chicago, Illinois, 60618; (773) 880-9939

4. Shen Shen Health & Harmony

At Shen Shen, practitioners often combine acupuncture and cupping therapy together to yield the best, most-healing results.

2764 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, Illinois, 60614; (773) 935-4325

5. Chicago Spine and Sports

If your interest in cupping therapy is because of near-constant workout-related injuries and soreness, then this is the spot for you. Chicago Spine and Sports specializes in using treatments and techniques, such as cupping therapy, for athletes and people with active lifestyles.

922 West Diversey Parkway, Chicago, Illinois, 60614; (773) 529-0057

Two more ancient practices to explore for a mind-body reboot: energy healing and breathwork.