Cupping Therapy · Middlesbrough · TeessideCupping Therapy in Middlesbrough
Fire cupping, dry cupping, and cupping massage: each session tailored to your needs and delivered by two experienced practitioners at The House in Middlesbrough.
From £55 · 45 minutes · No waiting lists · Mon–Sat availability ⭐ 800+ Five-Star Reviews 🏆 Three Best Rated 2026 ✅ BAcC Member ✅ CNHC Registered ✅ PSA Accredited
Want to talk before booking? Call us: 0800 593 2023 · Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm
Cupping therapy at The House, Middlesbrough
Ancient Therapy. Real Results.
Cupping has been used for thousands of years across traditional Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Egyptian medicine. The principle is simple: suction applied to the skin draws blood to the surface, encourages circulation, loosens tight tissue, and signals the nervous system to release.
What modern research is now confirming is that this ancient therapy has real, measurable effects on muscle tension, pain, blood flow, and the body's inflammatory response. It's not a trend. It's one of the oldest physical therapies in existence, and it's still being used because it works.
At our clinic in Middlesbrough, we offer four types of cupping, each suited to different presentations. Whether you're dealing with chronic muscle tension, want to support your chronic pain management, or simply want to experience something deeply releasing, we'll match the right technique to your needs.
What Cupping Actually Does to the Body
The suction created by a cup draws blood and fluids toward the surface of the skin. This local increase in circulation stimulates tissue repair, reduces inflammation, and signals the nervous system to release muscle tension. In TCM, it is understood as lifting and moving stagnant Qi and blood, restoring flow through pathways that have become blocked by tension, cold, or overuse.
A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis in the Journal of Pain (Cramer et al.), covering 18 randomised controlled trials and 1,172 patients with chronic pain, found large short-term effects of cupping on pain intensity compared to no treatment. A 2018 systematic review in BMJ Open (Kim et al.), covering 18 randomised controlled trials, found cupping significantly reduced neck pain compared to both no intervention and active control groups.
"It's not about the marks. It's about what those marks represent: circulation restored, tension released, the body beginning to reset."
Four Types of Cupping. One Clinic.
Each technique works differently and suits different presentations. At your session, your practitioner will advise which is most appropriate, and will combine techniques where that serves you best.
🔥Fire Cupping
The original technique. A flame is briefly introduced into a glass cup to create suction, then the cup is placed on the skin. The sensation is warmth and gentle pressure rather than heat. Fire cupping is particularly effective for deeply held muscular tension, cold-related stiffness, and respiratory congestion. It is not suitable for all clients. Deanna will advise at assessment whether it is appropriate for you.
With Deanna · Deep muscle release · Respiratory support · Cold & stiffness 🫧Dry / Vacuum Cupping
Uses modern silicone or plastic cups with a pump mechanism to create suction without flame. Offers precise control over the level of suction, making it easier to adapt for sensitive areas or lighter presentations. Often the preferred starting point for those new to cupping.
With Anthony · Adjustable intensity · Great for beginners · Precise application 🌊Cupping Massage (Sliding)
Oil is applied to the skin and cups are moved across the surface rather than held static. This creates a reverse-pressure massage effect, decompressing the fascia and soft tissue layers beneath rather than compressing them. Ideal for broad areas of tension across the back, and excellent for sports recovery and circulation support.
With Anthony · Fascial release · Sports recovery · Broad back tension ✨Facial Cupping
Much smaller cups, very gentle suction, used on the face to stimulate lymphatic drainage, improve circulation, and support skin tone and elasticity. Deanna integrates facial cupping into facial acupuncture treatments and for specific presentations such as TMJ dysfunction. No marks are left on the face.
With Deanna · Part of facial treatments · TMJ · Lymphatic drainage What Cupping Can Help With
🔙Back & Neck Tension
Deep muscular tightness across the back, shoulders, and neck, including tension from desk work, physical labour, or long-standing postural patterns.
🏃Sports Recovery
Reducing delayed onset muscle soreness, releasing overworked tissue, and supporting faster recovery between training sessions or after injury.
🔥Chronic Pain Support
Used alongside acupuncture for chronic pain, cupping addresses the muscular and fascial component of persistent pain patterns.
🫁Respiratory & Immune Support
Upper back cupping to clear congestion, support the lungs, and boost immunity. Particularly effective during cold and flu season or recovery from illness.
🧠Stress & Burnout
The nervous system response to cupping promotes deep relaxation and a parasympathetic shift. Many people find a cupping session as restorative as a full day of rest.
🩸Circulation & Detox
Stimulates local and systemic circulation, supports lymphatic flow, and encourages the body's natural processes for clearing metabolic waste from tissues.
🤕Headaches & Migraines
Upper back and neck cupping to release the muscular tension that contributes to tension headaches and some migraine patterns.
✨Skin & Facial Rejuvenation
Facial cupping stimulates circulation and lymphatic drainage, improving skin tone, reducing puffiness, and supporting collagen production. Deanna uses facial cupping as part of facial acupuncture treatments and for conditions such as TMJ dysfunction.
🌙Fatigue & Low Energy
In TCM, fatigue often signals stagnation. Cupping helps move what has become stuck, physically and energetically, restoring a sense of lightness and vitality.
🩹Scar Tissue
Cupping, particularly the sliding technique, can help soften and mobilise scar tissue by increasing local circulation and decompressing the fascia beneath. A 2023 clinical study found cupping as part of manual scar therapy produced significant improvements in scar pliability, pain, and pigmentation.
🌸Fertility & Uterine Health
Abdominal cupping helps clear uterine stagnation and cold, improve circulation to the reproductive organs, and support a healthy uterine environment for conception. Used by Deanna as part of a wider fertility acupuncture treatment plan.
Your Cupping Practitioners
Deanna Thomas
MBAcC · CNHC Registered · PG Diploma Obstetrics & Gynaecology · Fertility Support TrainedDeanna uses fire cupping and facial cupping, where clinically appropriate. Fire cupping is assessed on an individual basis: not every client is a suitable candidate, and Deanna will advise at your initial consultation whether it is right for your presentation. Where it is appropriate, it is integrated into your TCM treatment alongside needling, moxa, or heat therapy. Facial cupping is integrated into facial acupuncture treatments and used for specific presentations including TMJ dysfunction. It is not offered as a standalone bookable session.
Cupping with Deanna is available as part of an acupuncture treatment rather than as a standalone session, making it ideal for clients whose presentation benefits from the combination of needling and cupping working together.
Deanna also uses abdominal cupping as part of her fertility acupuncture treatments. Applied to the lower abdomen, it works to clear uterine stagnation and cold, improve blood flow to the reproductive organs, and support a healthy uterine environment for conception.
- Fire cupping where clinically appropriate (assessed individually)
- Facial cupping integrated into facial acupuncture and TMJ treatments
- Combined with needling, moxa, or heat therapy as appropriate
- Available Monday to Friday
- Initial consultation from £80
Anthony
FHT Registered · NADA GB Certified · VTCT Level 3 Sports Massage TherapistAnthony uses dry (vacuum) cupping and sliding cupping massage. Dry cupping allows precise control over suction intensity, making it easy to adapt for different areas and sensitivity levels. Sliding cupping moves cups across oiled skin to decompress fascia and soft tissue, making it particularly effective for broad areas of tension and sports recovery. Anthony's sports massage background makes him particularly well placed for musculoskeletal presentations: releasing tight tissue, supporting sports recovery, and addressing tension from physical work or training.
Anthony is available Monday to Saturday, making him the most accessible option for clients who need flexibility around work and family commitments.
- Dry cupping and sliding cupping massage
- Cupping Therapy & Massage: £55 / 45 mins
- Cupping Therapy & Ear Acupuncture: £60 / 60 mins
- Available Monday to Saturday
Transparent Pricing
Cupping Therapy & Massage
£55
45 minutes · With Anthony
Fire or dry cupping combined with cupping massage
Cupping Therapy & Ear Acupuncture
£60
60 minutes · With Anthony
Cupping combined with NADA ear acupuncture for stress and tension
Cupping with Anthony is available to book online. Cupping as part of a full acupuncture treatment with Deanna: initial consultation from £80 · follow-up from £65. Call 0800 593 2023 to discuss which option is right for you.
What to Expect
Your session begins with a brief conversation about your concerns, any areas to avoid, and which type of cupping is most appropriate for you. There's no need for a lengthy case history for standalone cupping sessions with Anthony.
You'll lie comfortably on the treatment couch. The area being treated is exposed, usually the back, shoulders, or legs. Cups are placed and held static, or moved across the skin if using the sliding technique. Sessions typically feel deeply relaxing, with a sense of pressure and warmth rather than discomfort.
About the Marks
Static cupping often leaves circular marks where the cup was placed. These are not bruises. They don't result from tissue trauma but from the draw of blood and fluid to the surface. They typically fade within three to seven days and are a normal, expected part of the treatment. The darker the mark, the more stagnation was present in that area. With regular sessions, marks tend to become lighter as circulation improves.
Facial cupping leaves no marks. The suction used on the face is much gentler and the cups are always kept moving. Facial cupping is integrated into Deanna's facial acupuncture and TMJ sessions rather than offered as a standalone treatment.
After Your Session
Drink plenty of water and keep the treated areas warm for 24 hours. If you have had cupping on your back, shoulders, or neck, keep your neck covered and wrapped up when you go outside. Avoid cold showers, swimming, or heavy exercise on the day of treatment. Some people feel immediately energised; others feel pleasantly tired. Both are normal responses as the body processes the treatment.
A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Pain (Cramer et al.) found large short-term effects of cupping on pain intensity compared to no treatment across 18 randomised controlled trials. A 2018 systematic review in BMJ Open (Kim et al.) confirmed significant reductions in neck pain from cupping across 18 further trials. Cupping is endorsed by the British Acupuncture Council as a complementary therapy with a legitimate evidence base for musculoskeletal pain management.
Cupping is endorsed by the British Acupuncture Council as a complementary therapy with a legitimate evidence base for musculoskeletal pain management, used within a regulated practice setting.
"When the body feels safe, clarity follows."What Our Clients Say
★★★★★
"I've had cupping a few times now with Anthony and each time I leave feeling like a different person. My back tension, which I've had for years, genuinely shifts in a way nothing else has managed."
Google Review · Middlesbrough★★★★★
"Deanna added cupping to my acupuncture session and I wasn't sure what to expect. It felt incredible: a deep release I didn't know I needed. I sleep so much better after sessions that include it."
Fresha Review · Stockton-on-Tees★★★★★
"I was nervous about the marks but Anthony explained everything clearly beforehand. The session itself was so relaxing. My shoulders felt looser than they had in months. I booked again the same week."
Google Review · Teesside800+ five-star reviews across Google and Fresha · Three Best Rated 2026 · Fresha Highly Recommended
Frequently Asked Questions
Does cupping hurt?
Most people describe cupping as a feeling of pressure, warmth, and deep release rather than pain. The sensation varies depending on the type of cupping and the level of tension in the treated area. Fire cupping involves no heat on the skin. The flame is used briefly inside the cup before placement. If at any point the sensation is uncomfortable, your practitioner will adjust the suction immediately.
Will cupping leave marks?
Static cupping often leaves circular marks where the cups were placed. These are not bruises. They result from increased blood flow to the surface, not tissue trauma. They typically fade within three to seven days. Sliding cupping and facial cupping generally leave no marks. Your practitioner will discuss what to expect before starting.
How many cupping sessions will I need?
For acute tension or as a one-off wellness treatment, a single session can produce noticeable results. For chronic tension, pain, or recurring patterns, a course of four to six sessions spaced one to two weeks apart is where results become more consistent and lasting. Most clients continue with monthly maintenance sessions once their initial concerns have settled.
Can I have cupping if I have sensitive skin?
Cupping is not suitable for skin with active inflammation, sunburn, eczema flare-ups, open wounds, or certain skin conditions. It is also not suitable during the first trimester of pregnancy, and requires specific care in later stages. If you are pregnant, please mention this when booking. If you have sensitive skin or a skin condition, please also mention this so your practitioner can advise on suitability and adapt the technique if needed. Dry cupping with lower suction is often more appropriate for sensitive presentations.
What's the difference between fire cupping and dry cupping?
Fire cupping uses a glass cup and a flame to create suction, producing a warming therapeutic effect well-suited to deep tension and cold-related stiffness. Dry cupping uses a silicone or plastic cup with a hand pump, offering more precise control over suction intensity. Both achieve the same therapeutic outcome: increased circulation, fascial release, and nervous system response. Your practitioner will recommend which is most appropriate for your presentation.
Where is the clinic and do you see clients from across Teesside?
We're based at The House, 283 Acklam Road, Middlesbrough, TS5 7BP. We see clients from across Teesside, including Stockton-on-Tees, Yarm, Ingleby Barwick, Thornaby, Marton, and the wider North East. Parking is available on site. Call 0800 593 2023 or book online.
Ready to Experience Cupping?
Sessions from £55 with Anthony, or integrated into your acupuncture treatment with Deanna. No waiting lists. Mon–Sat availability at The House, Middlesbrough.
Book Your Cupping Session Questions first? Call 0800 593 2023 · Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm "Wellness grows where energy flows."