Cupping therapy burn in an African

Abstract

Cupping therapy is an ancient alternative medicine practice with origins in the Middle East. It involves mobilization of blood flow to promote healing through either heat or suction. It is rare in Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors present an 80-year-old known diabetic Nigerian female with 2% burns to the left shoulder from cupping therapy for back pain. The methods of cupping therapy and the potential adverse events from a Plastic Surgery perspective are discussed.