You’re not looking for temporary relief that wears off by dinner. You want to sleep through the night without waking up stiff. You want to play nine holes without your back seizing up on the back nine. You want to pick up your grandkids without that sharp pull in your shoulder.
Cupping therapy works by increasing blood flow to tight, painful areas and releasing the deep tension that’s been limiting your movement. The suction created during treatment helps decompress muscles and fascia, which is why so many people notice improved range of motion after just one session.
This isn’t about masking symptoms. It’s about addressing the tightness and restricted circulation that’s been keeping you stuck. Whether you’re dealing with chronic lower back pain, neck stiffness, or lingering soreness from an old injury, cupping gives your body the boost it needs to start healing properly.
And because it’s administered by our licensed physical therapists at Medcare, you’re not getting a spa treatment. You’re getting clinical-grade care that integrates with your overall recovery plan.
Medcare Therapy Services has been serving Long Island communities with professional, evidence-based physical therapy for years. Our team includes licensed physical therapists trained in cupping therapy and myofascial decompression—not massage therapists dabbling in wellness trends.
We’re part of a network that includes Physical Therapy Associates of Smithtown and Speonk, which means you’re working with a group that’s accountable, established, and focused on outcomes. Our Google Business Profiles are verified, our staff credentials are current, and our patient data is managed with the kind of security you’d expect from a serious healthcare provider.
If you’re in Asharoken—a quiet village where people value quality over hype—you probably appreciate straightforward care that actually works. That’s what we do. No upselling. No gimmicks. Just licensed professionals helping you move better and hurt less.
Your first visit starts with an evaluation. We don’t just slap cups on your back and call it a day. One of our licensed physical therapists will assess your pain, your movement patterns, and your goals—whether that’s getting back to the golf course or just being able to sit at your desk without constant discomfort.
During the treatment itself, we use dry cupping. That means we place specialized cups on your skin and create suction—no needles, no blood, no invasive steps. The suction pulls tissue upward, which increases circulation, releases muscle tension, and helps break up adhesions in the fascia. You’ll feel a tight pulling sensation, but most people find it more relieving than uncomfortable.
Sessions typically last 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the area being treated. Afterward, you might notice some circular marks where the cups were placed. Those aren’t bruises—they’re a sign of increased blood flow to the area. They fade within a few days.
Many patients feel improvement after one session, but chronic issues usually respond best to a short series of treatments combined with other physical therapy techniques. We’ll map that out with you based on what your body actually needs—not what fills a schedule.
Ready to get started?
When you book cupping therapy at Medcare in Asharoken, you’re working with one of our licensed physical therapists who’s trained in therapeutic cupping and myofascial decompression. This isn’t a standalone spa service. It’s part of a broader treatment plan designed to reduce pain, improve mobility, and help you function better.
We use cupping to treat chronic lower back pain, neck and shoulder tension, knee pain, muscle tightness, and restricted range of motion. It’s especially effective for people who’ve tried traditional physical therapy or medication without lasting results. Because Asharoken has an active community—plenty of golfers, boaters, and people who stay moving into their 60s and 70s—we see a lot of patients dealing with overuse injuries and age-related stiffness.
Cupping works well on its own, but it’s even more effective when combined with manual therapy, stretching, and strengthening exercises. That’s the advantage of getting this treatment from our physical therapy clinic instead of a wellness center. You’re not just getting temporary relief—you’re building a foundation for long-term improvement.
And because we manage everything digitally with verified profiles and secure patient systems, scheduling is simple. You won’t deal with missed messages or confusion about your appointment. We run a tight operation because we know your time matters.
Yes—but let’s be specific about what the research shows. Cupping therapy has moderate-quality evidence supporting its use for chronic pain conditions, particularly lower back pain, neck pain, and knee osteoarthritis. That means it’s not just anecdotal. Multiple studies have demonstrated measurable improvements in pain levels and mobility.
The mechanism makes sense: cupping increases blood flow to areas that are tight or inflamed, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients while clearing out metabolic waste. It also creates a decompression effect on muscles and fascia, which can release trigger points and adhesions that limit movement.
That said, cupping isn’t a magic cure. It works best as part of a broader treatment plan that includes movement, strengthening, and sometimes lifestyle adjustments. If you’ve been dealing with chronic pain and haven’t found relief through medication or traditional PT alone, cupping is worth trying—especially when it’s administered by one of our licensed physical therapists who understands how to integrate it with other techniques.
Dry cupping uses suction alone. We place cups on your skin, create a vacuum, and let them sit for several minutes. The suction pulls tissue upward, increases circulation, and helps release tight muscles. No cutting, no blood, no invasive steps.
Wet cupping involves making small incisions in the skin before applying the cups, which draws out a small amount of blood. It’s rooted in traditional medicine practices, but it carries higher risk of infection and scarring. Most physical therapy clinics in the U.S.—including Medcare—use dry cupping exclusively because it’s safer, cleaner, and just as effective for musculoskeletal pain.
If someone’s recommending wet cupping, make sure they’re properly licensed and that the facility follows strict sanitation protocols. For most people dealing with muscle pain, joint stiffness, or chronic tension, dry cupping is the smarter choice. It delivers results without unnecessary risk.
Yes, usually. The suction from the cups draws blood to the surface, which often leaves circular marks that look like bruises. But they’re not bruises in the traditional sense—they’re a sign of increased circulation and tissue response.
These marks typically fade within three to seven days, depending on how much suction was used and how your body responds. Some people barely mark at all. Others get darker circles that take a bit longer to disappear. Neither is bad—it’s just individual variation.
If you have an event coming up where you’ll be in a bathing suit or sleeveless outfit, just let your therapist know. We can adjust the treatment or schedule it so the marks have time to fade. Most people don’t mind them, especially once they feel how much better they move afterward. But if appearance is a concern, we’ll work around it.
It depends on what you’re treating and how long you’ve been dealing with it. Some people feel significant relief after one session, especially if they’re addressing acute muscle tightness or a recent flare-up. Chronic conditions—like long-term lower back pain or ongoing neck stiffness—usually respond better to a series of three to six sessions spread over a few weeks.
During your evaluation, we’ll give you a realistic estimate based on your specific situation. We’re not interested in stringing you along for months of unnecessary treatment. If cupping isn’t delivering noticeable improvement within the first few sessions, we’ll adjust the plan or try a different approach.
The goal is always to get you feeling better and functioning independently as quickly as possible. Cupping is a tool, not a subscription service. We use it when it makes sense, and we stop when you’ve gotten what you need from it.
Sometimes. Because cupping is administered by our licensed physical therapists at Medcare, it’s often billed as part of your physical therapy treatment—which means it may be covered under your PT benefits. Coverage varies depending on your insurance plan, your deductible, and whether you’ve met your out-of-pocket maximum for the year.
We recommend calling your insurance provider before your first visit to confirm your PT coverage and ask specifically about manual therapy techniques. When you schedule with us, our team can also help verify your benefits and give you an estimate of what you’ll owe.
Even if cupping isn’t fully covered, many patients find it’s worth paying out of pocket because of how effective it is—especially compared to ongoing medication costs or repeated cortisone injections. We’ll always be upfront about costs so there are no surprises.
Absolutely. In fact, that’s how we prefer to use it. Cupping works well on its own, but it’s even more effective when combined with manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, stretching, and strengthening protocols. Releasing tight tissue with cupping makes it easier for you to move through exercises with better form and less compensation.
For example, if you’re dealing with chronic shoulder pain, we might use cupping to release tension in your upper back and rotator cuff, then follow up with targeted strengthening exercises to stabilize the joint. Or if you have lower back pain, we might combine cupping with core strengthening and mobility work to address the root cause—not just the symptoms.
Because you’re working with our licensed physical therapists, we can design a treatment plan that uses multiple techniques in a coordinated way. You’re not just getting cupping. You’re getting a comprehensive approach that’s tailored to your specific condition and goals. That’s the advantage of receiving this treatment in our clinical setting instead of a spa.
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