Kim Kardashian is following the lead of USA Olympic athletes and is trying cupping therapy for neck pain relief. (Photo : Getty Images/Lisa Maree Williams)
"Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star Kim Kardashian is trying out cupping, an ancient treatment technique that has become a trend in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Kim has turned to this therapy to relieve what she calls "major neck pain."
According to The Daily Mail, the 35-year-old reality star had earlier asked her Snapchat fans for advice on what kind of pillow she should get to lessen her discomfort and to help with her neck trouble. Then she told them that she is doing everything to get better, including following the United States Olympic team's lead.
The mother of two had a massage therapist and a Chinese medicine practitioner come over to her house to administer the procedure. Kim even shared a photo of the cups as the practitioner prepared them to be used on her.
A photo posted by Kim Kardashian Snapchats (@kimksnapchats) on Aug 8, 2016 at 9:00pm PDT
Cupping is a technique used by the ancient Chinese that involves applying heated glass cups to the skin along certain meridians and therefore creating suction as a way of relaxing the muscles, boosting circulation, and stimulating the flow of energy in the body.
The report, however, pointed out that not everyone believes in this alternative treatment and some medical professionals have warned against it, as it could cause severe damage to the patient's skin if applied the wrong way.
ET Online wrote that with the 2016 Rio Games well underway, many have noticed and wondered why some of the athletes, especially the gymnasts and swimmers of Team USA, including swimming champion Michael Phelps, were sporting perfectly round dark splotches on their skin, particularly on their backs. It appears that these athletes are keen about cupping therapy. Almost a year ago, Phelps shared in his Instagram a photo of him going through the procedure.
The entertainment news site noted that another athlete who swears by cupping for pain relief is American gymnast Alex Naddour. Naddour had declared that cupping has "been better than anything else" he has spent money on.
Aside from cupping, Kim also shared Snapchat photos of her feet with a couple of needles, and explained that she was going to try acupuncture on her feet and hands to help her neck.
Watch this report on the Olympic athletes and cupping:
