**4.1 Technical types**

This category of cupping is classified according to the cupping technique which is used. It includes four types; dry cupping, flash cupping, wet cupping and massage cupping [22].

## *4.1.1 Dry cupping*

*Dry cupping* is also known as static cupping or retained cupping [24]. In dry cupping, negative pressure is generated inside the cups by different ways of suction like fire, manual pump or electrical suction. The cups are usually kept on the skin for up to 15 minutes [22]. When a manual pump is used, the pressure inside the cup is controlled by the number of suctions. As the number increases, the negative pressure inside the cup will increase [2]. Similarly, when fire is used, prolongation of fire exposure will increase the negative pressure inside the cup. This negative pressure leads to protrusion of the skin [22].
