— like a holistic hickey, if you will — but, these markings are apparently extremely telling of your health. They can range in color from light pink to dark purple depending on the degree of stasis in your body, Tangel notes. As white blood cells rush to"heal" these marks, your body sends anti-inflammatory markers to the painful muscles. Plus, the amount of time you have your bruise further identifies how muchis in that area, and if the blood has enough nutrients.
The main point I stressed to my friends is that cupping relieves pain while providing a deeper understanding of the body. The bruises may have thrown a wrench in my weekend outfit plans, but they healed my body while allowing it to effectively communicate its needs — which is pretty amazing if you ask me.