Drug & supplement interaction

Cupping + Sulfasalazine

Sulfasalazine brand names: SAS, Azulfidine EN-Tabs, Azulfidine.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 27, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Cupping and Sulfasalazine in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Cupping and Sulfasalazine

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Sulfasalazine and Cupping in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — research on Cupping alongside specific medications may be limited.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Cupping at all — not against Sulfasalazine, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

Cupping is a treatment rather than something you take. Tell whoever provides it which medicines you use, and ask your prescriber whether it is appropriate for your health and treatment. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Cupping safety at a glance

Cupping overall Use caution Often low-risk when performed by a trained practitioner, but it can cause bruising, skin irritation, and rarely infection.
Pregnancy Use caution Avoid the abdomen and lower back, and only consider it with guidance from your doctor and a qualified practitioner.
Breastfeeding Use caution There is little safety data, so check with your healthcare provider before trying it.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Sulfasalazine and Cupping? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Cupping and Sulfasalazine May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so having Cupping while taking the medicine can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 3 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Anemia Worth acting on Additional detail

    Cupping

    “Two case reports show that cupping can precipitate hematoma, especially in susceptible patients such as those with a bleeding disorder. Anemia has occurred as a result of excessive bleeding from wet cupping.”

    Cupping · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anemia.

    4 sources cited
    1. 27914. Michalsen A, Bock S, Ludtke R, et al. Effects of traditional cupping therapy in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. J Pain 2009;10(6):601-8. PubMed
    2. 96588. Fruchtman Y, Dardik R, Barg AA, et al. Spinal Epidural Hematoma Following Cupping Glass Treatment in an Infant With Hemophilia A. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2016 Jun;63(6):1120-2. PubMed
    3. 99205. Jing-Chun Z, Jia-Ao Y, Chun-Jing X, Kai S, Lai-Jin L. Burns induced by cupping therapy in a burn center in northeast china. Wounds. 2014;26(7):214-20.
    4. 99206. Benli AR, Aktas H. A complication of wet cupping therapy: vesiculobullous plaque on an erythematous base. J Integr Med. 2017;15(3):252-254. PubMed

    Sulfasalazine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sulfasalazine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    Cupping

    “Cupping can cause skin burns, erythema, ecchymosis, purpura, keloids, bullae, and panniculitis. Skin burns usually heal quickly. However, rare post-healing sequelae have included hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, and scars. Prolonged cupping procedure, such as 30-minute suction, can result in painful bullae.”

    Cupping · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in burns.

    6 sources cited
    1. 27919. Cao H, Liu J, Lewith GT. Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment of fibromyalgia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Altern Complement Med 2010;16(4):397-409. PubMed
    2. 96593. Peng CZ, How CK. Bullae secondary to prolonged cupping. Am J Med Sci. 2013;346(1):65. PubMed
    3. 99205. Jing-Chun Z, Jia-Ao Y, Chun-Jing X, Kai S, Lai-Jin L. Burns induced by cupping therapy in a burn center in northeast china. Wounds. 2014;26(7):214-20.
    4. 99206. Benli AR, Aktas H. A complication of wet cupping therapy: vesiculobullous plaque on an erythematous base. J Integr Med. 2017;15(3):252-254. PubMed
    5. 27942. Lee JS, Ahn SK, Lee SH. Factitial panniculitis induced by cupping and acupuncture. Cutis 1995;55(4):217-8.
    6. 108790. Alajmi T, Aljulaihim A, Alzahrani M, Aljuhayyiam S. Necrotizing Fasciitis Following Wet Cupping: A Case Report. Cureus 2021;13(3):e14039. PubMed

    Sulfasalazine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sulfasalazine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on Additional detail

    Cupping

    “Case reports suggest that cupping might cause vasovagal shock and fainting in some patients. This adverse effect may be treated by having patients sit or lie down for 5-10 minutes. Cupping may cause mild headache or sleepiness, both of which typically resolve within four hours.

    In a case report, a 54-year-old male patient reported to the emergency room with neck pain and fever due to an infected cervical spinal epidu…”

    Cupping · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in back pain.

    3 sources cited
    1. 27911. Farhadi K, Schwebel DC, Saeb M, et al. The effectiveness of wet-cupping for nonspecific low back pain in Iran: a randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Med 2009;17(1):9-15. PubMed
    2. 27933. Lauche R, Cramer H, Choi KE, et al. The influence of a series of five dry cupping treatments on pain and mechanical thresholds in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain--a randomised controlled pilot study. BMC Complement Altern Med 2011;11:63. PubMed
    3. 96596. Yao Y, Hong W, Chen H, et al. Cervical spinal epidural abscess following acupuncture and wet-cupping therapy: A case report. Complement Ther Med. 2016;24:108-10. PubMed

    Sulfasalazine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sulfasalazine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Numbness or tingling Additional detail

    Cupping

    “Cupping may be associated with a tingling feeling in the arms and hands, worsening pain near the neck or back, and/or shivering. These adverse effects are typically transient, lasting 4 hours or less. Muscle soreness and minor hematoma at the treatment site have also been reported after cupping therapy with massage.”

    Cupping · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in muscle soreness.

    4 sources cited
    1. 27933. Lauche R, Cramer H, Choi KE, et al. The influence of a series of five dry cupping treatments on pain and mechanical thresholds in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain--a randomised controlled pilot study. BMC Complement Altern Med 2011;11:63. PubMed
    2. 108781. Almeida Silva HJ, Barbosa GM, Scattone Silva R, et al. Dry cupping therapy is not superior to sham cupping to improve clinical outcomes in people with non-specific chronic low back pain: a randomised trial. J Physiother 2021;67(2):132-139. PubMed
    3. 27934. Cramer H, Lauche R, Hohmann C, et al. Randomized controlled trial of pulsating cupping (pneumatic pulsation therapy) for chronic neck pain. Forsch Komplementmed 2011;18(6):327-34. PubMed
    4. 99201. Lauche R, Materdey S, Cramer H, et al. Effectiveness of home-based cupping massage compared to progressive muscle relaxation in patients with chronic neck pain--a randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2013;8(6):e65378. PubMed

    Sulfasalazine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sulfasalazine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Drowsiness / Fever / Headache Additional detail

    Cupping

    Recorded for Cupping in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A higher chance of infection above.

    Sulfasalazine

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Sulfasalazine. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Cupping but not commonly for Sulfasalazine: back pain, chills and fainting.

Effects for Sulfasalazine come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Cupping come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 76,994 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Sulfasalazine that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Sulfasalazine

This page covers Cupping only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Sulfasalazine page lists 39 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Alfalfa (moderate), Angelica Archangelica (moderate), Arrach (moderate) and Bergamot (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 28 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Sulfasalazine page

“Activated charcoal is the single major-rated risk for sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), because charcoal can bind the drug in the gut and cut how much your body absorbs, weakening a medicine people rely on for rheumatoid arthritis or ulcerative colitis. That entry alone earns this list of 39 supplements and herbs a careful read.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Sulfasalazine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Cupping and Sulfasalazine Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Cupping
Steady interest

#760 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Sulfasalazine
Steady interest

#1,852 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Cupping reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 27, 2026. The Cupping and Sulfasalazine records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Treatment approach

About Cupping

What is Cupping?

  • Back and neck pain
  • Muscle tension and soreness
  • Headaches
  • Athletic recovery
  • General well-being and relaxation

Cupping is a traditional therapy that uses suction cups on the skin and is most often tried for muscle and back pain. The evidence is weak and mixed, and while it is generally low-risk when done by a trained practitioner, it commonly leaves temporary round bruises and is not a substitute for medical care.

Not applicable (Cupping is a therapy, not a plant or supplement) · Dry cupping, wet cupping (hijama), fire cupping, and massage (sliding) cupping

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Cupping is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Cupping record says about it on its own.

Cupping: dosing

There is no standardized dose or schedule for cupping. The number of cups, how long they stay on (often a few minutes up to around 10–15 minutes), and how often sessions are done vary by practitioner and the reason for treatment.If you decide to try cupping, choose a qualified, licensed practitioner, ask about their training and hygiene practices, and start conservatively.

From our Cupping monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Cupping monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Sulfasalazine

What Is Sulfasalazine Used For?

Brand names: SAS, Azulfidine EN-Tabs, Azulfidine

Sulfasalazine tablets and delayed-release tablets are both used to treat mild to moderate ulcerative colitis, as add-on therapy in severe ulcerative colitis, and to help keep ulcerative colitis in remission between flares.

The delayed-release form — sold as Azulfidine EN-tabs and Sulfasalazine Delayed Release Tablets — is also approved for adults with rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded well enough to NSAIDs or salicylates, and for children with polyarticular-course juvenile rheumatoid arthritis who have had a similar inadequate response.

See full Sulfasalazine drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cupping

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Cupping — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Cupping against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Cupping list.

See the full Cupping interactions page
See every supplement checked against Sulfasalazine, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Cupping References

The 15 references that drive our Cupping monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Farhadi K, Schwebel DC, Saeb M, et al. The effectiveness of wet-cupping for nonspecific low back pain in Iran: a randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Med 2009;17(1):9-15. PubMed
  2. Michalsen A, Bock S, Ludtke R, et al. Effects of traditional cupping therapy in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. J Pain 2009;10(6):601-8. PubMed
  3. Cao H, Liu J, Lewith GT. Traditional Chinese Medicine for treatment of fibromyalgia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Altern Complement Med 2010;16(4):397-409. PubMed
  4. Lauche R, Cramer H, Choi KE, et al. The influence of a series of five dry cupping treatments on pain and mechanical thresholds in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain--a randomised controlled pilot study. BMC Complement Altern Med 2011;11:63. PubMed
  5. Cramer H, Lauche R, Hohmann C, et al. Randomized controlled trial of pulsating cupping (pneumatic pulsation therapy) for chronic neck pain. Forsch Komplementmed 2011;18(6):327-34. PubMed
  6. Lee JS, Ahn SK, Lee SH. Factitial panniculitis induced by cupping and acupuncture. Cutis 1995;55(4):217-8.
  7. Fruchtman Y, Dardik R, Barg AA, et al. Spinal Epidural Hematoma Following Cupping Glass Treatment in an Infant With Hemophilia A. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2016 Jun;63(6):1120-2. PubMed
  8. Peng CZ, How CK. Bullae secondary to prolonged cupping. Am J Med Sci. 2013;346(1):65. PubMed
  9. Vender R, Vender R. Paradoxical, Cupping-Induced Localized Psoriasis: A Koebner Phenomenon. J Cutan Med Surg. 2015;19(3):320-2. PubMed
  10. Yao Y, Hong W, Chen H, et al. Cervical spinal epidural abscess following acupuncture and wet-cupping therapy: A case report. Complement Ther Med. 2016;24:108-10. PubMed
  11. Lauche R, Materdey S, Cramer H, et al. Effectiveness of home-based cupping massage compared to progressive muscle relaxation in patients with chronic neck pain--a randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2013;8(6):e65378. PubMed
  12. Jing-Chun Z, Jia-Ao Y, Chun-Jing X, Kai S, Lai-Jin L. Burns induced by cupping therapy in a burn center in northeast china. Wounds. 2014;26(7):214-20.
  13. Benli AR, Aktas H. A complication of wet cupping therapy: vesiculobullous plaque on an erythematous base. J Integr Med. 2017;15(3):252-254. PubMed
  14. Almeida Silva HJ, Barbosa GM, Scattone Silva R, et al. Dry cupping therapy is not superior to sham cupping to improve clinical outcomes in people with non-specific chronic low back pain: a randomised trial. J Physiother 2021;67(2):132-139. PubMed
  15. Alajmi T, Aljulaihim A, Alzahrani M, Aljuhayyiam S. Necrotizing Fasciitis Following Wet Cupping: A Case Report. Cureus 2021;13(3):e14039. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Having Cupping While Taking Sulfasalazine: Common Questions

Is it safe to have Cupping while taking Sulfasalazine?
We do not list a known interaction between Cupping and Sulfasalazine. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Cupping and Sulfasalazine have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 7 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Does Sulfasalazine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Sulfasalazine has documented interactions with 39 supplements in our database — Cupping is not one of them. The Sulfasalazine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Cupping monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Sulfasalazine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Sulfasalazine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Sulfasalazine, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 15 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Sulfasalazine and Cupping?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.