My search for pain relief brings me to, Cupping Therapy

Since conventional medicine has failed to provide me with substantial relief I have begun to explore alternatives. For the past six weeks I have been spending my Thursdays feeling like a human pin cushion at my Acupuncturists office. Along with inserting four-inch needles into my back he preforms a technique called, Fire Cupping. 
Fire cupping involves soaking a cotton ball in 95% alcohol. The cotton is then clamped by a pair of forceps and lit via a match or lighter. The flaming cotton ball is then, in one fluid motion, placed into the cup, quickly removed, and placed on the skin. By adding fire to the inside of the cup, oxygen is removed and a small amount of suction is created. Dark circles may appear where the cups were placed due to rupture of the capillaries just under the skin, but are not the same as a bruise caused by blunt-force trauma. According to my Acupuncturist, the darker the bruise, the worse that area is. It is fascinating how the same amount of pressure is used in all the cups but the ones that are placed over my herniated disc always leave a more prominent bruise, sometimes a small amount of blood is present, which he sweeps up with a Q-tip and then shows me the colour. 
I wish I could say that the results have been amazing but that would be a gross overstatement. I return every week because i do believe that it is doing some good and I have been told that over time it can help improve both my circulation and my pain, plus it is really cool!

The following is the definition of cupping therapy from Wikipedia:
Cupping therapy is an ancient Chinese form of alternative medicine in which a local suction is created on the skin; practitioners believe this mobilizes blood flow in order to promote healing.^[1] Suction is created using heat (fire) or mechanical devices (hand or electrical pumps).