Wow! I put this thing on, and just five minutes later, I had some pain relief! I wish I had bought two! After doing some research, I found some quick tips and tricks helpful!-Start with the suction around 3-5. At this level, you can feel some relief, and going higher when you first start might be too intense, and then you stop using it. You have to build up to a higher level, so don't start too high and fizzle out because you don't like it.-Don't use the heat setting to start or if you do, keep it at level 1 or 2. This machine creates suction which creates heat in your skin. Also, when it suctions, your skin gets pulled up, and I saw some people saying they got burnt. Yes, you would probably get burnt if the heat is super high and your skin is right next to the heating element, so avoid using this heat at higher suction levels.-Go for five-minute increments. I get this treatment at my chiro, and they only do it for five minutes at a time, which is usually enough. Try placing it in different spots to help alleviate pain in one area so you can get the "whole area." Don't use it in one spot for the entire duration of 20 minutes.-Look up a chart on where to place the cupping. You can put it on multiple sites, and each helps bring relief. I googled a quick diagram and found easy guides on where to best place the cupping machine for certain types of pain, each site was easy to find on their chart and is different for your leg, shoulder, and each body part.Enjoy this machine, and I hope it helps you as it's helped me!