Cupping

“Where there’s stagnation, there will be pain. Remove the stagnation, and you remove the pain.”

The old Chinese medical saying is that pain results from the congestion, stagnation, and blockage of Qi, or vital energy. “If pain is the essence of disease, then suffering is a result of blocked flow in the body”, according to the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. Chinese cupping is a method of breaking up the blockage to restore the body’s natural flow of energy.

Cupping is a technique we offer using silicone cups as suction devices that are placed on the skin to disperse and break up stagnation and congestion by drawing it to the surface. Once the suction has occurred, the cups can be gently moved across the skin, causing the skin and superficial muscle layer to be lifted up. Cupping is much like the inverse of massage , but can also be used in conjunction with it- rather than applying pressure to muscles, it uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. For most patients, this is a particularly relieving sensation and does not hurt. Once suctioned, the cups are generally left in place for about five to ten minutes while the patient relaxes. In the case of someone with a lot of pain the cups can be moved around while lifting the skin for the release of toxins and adhesions.

Cupping may be helpful if you have the following conditions:

  • Valuable for the lungs, and can clear congestion from a common cold or help to control a person’s asthma.
  • It has a significant detoxifying effect on skin and circulatory system.
  • Cupping removes toxins and improves blood flow through the veins and arteries which makes it especially useful for athletes with its potential to relieve muscle spasms.
  • Cupping also affects the digestive system. Helps with improved metabolism, relief from constipation, a healthy appetite, and stronger digestion.
  • As health practitioners and researchers continue to study the benefits of cupping, this traditional alternative care technique will gain further acceptance and wider practice across holistic healthcare centers in the U.S. as an effective treatment for a wide variety of ailments.
  • The side effects of cupping are fairly mild. Bruising should be expected, but skin should return to looking normal within a few days. 

Ask to get cupping added to your next massage treatment when you call to make your appointment.