THE ART OF CUPPING IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
By now most people have heard of cupping thanks to celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian as well as athletes like Olympic swimmers Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin, gymnast Alex Naddour, and football player Akeem Spence have all had media coverage on their use of this ancient technique.
Cupping is a highly effective and painless treatment used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to increase blood flow to certain areas of the body (neck, back, shoulders, knees, arms, legs, abdomen) in order to promote healing. This type of treatment uses a variety of different types of cups which when applied to the body creates a vacuum inside to lift the tissue up. This suction separates layers of tissue that are stuck together becoming tight and over time even painful. Cups can stay stationary on the skin or a technique called sliding cupping can be performed (usually on the back). This type of cupping feels like a deep massage. Cupping leaves round marks that look almost bruise-like (this is from broken capillaries) or hickey-like and can last anywhere from two to seven days. The colour of the bruise-like marks can range from light pink to deep red, dark purple colour or even an almost black-looking colour. The colour of the marks shows the amount of stagnation and as the treatments continue the colour will become lighter.
There has been some research done on cupping with results showing that there are benefits when it comes to pain relief.
TEN BENEFITS OF CUPPING
Increases circulation
Releases toxins in the tissues
Clears congestion (great for asthma and colds)
Aids digestion
Helps with menstrual disorders
Relieves muscle tension and pain
Loosens fascia (connective tissue)
Accelerates the healing process
Calms the nervous system
Reduces inflammation
WHAT IS CUPPING USED FOR?
Neck and back pain
Asthma
Colds
Migraines
Knee arthritis
Knee pain
Should pain
Tight and sore muscles
Acne
Cellulite
Reducing stretch marks and scars
Improving varicose and spider veins
Reduces anxiety
General relaxation
Optimizing athletic performance
Stretching muscles and connective tissue
Enhancing blood flow to an area for healing
TYPES OF CUPS
Glass
Plastic
Silicone
Ceramic
Bamboo
TYPES OF CUPPING
FIRE - cotton balls are soaked with alcohol then lit and quickly placed in and out of glass cups before placing on the body
AIR - the use of handheld suction pump cups
SLIDING - massage oil is placed on the skin and cups slide across the skin
WET - combines acupuncture with a bleeding technique (used only by licensed professionals)
HOW LONG IS A CUPPING SESSION?
Once placed on the body cups can be left for anywhere from five to twenty minutes. The length of time will depend on the condition being treated. A course of treatment can vary but generally, it can be two to six sessions with three to ten days between treatments.
HOW SHOULD I FEEL AFTER A TREATMENT?
Some people feel relaxed and calm or even energized while other people might feel tired as cupping can be a strong and stimulating treatment. I recommend that if a person does feel tired this is a sign the body needs to rest and relax for the rest of the day especially to get the maximum effects of the treatment. It is always best to drink a lot of room-temperature water throughout the day to help stay hydrated and flush out any toxins released.
If you are interested in trying cupping or a combination treatment of Acupuncture and cupping please email me kelli@elementswellnesscentre.com and we can book you an appointment. If you don’t live in Vancouver you can contact an Acupuncturist in your area. As well some Physiotherapists and Massage Therapists do cupping.
KT