Cupping
Cupping Treatment
Cupping and Its Benefits
Cupping is done by attaching a cup to the body to draw out coagulated blood and fluids, toxins, or pathogens. This treatment helps in relieving tension in muscles and connective tissues.
Two ways of cupping are suction cupping via mechanical vacuum or fire cupping through creating a vacuum seal. The cupping practitioner uses a cup made of glass, ceramic, or even bamboo. By adding a piece of burning cotton inside the glass, the practitioner sucks the oxygen out and creates a vacuum inside.
Cupping helps:
- In the natural circulation of the blood
- In the correct flow of the energy through the body
- In a faster reaction from the metabolism
- To reduce pain in certain areas
- In treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Origin and Spread of Cupping
Traditional Chinese Medicine offers effective techniques for pain relief that don't need pills and chemical medication. This method may have been used in other cultures as well.
Cupping is one of the most sought after healing modalities after acupuncture. Cupping rose in popularity when athlete Michael Phelps showed dark circular marks on his body as part of the treatment.
Types of Cupping
Cupping can be applied depending based on the patient's needs.
- Massage: In massage technique, the specialist moves the cup over the patient's skin instead of keeping it on one spot. This is effective if you have back, leg, and arm problems.
- Fire cupping: In this, the therapist leaves the cup on the selected part of the body for the cup to suck out impurities. This helps in correcting blood flow.
- Dry cupping: The therapist uses plastic or rubber suction cups for this treatment. This method requires less preparation and offers the same effect. Dry cupping lowers the risk of burning caused when using glass cups.
- Wet cupping: In this, the therapist makes an incision on the skin to drain blood after the blood is concentrated from the cupping. This is one of the most controversial type of cupping.
Why You Need an Expert for Cupping
Though cupping may sound simple, you need an expert for the correct application. Knowing how to use the tools is not enough. Only trained specialists and therapists can understand the anatomy and flow of energy in the human body.
You can find cupping therapists here. You'll be able to learn more about the benefits and other types of modalities as well.
Learn More About
Michael L Miller L.Ac. Acupuncture
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