Cupping Therapy

Mobilize Blood Flow. Boost Healing.

Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy is a type of alternative medicine that can be traced back to ancient cultures.

The therapy works by placing cups on the skin to create suction. The suction thus created helps mobilize blood flow in the body and boosts the healing of a number of medical conditions.

Depending on the practitioner, cupping therapy may be administered on its own, or be combined with other alternative practices like acupuncture, massage therapy or essential oils therapy.

Is Cupping Right for Me?

Perhaps the foremost reason individuals turn to Cupping Therapy (Soft Tissue Decompression) is to seek relief from joint and muscle pain. This is particularly specific to individuals who face lower back issues.

In instances where deep injuries occur within the muscles, internal bleeding, bruises and edema also happen. This can all lead to a stagnation of blood in the affected area.

How does it Work?

Cupping has a long and noble history. It has been used in China for thousands of years. Originally applied to skin issues in order to relieve boils and other lesions in order to remove pus, the practice eventually expanded to treat any problem that involved poor circulation of blood or lymph. Areas of injury, swelling, inflammation and pain generally have some degree of stagnation in the flow of body fluids.

While cupping originally employed cups made of bamboo or animal horn, today we use cups made of glass or plastic. By removing the air from the cups by either heating it briefly and allowing it to cool, such as in ‘Fire Cupping’, or using a vacuum pump to suck the air out, negative pressure is created that lifts the skin and tissues immediately below up away from the body.

This draws stagnant blood and lymph up to the surface and allows fresh blood to perfuse the deeper tissues below the cups.

The influx of fresh fluids greatly speeds the healing process. Cupping is ideal to treat conditions such as:

Sports injuries
Muscular trigger points
Tight connective tissue (fascia)

Cupping is also often applied to acupuncture points during an acupuncture session for a broad variety of conditions.

Are there any side effects?

Cupping commonly leaves light circular bruises. The bruises are painless and usually dissipate within a few days.

does cupping hurt?

Cupping is usually painless though a sensation of tightness or pulling may be felt during the process. If this is uncomfortable your therapist can release the cup and reapply it with less suction.