Cupping Massage Therapy

Relatively unknown to most people living in the West until recently, cupping therapy is an alternative therapeutic method that has been popular in China since around 1000 B.C. Some records show that variations of cupping practices might actually be much older — possibly dating as far back as 3000 B.C. (1)

 

Cupping is essentially the inverse of the typical massage. Instead of exerting pressure on the different points of the body for healing, massage cupping uses suction to tug the skin, tissues and muscles upwards. During cupping treatment, your therapist will put a flammable substance such as alcohol, herbs, or paper in a cup and set it on fire. As the fire goes out, he puts the cup upside down on your skin. As the air inside the cup cools, it creates a vacuum. This causes your skin to rise and redden as your blood vessels expand. The cup is generally left in place for up to 3 minutes.

 

A more modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump instead of fire to create the vacuum inside the cup. Sometimes therapists use silicone cups, which they can move from place to place on your skin for a massage-like effect.

 

Massage cupping results in:

• Promoting the flow of blood to the muscles and tissues, and removing stagnation

• Supplying oxygen and nutrients to the cells

• Softening the tightened muscles

• Loosening of adhesions and knots

• Lifting the connecting tissues

• Opening the blockages of the lymphatic nodes and easing the flow of lymph

• Releasing and draining of excess fluids and toxins like lactic acid from the tissues and cells

• Drawing inflammation from the deeper tissues to the surface of the skin so they can heal

• Stimulating and later, calming the peripheral nervous system

• Eliminating chronic congestion.

 

Massage cupping can be used to treat ailments like stiff muscles, stress, migraines, fatigue and exhaustion, and back and neck pain. It can also be used in rheumatism, weight loss and cellulite reduction treatments. Muscles that have been injured, undergone trauma or exertion, accumulate lactic acid and other toxins. Massage cupping can be used to drain these toxins so the muscles can heal