Cupping

Cupping is an effective treatment for reducing pain, treating sprains, colds and flus and enhancing circulation. Glass cups are heated from the inside to create a vacuum and are placed on painful areas, the vacuum created by the heat dispels dampness from the body, has a warming effect, and reduces swelling. Cupping may be applied to the neck, shoulders, upper arms, back, sacral area, hips, thighs and calves.

Cupping may cause superficial bruising which is not painful, and in Traditional Chinese Medicine this is regarded as an indication that toxins and stagnation were pulled out from the body restoring healthy qi (chi) and blood flow.

The experience of cupping can be described as an “inverse massage.” Using suction to create negative pressure, it improves circulation by bringing fresh, oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to replenish the tissues, reduces muscle tension and spasms and accelerates the healing process.

In the West, acupuncture is most commonly associated with the treatment of pain, allergies, addictions, and infertility. However, the World Health Organization recognizes the use of acupuncture in the treatment of a wide range of conditions, including:

Digestive disorders: gastritis and acid reflux, spastic colon, constipation, and diarrhea.
Respiratory disorders: sinusitis, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, and recurrent chest infections.
Neurological and muscular disorders: headaches, facial tics, neck pain, rib neuritis, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, various forms of tendinitis, low back pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis.

Reproductive, menstrual, and urinary imbalances.
Emotional and Mental Imbalances: chronic stress, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

An acupuncture treatment may include adjunct therapies such as cupping, gua sha, and/or moxibustion.