For many of us, the start of January, and the start of the new year is the ideal time to make resolutions to try and make our lives all the better in the coming year. For some, this means setting financial goals, for others, it is to learn a new skill. This willingness to try and improve our lives represents to many people, the opportunity to explore the many health benefits that Traditional Chinese Medicine, more specifically cupping offers. This is especially true for those who are hoping to improve their health during the upcoming year. But what exactly is cupping, and how can it improve your health?
What is Cupping?
Perhaps the easiest way to understand what cupping is is to think of it as a massage that is inverse. As opposed to applying pressure to the body, one muscle area at a time, cupping uses suction like pressure to pull everything upwards.
A Brief History of Cupping
Cupping is an ancient Chinese technique that was developed thousands of years ago. Although some of the techniques have changed and evolved over time, the overall idea and result are still the same.
How Does Cupping Work?
Cupping involves placing either glass, silicone or plastic cups on the skin. When enough pressure is applied this creates a vacuum that pulls outward. The underlying tissue and skin are sucked into the open part of the cup.
What Does Fixed Cupping Mean?
Fixed cupping is when the cups are placed in a selected area of your body. They are then left there for an extended period of time without being moved.
What Does Moving Cupping Mean?
As you might guess, in this method, massage oils or cream is applied to the patient’s body. The cups are then applied to selected spots all over. The practitioner then slides the cups from spot to spot around the patient’s affect areas.
What are the Health Benefits of Cupping?
You ought to consider exploring the benefits of cupping if you seek relief from stress, pain, allergies, fatigue, flu, colds, back pain, anxiety, muscle aches, red itchy skin conditions or fever.
Cupping Has a Multitude of Health Benefits, Including but Not Limited to:
– Stimulating the flow of fresh blood
– Reduces the length of the common cold
– Stimulates the flow of lymph and Qi to the affected area
– Reduces the length of the flu virus
– Helps to reduce anxiety
– Helps to aid red and itchy skin conditions – It should be noted that the cups are not applied directly to the affected areas
– Helps to reduce the severity of allergies
A Word of Caution
Clients who are not experienced in cupping should be aware of a few things before starting.
Cupping Should Not Be Used on People Who:
– Have skin ulcers
– Bleed easily
– Have large blood vessels
– Are pregnant
– Have edema
Now you are able to practice cupping at home!
Silicone movable cups (called the fascia buddy) are now available for purchase at the clinic for you to use at home. There are 4 different sizes to choose from, the size choice depends on what area of your body you are using it for, and how much suction you would like. First add some massage oil (our favourite is arnica oil), then press in the middle of the cup (the harder you press the more suction) and apply to your skin. Move it around in the area you are looking to relax the muscles until feeling relaxed, often we recommend for 5 minutes at a time. Common areas we prescribed the cups for include back, neck, tight IT bands, knees, shoulders, and elbows. Ask us to find out more about the fascia buddies available for purchase and how they can help to benefit your health!
All credit goes to Dronyk Health Clinic