Cupping Therapy
Cupping Therapy
Cupping therapy can be added onto our Optimal Recovery Massage and Optimal Pain Management Massage.
What is Cupping Therapy and How Can it Improve Your Health?
Alternative medicine practitioners have been using cupping for thousands of years to treat a wide range of health problems. It is designed to help the body reduce inflammation by using suction. Think of it kind of like getting a massage in reverse.
Cupping can help athletes relieve muscle tension and tightness, but it can also help anyone with pain, stiffness or breathing problems.
Some studies indicate that cupping may reduce fibromyalgia symptoms and can be more effective than conventional treatments.
A type of traditional Chinese medicine, cupping therapy involves creating a vacuum within glass cups placed on certain acupuncture points on the skin. This can be done by heating the air within the cup before placing it on the skin.
The resulting suction pulls the skin part of the way into the cup. The cup may be left in place for several minutes and then removed, leaving behind a bright red, circular welt. In wet cupping, the skin is pricked with a needle before the cup is placed.
Proponents believe that cupping therapy can help increase circulation and promote healing. The procedure is generally safe when performed by trained professionals, but it can cause bruises, soreness.
Cupping Therapy for Athletes
The many athletes who do choose to undergo cupping therapy will often do so before participating in their sport or activity, as well as after. Most have a goal of addressing specific aches and pains within their body, as they want to heal these areas as much as they possibly can before participating in their chosen sport. For athletes who have been diagnosed with a specific injury or have had to undergo a surgical process, cupping therapy can be used to help their body promote a healing response and reduce recovery time.
What Does it Look Like?
Cups used in cupping look like glass or plastic snow globe-like balls that range in size from three-quarters of an inch to four inches in diameter. They’re placed on the skin while air is removed by a pump. Cups are left on the affected area for anywhere from 5-15 mins. Depending on the ailment your therapist is treating, the cups can be slid back and forth between locations to help induce a more therapeutic response.
How Do I Get Started With Cupping?
Patients can come in as often as two to three times a month for cupping, but it’s usually used in conjunction with our massage treatments as opposed to a stand alone session.