What is Cupping?
What is cupping?
Traumas, injuries, and a sedentary lifestyle can all leave an accumulation of metabolic waste and old blood cells deep in the tissues that we refer to in Chinese medicine as stagnant blood. Unlike massage therapy, which focuses on compression of the muscles to relieve pain and promote healing, cupping uses a decompressing action on the body which facilitates lymphatic and vascular flow, releases tight fascia, and lifts this cellular debris to the surface where the body naturally clears it.
Cupping is as much a diagnostic tool as it is a treatment. The round marks that appear after a cupping session, if they appear at all, clearly show the areas that had an accumulation of stagnant blood, which gives your massage therapist a roadmap to follow for future treatments. The marks fade in a few days as the body clears away the debris, leaving room for fresh blood to nourish the area that was compromised. Cupping will often help a troubled area when other therapies won't.
How is it performed?
In a cupping treatment, your massage therapist applies a moisturizer to your skin then places silicone and/or plastic cups on specific areas of the body, creating a pleasant suction feeling. In Static Cupping, a number of cups are positioned on the body and remain in one location for up to 10 minutes before being repositioned. This allows the therapist to treat a large area of the body within one session. Slide Cupping is a variation in which the therapist slowly and gently slides the cups across specific muscle groups. These techniques are often used in tandem in our clinic and may be combined with a full body massage, anti-inflammatory hemp oil, or performed as a stand-alone treatment. This therapy is also incorporated into acupuncture sessions if deemed necessary.
How do I prepare for a cupping session"?
Hydrate. Water is essential for your health, especially for your lymphatic system. Cupping supports your lymphatic system. Your lymphatic system clears away cellular waste from your body and it needs plenty of water to do this effectively. Make sure you are hydrated, but not overly so.
Eat an hour or so before your appointment.
Don’t shave the area within four hours of your appointment. Your therapist really doesn’t mind stubble and your skin will thank you.
Recover from sunburn. When you receive cupping, it will feel like that area is warmer than normal. Neither the cup nor the extra heat will feel good on sunburned skin. Apply some soothing aloe and wait until your skin has recovered before your next cupping appointment.
Don’t exfoliate aggressively. Exfoliating removes a layer of dead skin, which makes your skin extra sensitive. Wait a couple days after any aggressive exfoliation treatment before receiving cupping.
What should I avoid after cupping or cupping massage?
For 4-6 hours post cupping, avoid exposure to:
Caffeine, alcohol, sugary foods and drinks, dairy, and processed meats
These foods slow down your body’s ability to process the treatment.Hot showers, saunas, hot tubs and strong air conditioning
After cupping, your skin will be more sensitive to temperature in the areas where the cups were placed. Give your skin time to recover.Intense exercise
Cold and windy conditions
How to make the cupping marks go away faster:
The circular marks from cupping range in color from pink to deep red or purple and reflect your body’s health in specific areas at the time of cupping. Light discolorations will start to fade after a few hours while darker marks may take up to two weeks to disappear completely. If you’d like those marks to go away faster, do these three things:
Drink a lot of water.
Water helps flush your lymphatic system of the cellular waste that cupping helps release from your tissues.Stay warm.
Try to cover the area(s) where you received cupping.Our massage therapists are well-trained in the technique of therapeutic cupping and enthusiastically endorse its benefits. We hope you’ll add cupping to your next massage and experience it for yourself.
