What is cupping therapy?
Cupping therapy is a traditional Chinese and Middle Eastern practice which involves creating a suction with a cup against the body, pulling the skin up and increasing blood flow. While this practice may look a bit odd and leaves those strange hickey marks, it actually feels extremely good. Think of it like an inverse massage - rather than pushing down on your muscles, they’re lifting the fascia and connective tissues up. This gives a feeling of spaciousness and deep tissue softening.
Different types of cupping therapy:
Please note that there are a multitude of cupping styles that can be performed with glass, silicon, or bamboo cups. Here at Nurture, we practice dry cupping. Here are the three most common types of cupping therapy:
Dry Cupping: Cups are applied directly on oiled skin by removing air via a pump or suction mechanism.
Fire Cupping: An alcohol-soaked cotton ball is set on fire, briefly placed in the cup to remove oxygen then placed on the body.
Wet Cupping: The skin is punctured prior to the placement of cups, drawing blood out during the treatment. We do not practice this type of cupping at Nurture.
How does cupping work?
Cupping works by breaking up blockages and increasing the flow of blood, lymph, and Qi to that area of the body. As the Traditional Chinese maxim says: “Where there’s stagnation, there will be pain. Remove the stagnation, and you remove the pain.” This is the ideology behind cupping,
Benefits of cupping:
Cupping can help improve a myriad of pains, here are a few of our favorite times to use this treatment:
Back and neck pain
Stiff or sore muscles
Anxiety
Immunity Issues
Allergies
Fatigue
Migraines
Cellulite
What to expect at my first cupping appointment:
Before letting the cups sit, they’re often glided along the body at first for a relaxing massage that will soothe the muscles. After that they typically only stay on for 5-15 minutes. Since it’s such a short treatment, it’s typically paired with acupuncture in one session. If you haven’t had acupuncture before, we recommend you read our other article about Acupuncture.
If it’s your first appointment with us, we will have you fill out some forms so we understand more about your history and reasons to receive treatment. The initial appointment is a bit longer, so we have time to get to know each other and make a plan that fits your unique constitution and goals.
During your appointment, it's likely that you’ll receive a variety of Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities in addition to acupuncture. Here at Nurture, we practice acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, and meditation during your treatment. We’ll send you home with a care plan, often including nutritional suggestions and recommending Traditional Chinese Herbs as a part of our holistic healing approach. We believe that by offering all of these modalities together you’ll find the approach best for your unique constitution and learn how to nurture and take care of yourself in and out of appointments.
We hope to see you soon!