What is cupping?
Cupping is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy that has been used for thousands of years and has been shown to help with back and muscle pain, circulation, removing toxins, allergies, anxiety and even colds and flus.
An easy way to think about cupping is that it acts in an opposite manner than traditional massage. During an ordinary massage session, the therapist is applying pressure on the person’s skin, muscles and connective tissue. With cupping therapy, the suction created by the cup pulls skin, tissue and muscles upward. Our therapists typically incorporate massage therapy along with cupping; however cupping can be done alone without massage.
By creating suction, massage cupping is used to loosen adhesions and stubborn knots, increase blood and lymphatic flow, decrease swelling, remove toxins, and restore balance to the nervous system.
What does a cupping session look like?
During a cupping session, you will feel a tight sensation from the suction produced by the cup. Depending on your comfort and experience, in addition to your therapists assessment, cups can be moved around during a single session or they can be left in place. One thing that anyone who is interested in cupping therapy should be aware of is that after the session, you will most likely have discolored circles the size of the cups that remain on your skin for a few days. This is a normal process from cupping therapy.
Feel free to ask our Redmond Oregon chiropractor, Redmond Oregon Naturopath or massage therapists to see if cupping massage therapy is right for you!