Cupping therapy is one of the oldest forms of medicine, used for thousands of years in Asian countries. More recently, Cupping therapy has grown in popularity after several celebrities and athletes have been spotted with round marks down their backs. Often confused for bruises, these marks are akin to “hickies” and can give insight into how well your treatment is going.
Cupping uses negative pressure inside a cup that is placed upon the skin. The vacuum pulls up the skin along with fascia and muscle tissue. This increases blood flow into the treated area, bringing fresh oxygenated blood into the soft tissue and aiding the healing process. Depending on the color of the mark can signify whether you’re progressing through treatment.
On its own, Cupping therapy can provide significant pain relief and is often enough for most patients. That being said, a few other modalities complement the Cupping treatment—combining them to give even better results than if you were to do one on its own.
Join me today as we explore a few other therapies that complement Cupping.
Deep Tissue Massage
Massages feel great and are highly therapeutic. They can increase blood circulation in the body and can break down muscle “knots”. Muscle knots are often caused by tense muscle fibers and irritated fascia, causing trigger points. Deep tissue massages can apply pressure onto the trigger point until the fibers relax. This can be a painful experience. In contrast, the trigger point is being massaged but results in overall relief of pain and, in some cases, increased mobility.
Cupping can be used with massage techniques such as trigger point therapy or deep tissue massage to improve the effectiveness of a massage treatment. Alternatively, you can also ask about moving Cupping. This is a deep tissue massage using oils or lotion in the affected area and having the practitioner slide an attached cup into the treated place. This can help break down scar tissue and flush your back or shoulders with healthy oxygenated blood.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture and Cupping are both forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine. For acupuncture, needles are used at specific acupuncture points to help with recovery. Hundreds of these acupuncture points exist throughout your body, each with its name and purpose. Depending on your condition, a different combination of these acupuncture points can be triggered.
Cupping therapy can be added to acupuncture to help further improve blood circulation in the treated area and alleviate tension. Feel free to ask the helpful SOHMA staff if they recommend acupuncture and Cupping therapy.
Chiropractic Adjustments
Chiropractic adjustments manipulate and re-align subluxations in the vertebrae. Although chiropractic focuses on the joints and bones while targeting the soft tissue, combining the two may result in faster healing. Cupping can relax the tight muscles surrounding the area where a chiropractor needs to adjust.
Chiropractors who use Cupping therapy when adjusting and manipulating the spine say it’s a more friendly approach for patients to receive treatment. The cups attach to the skin, creating a vacuum. This then tightens the skin, fascia, and muscles, allowing chiropractors to make adjustments easier.
Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine
Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health.
Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.
We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.
