Coming from traditional Eastern medicine, Cupping therapy has garnered new life due to a modern resurgence. Much of its current popularity is because of how celebrities and athletes use cupping therapy for their recovery, and occasionally, they are seen with recognizable round marks going down their backs. It’s not uncommon to see Olympians being showcased with visible cupping marks. This also drew the public’s curiosity towards cupping therapy.
Cupping therapy is popular in aiding recovery and has many benefits beyond recovery from injury or a workout. Join me as we explore how cupping therapy can help to remove toxins from your body.
What is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping therapy is one of the oldest forms of medicine practiced in traditional Asian cultures. Cupping therapy traditionally uses fire to heat a glass globe or bamboo cup to create negative pressure. Recently, plastic or silicone cups with a pump have been used to control the vacuum created. When the cup is placed onto the skin, the negative pressure pulls the soft tissue into the cup.
This pulls skin, fascia, and muscle tissue into the cup, which may promote increased circulation in the treated area. Increased circulation allows for several potential benefits, including:
- Pain Management
- Reduced Inflammation
- Reduced Muscle Tension
- Increased Blood Flow
- Increased Range of Motion
Aside from physical benefits, cupping therapy can also benefit your mental health and recovery. It has been shown that cupping therapy can help patients relax and release body tension. This can have the additional benefit of allowing you to rest better at night. This improves both the ability to fall asleep and the quality of sleep. As we understand, having healthy rest at night is incredibly important to our mental health as this can reduce stress and anxiety.
How does Cupping Help to Remove Toxins?
Creating vacuum pressure on the skin may draw out impurities from deep within the soft tissue and muscles. This can help to draw out built-up waste products and toxins like smoke and heavy metals. These may have been stored in your cells for years while you are unaware of them.
Since cupping therapy can help enhance blood circulation, it can allow fresh new blood to flush out stagnation in the affected areas. This can promote the removal of toxins and metabolic waste products. Cupping may stimulate the lymphatic system as well. This can aid in removing toxins and waste materials from the body through improved lymphatic circulation. This can help to promote healthier cells and overall wellness.
What are the Round Marks?
Although the round marks may seem like painful bruising, this is far from what they are. The marks are closer to a hickey than a bruise. Unlike bruises, these marks don’t hurt. Visually, some patients may not appreciate them. However, these marks have an additional function. The round marks can help to determine how close you are to finishing a cupping therapy protocol. For example, light pink marks may signify that you’re nearing the end of treatment, whereas dark purple marks may indicate heavy levels of stagnation. This can mean that you may require more cupping or complementary therapy, such as acupuncture or massage therapy to get to the root of your issues.
Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine
Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can contact 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.
