What is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping therapy is a traditional Chinese Medicine treatment, which originated thousands of years ago in China. Since then, it has been practiced all over the world to help treat different health conditions.
Cupping therapy consists of two different types of cupping – dry cupping (plastic cupping and glass cupping) and wet cupping.
Small glass or plastic cups are placed on affected areas, creating suction on the skin either by way of heat or a vacuum gun. The main area chosen for cupping is the back and spine. Although these cups leave mild red marks on the skin, they usually disappear quickly.
Benefits of Cupping Therapy
Using cupping therapy as a health treatment has numerous benefits. Some of the benefits of cupping the back are to help boost up the immune system, improve the circulation of Qi and blood in the lungs, increase energy, reduce anxiety, relieve local muscle pain and tension, regulate blood cholesterol and blood pressure level, improve sleep quality, and so on. Beneficial for localized pain, blood cupping can be an effective therapy for conditions such as back, shoulder and knee pain, the common cold and asthma. Results vary by person and condition.
- - Promotes Qi and blood flow
- - Maintains general well-being
- - Relaxes muscles
- - Detoxification
- - Relieves pain, tension ad stiffness in the back, shoulder & neck
- - Relieves respiratory issues, cold, flu
- - Helps with weight loss
- - Boosts the immune system
- - Relieves digestive issues
- - Helps with migraines and headaches
- - Helps with fertility
- - Treats high blood pressure, high cholesterol level
- - Treats facial paralysis
Acupuncture and Cupping
Cupping Therapy can be used on its own, but it can also be combined with other treatments such as acupuncture and massage cupping therapy.
The cups are placed over acupuncture points, and the suction and pressure provided by cupping can pull tension up, which can then be released by using acupuncture too. They both aim to relieve pain by triggering blood flow to the area, encouraging the body to create natural healing properties. Combing both cupping therapy and acupuncture is a great way to get the best of both worlds.
Cupping Therapy in Vancouver
At our clinic in Vancouver, we usually combine cupping with acupuncture treatment to help relieve the muscle pain and increase the effectiveness of the treatment depending on the individuals‘ conditions. In case of chronic pain, combing acupuncture with cupping therapy helps faster recovery and better health treatment results.
There are cases that we have combined acupuncture and blood cupping (wet cupping) to produce exceptional results. For instance, in case of chronic pain of shoulder pain, I have noticed that usually individuals complain of one fixed, painful spot in the along the medial shoulder blades or in front of their upper arm. In this case, we have used acupuncture treatment to release tightness in the muscles and bleeding that specific pain spot relieved years of pain and discomfort for the patient.
In fact, just recently I had a patient who was complaining of a painful spot on his upper back who was there for 18 years and whenever he experienced muscle tightness, this specific point flared up and lasted for a few days and affected his life quality very badly. After just one treatment that included both acupuncture and bloodletting ( blood cupping) of the specific spot, he came back on the next session and told me that it helped get rid of his old pain.
There have also been cases of chronic muscle tightness that proved to respond very well to the combination of acupuncture and dry cupping. Usually in this situations, we have performed the cupping therapy first and then we used the acupuncture points to enhance the muscle relaxing function of the cupping. This treatment strategy has worked very well for people who always told me that they have not found the massage therapy effective enough to relieve their muscle stiffness and pain. Book a Cupping Consultation
Visit our Vancouver acupuncture clinic to learn more about cupping therapy. Dr. Zahra will be happy to assist you and answer any questions you may have.
>> Call today and book a consultation!