Massage Cupping by JoeAnn at Unlocking The Body, Inc.
60 Minute Massage Cupping Session................................................Starting at $45
An ancient technique has found its place in the modern world of healing. Massage cupping is a modified version of the common practice of cupping therapy, used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and the results that this simple treatment produces are impressive. Through suction and negative pressure, massage cupping releases rigid soft tissue; drain excess fluids and toxins; loosen adhesions and lift connective tissue; and bring blood flow to stagnant skin and muscles.
The therapeutic applications of cupping have been documented through several thousand years of clinical experience. Cupping is used extensively in TCM and has now been adapted for other health-care modalities, including massage therapy and chiropractic. Massage cupping intensifies the therapeutic aspect of traditional cupping and is an effective addition to any spa, healing facility or private practice. The cups are inexpensive, the therapy is fun and result-oriented, and the client response is remarkable.
History of Cupping
Cupping developed over time from the original use, by various indigenous peoples, of hollow animal horns to drain toxins out of snakebites and skin lesions. Horns evolved into bamboo cups, which were eventually replaced by glass. Therapeutic applications evolved with the refinement of the cup itself, and with the cultures that employed cupping as a health-care technique.
The Chinese expanded the use of this technique to surgery, to divert blood flow from the surgery site. Cupping eventually developed into a separate therapy under the TCM umbrella, with healers trained specifically in this technique. Other ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and early Greeks, embraced the therapeutic value of cupping. The technique eventually spread throughout Europe and later to the Americas.
Cupping was common in households of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Indeed, many people still remember Grandma cupping their back for congestion and colds. European and American doctors used cupping into the late 1800s, and cupping sets were still carried by medical-supply companies well into the 1940s. Breast cupping became common for inflamed breasts and lactation dysfunctions, and the familiar breast pump evolved from this practice.
With this rich history of medical application, how does cupping fit into current health practices? Massage cupping, or the use of glass cups, held by suction, to massage the body, can be added into almost any massage or bodywork session. The action on the nervous system is sedating, and clients will often experience a deep state of relaxation.
"After a number of sessions of massage cupping, I have experienced cumulative and lasting benefits," says Julie Hanson, a cupping client in Asheville, North Carolina, who suffered chronic muscle spasms in her shoulders and neck due to a torque in her spine.
"[The spasms] seemed exhaustingly permanent and have never been relieved by traditional methods of massage," she says. "Cupping, however, has produced marked improvements in posture and muscle position that are nothing short of exhilarating."
A favorite area for massage cupping is on the broad area of the back. Larger cups are used for this, and a strong vacuum will mimic the rolling action of deep-tissue massage without any discomfort. The movement may be long and intended to drain fluid, or circular and stimulating for stubborn knots and areas of rigid tissue. The skin will turn red with strong massage cupping, indicating that circulation has been brought to the surface.
Application of liniments, analgesics, plant hydrosols and essential oils immediately after the treatment will facilitate the absorption of the product deep into the tissue. The increased local blood supply to the muscles and skin will bring nourishment and allow for toxins to be carried away through the veins. Clients often feel deep warmth during the session and a tingling sensation long after the treatment has ended.
Massage cupping is not an irritant to the skin or body. It draws the inflammation out, yet does not add to it. This technique is excellent when used as a contrast therapy with cold compresses or liniments. The cups may also be manipulated to mimic other massage techniques without the normal stress on the hands of the therapist.
The therapeutic applications of cupping have been documented through several thousand years of clinical experience. Cupping is used extensively in TCM and has now been adapted for other health-care modalities, including massage therapy and chiropractic. Massage cupping intensifies the therapeutic aspect of traditional cupping and is an effective addition to any spa, healing facility or private practice. The cups are inexpensive, the therapy is fun and result-oriented, and the client response is remarkable.
History of Cupping
Cupping developed over time from the original use, by various indigenous peoples, of hollow animal horns to drain toxins out of snakebites and skin lesions. Horns evolved into bamboo cups, which were eventually replaced by glass. Therapeutic applications evolved with the refinement of the cup itself, and with the cultures that employed cupping as a health-care technique.
The Chinese expanded the use of this technique to surgery, to divert blood flow from the surgery site. Cupping eventually developed into a separate therapy under the TCM umbrella, with healers trained specifically in this technique. Other ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and early Greeks, embraced the therapeutic value of cupping. The technique eventually spread throughout Europe and later to the Americas.
Cupping was common in households of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Indeed, many people still remember Grandma cupping their back for congestion and colds. European and American doctors used cupping into the late 1800s, and cupping sets were still carried by medical-supply companies well into the 1940s. Breast cupping became common for inflamed breasts and lactation dysfunctions, and the familiar breast pump evolved from this practice.
With this rich history of medical application, how does cupping fit into current health practices? Massage cupping, or the use of glass cups, held by suction, to massage the body, can be added into almost any massage or bodywork session. The action on the nervous system is sedating, and clients will often experience a deep state of relaxation.
"After a number of sessions of massage cupping, I have experienced cumulative and lasting benefits," says Julie Hanson, a cupping client in Asheville, North Carolina, who suffered chronic muscle spasms in her shoulders and neck due to a torque in her spine.
"[The spasms] seemed exhaustingly permanent and have never been relieved by traditional methods of massage," she says. "Cupping, however, has produced marked improvements in posture and muscle position that are nothing short of exhilarating."
A favorite area for massage cupping is on the broad area of the back. Larger cups are used for this, and a strong vacuum will mimic the rolling action of deep-tissue massage without any discomfort. The movement may be long and intended to drain fluid, or circular and stimulating for stubborn knots and areas of rigid tissue. The skin will turn red with strong massage cupping, indicating that circulation has been brought to the surface.
Application of liniments, analgesics, plant hydrosols and essential oils immediately after the treatment will facilitate the absorption of the product deep into the tissue. The increased local blood supply to the muscles and skin will bring nourishment and allow for toxins to be carried away through the veins. Clients often feel deep warmth during the session and a tingling sensation long after the treatment has ended.
Massage cupping is not an irritant to the skin or body. It draws the inflammation out, yet does not add to it. This technique is excellent when used as a contrast therapy with cold compresses or liniments. The cups may also be manipulated to mimic other massage techniques without the normal stress on the hands of the therapist.