Effective Back Pain Relief Using Cupping Massage ( Cupping Therapy )

Cupping Therapy

I was introduced to cupping four years ago while being treated for an auto collision injury. It is a traditional treatment, which uses the application of suction cups to the body. My chiropractor had just hired a massage therapist who was very interested in naturopathic medicine and holistic healing. With three children under the age of five, and having sustained other injuries as well, I was suffering from excruciating back pain and was eager to find something that provided immediate relief. It only took one treatment to get me hooked. I was on the prowl to find my own cup set, so my partner could help treat me at home.

Cupping is considered to be part of the study of acupuncture, but it can be used alone (no needles involved), or in conjunction to acupuncture treatments. The cups can be left in one spot, or you can have someone slide the cup(s) along your back. I use a combination of the two methods for optimum pain management.

There are many cultures that use some form of cupping in their folk medicine, and as a little girl I saw family members using cupping therapy for a variety of ailments such as pain or injury, respiratory issues, digestive problems, even skin care such as treating eczema and cellulite reduction. I use it to loosen the muscle knots in my back. The cupping therapy works by enabling circulation to injured sites. This speeds up healing by reducing swelling, and allowing toxins to be expelled.

Modern cup sets come with a simple pump. If you choose to leave the cups in place, the pump is removed and the cup sits on the surface of your skin for about five to twenty minutes. If you opt for the "sliding" method, lotion or massage oil can be applied prior to applying a light suction, and the cup(s) can be moved in any direction. Circular motions directly on problem areas work wonders for me.

A more traditional method uses Fire-Cupping. A vacuum is created by soaking a cotton ball in alcohol, lighting it, and placing it inside the cup for a few seconds. The fire sucks out all the oxygen in the cup, producing the suction. The cup is then placed on your skin, and treatment is the same as with using the modern cups. Fire-Cupping does not burn or feel hot on your body.

Cupping should not hurt, although it may leave a mark which should go away within a few hours to a week. Cupping can be extremely relaxing, and children do very well with it. My five-year old daughter absolutely loves being cupped before bedtime.

If you suffer from back pain or any of the other ailments listed, I highly encourage you to seek a professional acupuncturist, or massage technician who specializes in cupping therapy. For maximum results, I also recommend using white flower oil during the massage, or applying an analgesic patch (such as Salonpas) after the treatment.

Kaira Nguyen is an aspiring midwife, who is always looking into alternative forms of healing. Kaira's company, CyberClectic, provides Virtual Assistant services to sales professionals.

Cupping Therapy

Cupping Massage Provides Deep Tissue Massage Without Compression ( Cupping Therapy )

Cupping Therapy

What if you could have the benefits of deep tissue massage without the deep pressure? Cupping massage offers that alternative. Standard deep massage uses deep pressure to help break up and get rid of scar tissue from previous injuries and adhesion's (stuck together tissue) from the stresses of daily living. In contrast, cupping massage uses suction and negative pressure to affect the deeper muscles.

How Cupping Works

Modern cupping massage grew out of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practice of cupping therapy. In traditional cupping therapy, the TCM practitioner places a flame inside a glass, pottery, or bamboo cup. The flame draws the oxygen out of the cup, creating a vacuum, and the practitioner quickly places the open end of the cup on your body.

The vacuum in the cup creates a seal on your skin that has a suction and negative pressure that lifts your skin and underlying tissue. This stimulation causes blood to rush to the area and improves qi flow. Typically, TCM practitioners leave the cups in one place (stationary cupping) for about ten minutes, although practitioners do sometimes move the cups (running cupping) in a massage fashion.

Modern Deep Tissue Cupping Massage

A main difference between traditional and massage cupping is that a massage practitioner uses the cups to perform massage strokes, such as scooping the edge of the cup over a muscle, vigorous circles, or long strokes along the muscles. Before placing cups on your skin, the massage practitioner applies oil to your skin to make moving them easier and smoother.

Some massage practitioners use the technique already described (called fire cupping). Another, newer, technique uses a manual vacuum set. The practitioner places a cup on your body and uses an attached pump to remove the air.

In Eastern terms, the suction and negative pressure of deep tissue cupping massage breaks up local qi stagnation. In Western terms, you can think of qi stagnation as poor blood circulation or poor movement of lymphatic fluid. The potential benefits of cupping massage include:

• Relaxes tight muscles
• Drains excess fluids and toxins by opening lymphatic pathways
• Loosens adhesion's and scar tissue by lifting connective tissue
• Stimulates circulation.

Considerations

Cupping massage causes the skin to become red, which indicates that blood is coming to the surface. The suction draws the skin up into the cup, causing the surface blood vessels to expand. This suction can cause discoloration, because a small amount of blood may leak from peripheral capillaries. The discoloration usually fades within a few days.

As with all types of massage, this type of massage is not for everyone, so make sure your massage practitioner is aware of all your medical conditions. Conditions for which massage cupping is inappropriate include inflamed skin, high fever, convulsions or cramping, and easy bleeding. Also, cupping is not appropriate on the abdominal area or lower back of pregnant women.

Catherine Roe is a professional Holistic Massage and Reflexology Therapist with a particular interest in Aromatherapy and the use of Essential Oils to restore balance and improve health. To subscribe to her newsletter and learn more on the Benefits of Massage Therapy visit http://www.dublin-massage-therapy.com.

Cupping Therapy

Chinese Medicine Cupping ( Cupping Therapy )

Cupping Therapy

Chinese medicine uses many modalities of healing; acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, and diet therapy make up the most commonly used and Chinese medicine cupping is gaining in popularity. Maybe some of you saw the photo a few years ago of Gwyneth Paltrow on the red carpet with a backless dress and cupping marks all up her spine? Sometimes it takes a little popular culture to remind us of ancient ways of healing!

The therapy of cupping has been used in China for thousands of years. At first it was applied using cattle horns or cross sections of bamboo. To create negative pressure inside the horn or bamboo these ancient 'cups' where boiled in water or fire was ignited to expel the air and suck the cups onto the skin. These cups were used mostly to draw out pus and blood in the treatment of boils. Cupping was originally used as an auxiliary method in traditional Chinese surgery. Later it was found to be useful in treating other diseases and developed into a special therapeutic method.

The earliest record of cupping is in the Bo Shu (an ancient book written on silk), which was discovered in a tomb of the Han Dynasty. Several other ancient texts mention Chinese medicine cupping. Several centuries later another famous medical classic, Su Sen Liang Fang, recorded an effective cure for chronic cough and the successful treatment of poisonous snake bites using cupping therapy.

Through several thousand years of accumulated clinical experience, the clinical applications of cupping have become increasingly wide. Now Chinese medicine cupping is used to treat arthritic symptoms, asthma, the common cold, chronic cough, indigestion problems and some skin conditions.

There is a saying in China: "Acupuncture and cupping, more than half of the ills cured." Zhao Xue Ming, a doctor practicing more than 200 years ago, compiled a book entitled Ben Cong Gang Mu She Yi, in which he describes in detail the history and origin of different kinds of cupping and cup shapes, functions and applications.

In mainland China the development of cupping therapy has been rapid. In the 1950's the clinical efficacy of cupping was confirmed by the co-research of China and acupuncturists from the former Soviet Union, and was established as an official therapeutic practice in hospitals all over China.

Today, as more people (including Gwyneth) seek alternative therapies to deal with their health problems, the use of  traditional Chinese medicine, including cupping is increasing. Much of the cupping equipment and methods used today are exactly the same as they were in ancient times. Some electronic or mechanized pumps have been invented, and suction cups introduced, but to a great extent the majority of people practicing cupping today still use horn, bamboo or glass cups. One reason that cupping techniques remain the same as in ancient times is due to the fact that, with the exception of a handful of acupuncture practitioners, cupping is generally practiced in rural area where no or very little modern medicine is available.

Cupping affects the flow of Qi and blood. It helps draw out and eliminate pathogenic factors such as wind, cold, damp and heat. Cupping also moves Qi and Blood and opens the pores of the skin, thus precipitating the removal of pathogens through the skin itself.

My first experience of cupping was when I had a bad cold and my acupuncturist applied cups to my back. First my back was rubbed with fragrant oil and, as I lay face down, the cups were applied. I could feel their edges digging into my flesh and then a gentle warmth and release as my skin was pulled up and away from my body. Once the cups were firmly in place and sucking up my skin, the practitioner moved them up and down my back. (This is called walking cups.) I was left to rest with the cups on my back. Once I got up from the table I felt much improved, the heaviness in my chest was gone and I had bright purple suction cup marks along my back, not unlike Gwyneth Paltrow in the photo of her - post cupping. The purple marks didn't hurt or bother me at all. They disappeared after a couple days along with my cold. Cupping provided relief from my cough and effective treatment of my cold.

Jennifer Gawne is a registered Traditional Chinese Medicine herbalist and instructor at the Academy of Classical Oriental Sciences, a world-class TCM and Acupuncture School situated in the beautiful mountain town of Nelson, British Columbia. ACOS offers 3, 4 & 5 year fully-accredited diploma programs including acquisition of the Mandarin language. To experience Chinese Medicine Cupping for yourself, search out an acupuncturist in your area, or visit the ACOS Outpatient Clinic.

Cupping Therapy

New Alternative Therapy Treatment For Pain ( Cupping Therapy )

Cupping Therapy

So what is cupping?

Cupping is a method of relieving local congestion by applying a partial vacuum which is created in cup or cups, either by heat or by suction. Cupping has been used for thousands of years. Although it is often associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine, the entire world once knew this therapy and used it. The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese used cupping therapy. The oldest recorded medical textbook, Ebers Papyrus, written in approximately 1550 BCE in Egypt mentions cupping (Curtis, 2005). In the UK the practice of Cupping Therapy also dates back a long way with one of the leading medical journals 'The Lancet' being named after this practice as it means the surgical instrument that can scrape the skin to do cupping.

Types of Cupping
There are various different types of cupping such as:

1.Light Cupping: Use a weak suction in cup to do light cupping , it is suitable for children and elderly people.

2.Medium Cupping: A medium strength, general purpose cupping.

3.Strong Cupping: Suction will be great and therefore it is not suitable for children and elderly people.

4.Moving Cupping or Massage Cupping, is a great method of massage and will be done by applying oil to the skin and moving the cup, by a weak suction, on the area to be treated.

5.Needle Cupping: We do acupuncture and cupping in the same place by applying the needle first then the cup is applied over it.

6.Hot Cupping: Dried Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) leaves, sometimes called by its oriental name Moxa is a great warming herb. We use a needle, warmed by Dried Mugwort, then the cup is applied over it.

7.Flash Cupping is the name given when several medium cuppings are preformed several times in quick succession along the area being treated to stimulate it.

8.Bleeding Cupping, also called Full Cupping or Wet Cupping, it is the most frequently used, oldest and often most effective method. A surgical instrument is use to scrape the skin and the cup is then applied to collect blood.

9.Herbal Cupping: We put a suitable herbal tincture into the cup then applying suction.
10.Water Cupping is the least practiced method. It involves filling a third of the cup with warm water. Whilst holding the cup close to the client with one hand, bring it close to the point to be cupped and insert burning cotton wool into the cup, then swiftly and simultaneously turn the cup onto the skin. When performed properly, no water spillage occurs.

Conditions Which Can Benefit From Cupping

Conditions which can benefit from cupping include headache, back pain, joint and muscular pain, infertility, sexual disorders, rheumatic diseases, hypertension, breast enhancement, bed wetting, common colds and flu, insomnia, stroke, fever, constipation and diarrhea, chest pain, asthma and blood disorders.

Precautions and Contra-Indications

Always take sensible precautions when using cupping. These include:

Sterilization: this is the main key to success

Use Suitable Cups for the area being treated.

Take Extra Care with children and the elderly.

Do Not apply strong cupping to the face

Do Not treats pregnant women.

Do Not use cupping on inflamed or cut skin.

Take Extra Care when scraping the skin and do not cut a vein or artery.

Do Not treats people with a serious heart disease.

Applying Cupping on Acupuncture Points

In the Journal of Biomechanics (2005), researchers L. M. Thama, H. P. Leea, and C. Lua state that "Cupping is known to be effective alternative to needles in stimulating acupoints in acupuncture treatment. One of the major advantages must be that transmission of blood-borne diseases can be avoided since the skin is not penetrated."

Therefore we can use cupping as an alternative to acupuncture, or in conjunction with it. Many researchers have investigated and demonstrated the benefits of cupping and I think that it will be the most used alternative medical practice very soon.
by Tamer Shaban M.B.B.C.H, Physician, D.H.P. , D.C.M.T, S.N.H.S Dip. (Nutrition)

S.N.H.S Dip. (Herbalism), I.R.F member, Reiki master
Member of the Royle Institute of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy
Member of the Complete Mind therapists Association
Member of the International Reiki Federation.
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Cupping Therapy