Cupping therapy is when cups are placed on the skin and a negative pressure is created through suction.

Cupping is used for pain relief. It is a powerful detoxifying and energy building modality that people all over the world use for health maintenance.

The cups create an increase of blood flow to the muscle while decreasing the muscle tension and bringing the toxins to surface.

The cups are left on between 5-20 minutes.

Cupping therapy does not hurt, it feels similar to having the head of a vacuum suctioning up your muscle. A lot of people forget the cups are even on after a few minutes into the treatment.

Massage therapy and cupping therapy compliment each other well. When combined, multiple areas of the body can be getting worked on at once. The massage uses pressure and provides manipulation of the tissue with light, medium or firm pressure. Cupping therapy uses a negative pressure of the cups. The overall feeling is amazing as the muscles relax down, blood flow is increased and toxins are brought to surface and not being held within the body. Many clients express that they feel “light and completely relaxed and rejuvenated”.

The marks left from cupping therapy are discolorations of toxins that have been brought to surface. The discolorations are not a bruise. The discolorations can vary depending on how much toxin build up a client may have and will last anywhere from a few hours to up to as long as 2 weeks.

One of the common and unfortunate misconceptions concerning cupping is the misinterpretation of the discoloration. “Bruising” is caused by impact trauma with breakage of capillaries and reactionary rush of fluids to the damaged area from the tissue compression/injury. There is no compression in properly employed suction cup therapy. Although it is quite common during Stationary Cupping (left static for 5 – 20 minutes) to achieve dramatic ‘marks’ or ‘discolourations’, the less aggressive action of moving the cups, minimizes the intensity and duration of the discolorations.

Often, when a condition exists within deeper structures where sufficient pathologic factors and stagnant fluids (toxins, blood and lymph) are dredged up during treatment, discoloration will appear on the skin. This is the therapeutically desired effect – the more this is visible, the greater the level of stagnation and toxicity. The discoloration will fade over a few days. As treatments cummulate and the release of stagnation and buildup has been thixolated, dispursed and drained – (usually by the 3rd or 4th treatment) no discoloration is likely to occur at all. Even though each time the cupping may have been focused on the same area for the same duration and with the same amount of negative pressure. This is clearly the result of having internal unwanted toxins systematically purged.

Yes. That’s why it’s imperative that, before you begin your session, the practitioner asks general health questions. It is very important that you inform the practitioner of any health problems or medications you are taking. If you are under a doctor’s care, it is strongly advised that you receive a written recommendation for massage or bodywork prior to any session. Depending on the condition, approval from your doctor may be required.

The after effects of Cupping are most intense at the beginning of receiving treatments, and lessen dramatically as your system becomes accustomed to the treatments as they cumulate. Besides the effects Cupping provides for specific conditions, injuries and illnesses, some of the general after effects include:

• the need for sleep
• intense hunger (munchies)
• no appetite
• similar to post deep tissue massage
• nausea
• euphoria
• feelings of being “hung over”
• increased bowel elimination
• stronger body odor (detox)
• “best nights sleep in years”
• inability to sleep
• vivid dreams
• night sweats
• heightened senses (smell, sight, sound)
• craving for certain foods
• thirst and cotton mouth
• emotional release
• stronger than normal bowel & urine odors
• skin surface warmer than normal
• chills
• restless (wanting to clean, organize, etc.)
• soreness, like after strenous exercise
• feeling of reduced mass, increased height
• headachey