I went cupping yesterday.
As many of you long time readers know I am a long term user and advocate of acupuncture and credit Dr Ma for the fact that I have triplets instead of a singleton. (God had a little bit to do with it as well). Chinese Traditional Medicine definitely has its place.
A: Cupping is one of the oldest methods
of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Originally, practitioners would use
hollowed-out animal horns for cups, and place them over particular
points or meridians. Today, most acupuncturists use cups made of thick
glass or plastic.
A:
In a typical cupping session, glass cups
are warmed using a cotton ball or other flammable
substance, which is soaked in alcohol, lit on fire and
placed inside the cup.
Burning a substance inside the cup removes all the oxygen, which
creates a vacuum.
As the substance burns, the cup is turned upside-down so that the
practitioner can place the cup over a specific area. The vacuum created
by the lack of oxygen anchors the cup to the skin and pulls it upward
on the inside of the glass as the air inside the jar cools. Drawing up
the skin is believed to open up the skin’s pores, which helps to
stimulate the flow of blood, balances and realigns the flow of Qi,
breaks up obstructions, and creates an avenue for toxins to be drawn
out of the body.
primarily to treat respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma,
and congestion; arthritis; gastrointestinal disorders; and certain
types of pain. Fleshy sites on the body, such as the back, buttocks and
stomach are the preferred sites for treatment.
Q: Is cupping safe? Does it hurt?
While cupping is considered relatively safe it can cause some swelling
and bruising on the skin. As the skin under a cup is drawn up, the
blood vessels at the surface of the skin expand. This may result in
small, circular bruises on the areas where the cups were applied. These
bruises are usually painless, however, and disappear within a few days
of treatment.
Ursula has been cupping for a while and it has made a big difference to her knees. I am very respectful of my knees, I try not to run downhill ever, and I never run around a track more than three times, but still…I'm 40. Must be nice to knees. I ran half a marathon the other day and the next day ran 10 with no problem. I like being able to do that and I want to continue doing that.
So I went to cupping and had a good experience. It started with a massage that was not meant to be enjoyable and really wasn't. The lady was particularly interested in my shoulders (right in particular) and kept going back to them. At one point I had to ask her to stop. The massage was only to the waist, and then my shirt came off, and it was time for the cupping to commence.
When the cups were placed on my skin there was a tightness as the seal was made, but no pain. They stayed on for maybe 10 minutes.
I felt really tired afterwards.
Both Ursula and I had an urgent desire to eat afterwards. It was amazing. I bought some blueberries at a stall and ate them unwashed (sorry mum).
The bruises were quite red immediately.
Today, the next morning, I feel really good.
I am going to go again. This is a maintenance thing. Besides my knees, my liver always needs work, I have "a few" neurological issues, and there is nothing wrong with keeping those meridians clean.
The kids asked if I had chicken pox when they saw my back!
I will let you know if the bruises become less vivid over time.
Reader interactions
4 Replies to “”
This is *SO* something I want to do! Ever since I read about Gwenyth P doing it & showing the bruises, I read up on it & thing it sounds like an amazing procedure – but then I love accupuncture & all sorts of odd things.
You knew that, though. 😉
When you come visit, we will go cupping! The markings have started to fade dramatically, except the two outside ones and the two on my lower back. Watch, that will be translated into “that’s where your short term memory is blocked” and “where fat cells are getting ready to invade your body”.
xo tess
I normally get a happy sensation when I am in my cups but the next day is terrible.
Love to all…..Dad
Did it all help your shoulders?