Cupping and Acupuncture
Remember those photos of Gwyneth Paltrow that everyone got excited about? Well here’s a little information on cupping for you.
Cupping utilizes a vacuum suction from either glass or plastic cups to move *Qi and Blood. Basically, that means cupping pulls blood into an
area that needs circulation, for example an unresolved injury. This will bring pain relief and I find most people love the massage quality of the treatment.
Cupping is also used to dispel Dampness, Wind and/or Heat. For example, cupping to clear Heat often requires needling first and then adding cups over the needled area to drain Heat. An example of this is a cough that has a lot of Heat symptoms, such as yellow phlegm, red tongue, rapid pulse, and pain when coughing. The cupping drains the Heat to stop cough, open the Lungs, and resolve Phlegm.
There are a few ways to cup. Moving cupping often feels like a deep tissue massage. A salve or lotion is first put on the body; then once the cup is attached, it is moved around on the surface of the skin. Stationary cupping is simply attaching the cup and
letting it sit in an area without moving it. Jumping cupping is attaching and detaching, reattaching and detaching, again and again over an area. If you are a visual learner, check out this CBS News video.
*Capitalization of terms is used when Traditional Chinese Medicine vernacular is used–the words look familiar, but may be thought of or used to mean something you are unfamiliar with in Chinese Medicine. These terms are well explained in the book The Web that has no Weaver if you are interested in reading further.
Tags: back, coughs, cupping, pain, pain relief, sore muscles
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