Have you ever seen someone at the beach or the gym with perfect dark red circles on their shoulders, neck or back? Chances are they're reaping the benefits of cupping therapy from their acupuncturist!
At Root & Stem, we offer cupping as a compliment to our acupuncture treatments. Cupping corrects imbalances in your biofield (qi), helping your body heal itself. The therapy improves qi flow to promote well-being, reduce pain and inflammation, and improve circulation.
The basic principle of cupping behind cupping is this:
"Where there's stagnation, there will be pain. Remove the stagnation, and you remove the pain." - Ancient Chinese Maxim
Before we dive into the benefits, let's take a closer look at this ancient practice.
An Ancient Therapy
Cupping (or myofascial decompression) is an ancient therapy with roots in Chinese, Egyptian and Middle Eastern cultures. Well documented in multiple ancient traditional Chinese medicine texts, including the Bo Shu and the medical classic Su Sen Liang Fang, cupping is one of the oldest methods of TCM.
The renowned TCM herbalist Ge Hong was China's first documented cupping practitioner. Hong famously believed that the combination of acupuncture and cupping was effective in treating over half of all illnesses.
Today, practitioners rely on cupping to treat various ailments worldwide. The process involves placing small cups on the skin and creating a vacuum within them using heat (via an open flame) or suction devices. The pressure the suction creates pulls the underlying tissue upward, stimulating qi and promoting healing.
Ancient practitioners used animal horns or bamboo to create therapeutic cups, but today glass plastic or medical-grade silicone cups are the norm. At Root & Stem, we prefer glass because it's less likely to irritate the skin.
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps helped bring cupping to the attention of the modern world when he appeared in photographs with his own unique set of round cupping circles on his skin in 2016. Since then, cupping has become a popular treatment for athletes, celebrities and regular folks alike.
Here are seven great benefits of adding cupping therapy to your health regimen:
1. Improved Circulation
Cupping improves fresh oxygenated blood flow to the affected area, promoting increased cellular repair and healing. Increased circulation is the first step toward alleviating pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Cupping helps jumpstart this healing process.
2. Reduced Stress & Anxiety
When you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, your body struggles to maintain equilibrium. Cupping therapy's warmth and gentle pressure relax the nervous system, reducing anxiety and allowing your body to return to balance.
3. Detoxification
Cupping helps the body rid itself of toxins by stimulating the lymphatic system to clear out impurities, improving immunity and overall health.
4. Congestion Relief
Whether you suffer from allergies, the common cold, or even asthma, cupping can help clear away congestion. The therapy reduces excess heat in the lungs, helping them clear congestion. Cupping treatments for congestion may involve cups on the chest in addition to the back, depending on the severity of the condition.
5. Reduced Appearance of Stretch Marks or Scars
Cupping therapy helps improve the appearance of stretch marks and scars by promoting the healthy production of collagen, elastin and other proteins in the connective tissue to keep skin from sagging. Even areas where you've received no cupping may benefit from the treatment.
6. A Digestive Aid
Gentle abdominal cupping stimulates your digestive organs and improves digestion by stimulating the peristaltic action of the intestines. As a result, many patients experience a noticeable improvement in discomfort from bloating, constipation, and other digestive issues.
7. Improved Mobility and Range of Motion
Cupping therapy helps unlock stiffness and immobility from chronic muscle stiffness by loosening the muscles and connective tissue. This increases the range of motion and can help with chronic pain caused by muscle tightness or overuse injuries.
Final Thoughts
If you're looking for a natural way to reduce the effects of stress, improve your circulation and enhance your overall wellness, cupping and regular acupuncture treatments might be just what you need. At Root & Stem, we can help you experience the benefits firsthand so you can feel your best! So get in touch with us today and start your journey to better health.
Ready to get started? Book acupuncture and cupping in Nevada City or Oakland today!