Cupping therapy is on trend for the last decade; celebrities and athletes are using it to keep themselves healthy, maintain the equilibrium, and relief from pain management.
The therapy has its inception in ancient Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Egyptian culture. It is an ancient form of alternate medication in which therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction.
The therapy helps with the pain, blood flow, inflammation, relaxation, and well-being, and even works as a form of deep-tissue massage. Cupping gets its name because of the ‘cups’ used in it.
The cups can be made of glass, bamboo, silicone, or earthenware. Various techniques are used for cup placement, but all of them draw the skin into the inner cup that aids in better circulation and promotes relaxation.
How does cupping massage therapy works?
Our body starts to break down when we age, which indicates a decrease in blood flow, muscle loss, and adhesions in fascia; the cupping therapy can help in reversing the effects. The air inside the cups is burning and a vacuum is created, which is then placed on the skin.
The vacuum triggers an adequate amount of suction that makes the blood vessels below the skin enlarge.
The cups are usually placed for three minutes at a time and the therapists prefer to use many cups at various points for different meridians simultaneously. You will not experience any burning sensation of the skin, even though the cups are heated.
What is the working process of the treatment?
The treatment is exactly opposite to the massage treatments; the cups placed on the skin, apply vacuum pressure and generates suction on the skin, which is opposed to the massage therapy where downward pressure is applied on the skin and underlying tissue.
The fresh blood is forced into the skin tissues that encompass the cups, and the body begins to create new blood vessels.
The new blood vessels fill the tissues with oxygen and nutrient; in the early period of the cupping therapy, inflammation can happen, and here it is a sign of initial healing. Our body releases platelets, white blood cells, fibroblasts together and these are known to promote healing.
Benefits of the cupping therapy
The cupping therapy is a traditional therapy and holds numerous benefits:
- Pain relief: In accordance with the research, it is proved that cupping massage therapy gives relief from chronic pain; the cup stretches the tissues to reduce the stiffness and ease the pain of the chronic pain.
- Allergies and asthma: With the evidence, cupping has been effective in treating allergies and respiratory issue for over 3000 years. It is a great option for children as it is non-invasive.
- Relaxation: Hectic routines drain the energy of a person. Cupping is known as inverse massage and provides specific relaxation to muscle and tissue groups that are critical, but are often overlooked by the general therapies.
- Detoxification: Cupping therapy detoxifies our body from the level of skin and blood supply, laying off the dead skin cells and carry out the unwanted toxins out of the body through the bloodstream and circulatory system.
- Flawless skin: It is always said that the ancient therapies and remedies are best and have a long-lasting effect. The therapy is known to deliver effective results for acne and blemishes; it is much better than the antibiotics people use to treat them
Cupping therapy can help to overcome injuries!
Cupping therapy is an effective therapy which can help you to get rid of new and old injuries:
- Increasing tissue conveyance and oxygenation
- Increasing course
- Triggering microtrauma and accommodating irritation
- Eliminating old stale blood
- Stretching connective tissue and belt
- Developing fresh recruits vessels
Who should avoid the therapy?
The therapy is known to give relief to pain management and heals the following disorders:
- Fibromyalgia
- Orthopedic conditions
- Asthma
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Depression
- Arthritis
Albeit, the therapy has become very popular in the last few years, but this therapy should be avoided by certain people with a condition like:
- Menstruating or pregnant ladies
- Those experiencing muscle fits or bone cracks
- Patients having malignancy which is spreading starting with one’s body part then onto the next
- Patients who drain effortlessly or have high fever together with shakings
- Patients having high stoutness or the individuals who are thin
Side-effects of cupping therapy
Cupping therapy has many benefits and is a safe process until performed by a well-qualified therapist. However, every coin has two sides, and in this case, therapy holds any side-effects, which can be experienced in the area, where the therapy is applied:
- Burns
- Mild discomfort
- Skin infection
- Bruises
The cupping therapy has two major types – dry and wet. Each therapy has different side effects mentioned below:
Dry cupping: This therapy will give a slight twinge and also a circular bruise, which is coupled with a little swelling. You will see a relief after a few days.
Wet cupping: This therapy yields great results, but sometimes results in skin infections, if the instruments are not sterilized properly. You can even experience some tiny cuts, which will heal soon.
Conclusion
However, the side-effects of the therapy are quite minimal and one should always choose a trained professional, like cupping therapy Toronto over just any therapist. To lower the effects of the therapy, follow the instructions of the practitioner after the post-treatment phase.