What is Cupping?

                  

I often get asked about cupping, I mean how can you not be curious about why people come out of the treatment room looking like they were attacked by an octopus?

Don't worry there are no tentacles involved and believe it or not no pain either! 

 

Cupping is an amazingly relaxing modality. I describe it as a reverse massage. Instead of pushing down on the muscles I use glass cups that create a vacuum to lift up the skin and soft tissues thereby breaking  up obstructions, pulling out toxins and stimulating  blood flow to the injured area. Where there is more healthy blood there is faster, more effective healing. 

 

But what about the marks?!?! Those are NORMAL! While they may look like a bruise I promise its not the same. A bruise is when the blood vessels break and blood swells to the surface (ouch!) there is no breaking of anything with cupping the marks you see are merely the healthy blood being pulled to the surface. Its a GOOD thing! Marks will vary in size and colour depending on the amount of inflammation in your body and will disappear in 3-7 days.