Practiced by many cultures around the world, cupping therapy is the process of relieving tension in the body using heated cups!
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Episode Notes
What is Cupping Therapy?
Originating in China, Cupping uses negative pressure to separate skin from the muscle, pulling toxins deep within the system to the surface to make it easier for the lymphatic system to eliminate. As your skin is vacuumed into a cup it will rise and redden as the blood vessels expand.
I personally love to use cupping in my practice because it allows me to get more work done. If I come across particularly stubborn tissue, I can place a cup over it to do the work for me, and this allows me to continue to other areas.
The 2 Methods of Cupping
Dry Cupping is the most common and regularly practiced method in the United States. Here, cups are put in strategic places and left on the body for 15-20 minutes.
Wet Cupping consists of placing a cup on the skin for 3-5 minutes, then removing the cup and breaking the skin with a needle or small scalpel and placing the cup back to draw out a small amount of blood. This method is extremely rare in the United States.