Cupping

Cupping has been around for thousands of years and is not a new discovery. (You might have also seen celebrities like Gwen Stefani and Jennifer Aniston walk around with those dark marks on their back.)

There are a few ways cupping can be done. Dry cupping is when a cup is placed over tender spots, tight muscles, trigger points, or acupuncture points and left stationary for about 5 – 10 minutes. Another method, called moving cup, is when the cup is moved along the muscle with the assistance of massage oil. These techniques can be used either by heating up the cup with fire or a mechanical suction pump to create a vacuum.

From a Chinese Medical prospective, cupping is used for many things. If you are coming down with the early stages of a cold, cupping can help alleviate or lessen the symptoms. Cupping can also be used to help with pain or sore muscles which is what many of the Olympic athletes have been using it for.

Now, if you want to try cupping I would definitely recommend going to a trained professional like an acupuncturist. Cupping is not for everyone; I wouldn’t suggest it for a pregnant woman because it could be too stimulating and if you have a weaker constitution you may want to verify with the practitioner beforehand as it could be a little draining.