Cupping near Colleyville Texas

Cupping is a form of deep tissue massage that has its roots in ancient forms of alternative medicines. Ancient civilizations all over the world such as those in China, Egypt and the Middle East have been practicing this alternative medicinal therapy for centuries. The Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, contains mention of this technique.

Just like with acupuncture, cupping therapy’s working principle is also based on the traditional Chinese medicine’s ancient belief of “qi” (pronounced “chi”) or the eternal flowing life force. Whenever there is a disruption in the flow of this life force, the body’s equilibrium is offset and various symptoms, imbalances and disorders manifest. Therefore, several techniques are employed to reinstate this equilibrium and make qi balanced across all meridians in the body.

Basics of Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy works when specialized “cups” are placed over a broad area of a person’s skin to generate a vacuum suction within each cup. Usually, cupping therapy is used for pain relief but recently has been used for other purposes as well. Cups are designed and created from glass, earthenware, silicone, plastic, and bamboo. However, the most effective available cupping material area Bien stones. Bian stones are also referred to as heated stones, needle stone, and arrow-head stones and are the only form of stone that utilizes the natural infrared frequency present in the human body resulting in increased cupping therapy success.

Cupping can be performed dry using glass or plastic jars, moving – where the therapist combines the technique with a light massage oil, or wet – small incision made to support stagnant blood in a targeted area.

The Cupping Methods:

Conventional practitioners use several types of inflammable material such as paper, alcohol or herbs to burn inside of the cup to remove the oxygen and create an internal vacuum. Once the fire goes out, the inverted cup is placed upside down on the desired part of the skin. The subsequent cooling of the air inside of the cup causes it to descend and a vacuum is generated as a result. This artificially created vacuum is then placed directly on exposed skin areas across a broad area. Usually this part of the process takes around 3 minutes. When the cups are placed on dry skin with no oil or lubrication, the cupping technique is referred to as dry cupping.

To begin with the process, a small cotton swab is dipped with alcohol and then used to rub the bottom of the cup. This is done to completely sterilize the cup and make it absolutely safe for medicinal use. Some practitioners also prefer to use paper or herbs to lend an extra touch of benefits to the entire healing process.

Then the process of inflammable substances being burnt inside the cup followed by placing it at the desired spot on the skin goes on as already described in great detail.

Modern practitioners replicate the healing technique of the original method, but the underlying practice remains more or less the same. Silicone cups provide the same suctioning effect, albeit without the necessity to burn some substance within it for creating a vacuum. Some practitioners even use a rubber pump to mechanically generate suction.

The Wet Cupping technique involves making tiny, superficial cuts to the patients’ skin via precision needles to induce light bleeding through tiny punctures in the skin. Then via light mechanical suctioning, some amount of blood is drawn into each cup through the vacuum process. Wet cupping creates new blood produced from the lungs, kidney, liver, and rapidly removes toxins and increases oxygen uptake to the treatment area. The result of wet cupping are often immediate: reduced or removed headaches, muscle and ligament tension removal, increased energy, reduced skin irritation, and removed stagnation.

There is a third category of cupping known as ‘needle cupping’. In this, the precise techniques of acupuncture and cupping are combined to create the perfect level of treatment improving immune system function while receiving all of the stated cupping benefits. Acupuncture needles are first inserted into the skin at specific points that only a well trained acupuncturist would be aware of. Afterwards, an inverted cup is placed over those points to generate the desired vacuum process described above

Cupping therapy also improves the overall strength of the body by removing weakness introduced by illness, stiffness and fatigue. The vacuum pressure within each cup releases obstructions in blood vessels and opens nerves improving the areas that need it most in our bodies! An additional benefit of cupping is the reduction of pathogenic factors that create fever.

How Does Cupping Benefit Us?

As our age increases, old and dead tissues as well as blood flow decrease creating stagnations and imbalances. Furthermore, all the degradations involved with old age such as reduced blood flow, tearing down of fascia, and muscle wear and tear often create skin conditions such as rashes, muscle soreness or stiffness, or potentially headaches. With cupping and acupuncture treatments, most of these above listed problems can be reversed, if not completely removed!

Natural defense against dermatological issues – aids in lymph fluid creation supporting acne, herpes, and abscess reduction and or removal

Improved liver function resulting in detoxification and disease prevention by increasing triglyceride transformation and blood glucose management

Strengthened immune system improving the circulatory system creating better body movement and efficient excess fluid removal due to inflammation or swelling

Nervous system enhancement reducing depression and migraine symptoms

Regulated enzyme production resulting from body temperature stabilization improving overall digestion and creating improved nutrient absorption

What happens to your skin and tissues while cupping?

In the constricted area of the cups, fresh blood is forced to flow through the impacted “cupped” area. This leads to the formation of new blood vessels-a process known as neovascularization. Furthermore, while cupping, a process known as sterile inflammation takes place. This is your tissue’s response to being constricted all of a sudden. The platelets, fibroblasts and blood cells are released creating a medicinally healing effect on your tissues. Torn tissues on the other hand, start reconnecting with the fascia and other connective tissues for improved movement. Thus, this makes the effects of cupping last longer while healing the skin and tissues from inside out.

Cupping is a regenerative and rejuvenating healing process from deep within the organs and dermis which is the largest organ in the human body. The level of healing and restoration provided during cupping therapy are difficult to replicate via other rejuvenating massage techniques or any pharmaceutical medication available.

How does moving cupping compare to deep tissue massage treatment?

While massage treatments involve relatively uniform application of pressure to the area where the pressure is being applied, cupping treatments are different in that the area of concern is highly reduced and targeted. Although the goal is actually the same-to relieve build-up of muscle tension, the area of pressure application makes all the difference. Suction techniques used to push the skin into the vacuum containing chamber is another feature of cupping that is absent from a regular massage. This makes cupping much more effective than a regular massage- and also, much more sought after!

Once the cup is removed after the procedure, another technique called slipping cupping can be used to fully finish off the entire process by making the affected area return to its normal state; as it was before the process.

Another common practice acupuncturists often use is moving cupping. Once the cups are successfully placed in the target area small amounts of specialized natural oil are placed on the skin creating a lubrication factor. The cups are then gently moved back and forth across a small area creating a form of deep tissue massage. This technique is particularly effective at loosening the fascia similar to a deep tissue massage and sitting in an Epsom salt bath. Many athletes utilize moving cupping combined with acupuncture to reduce healing time, prevent further injury and get back on the field quickly without pain.

Cupping for tissue injuries

Healing tissue injuries right from the source is the most common reason cupping is recommended. When common allopathic practices fail to show results, cupping emerges as one of the saviors from alternative medicinal techniques that show durable, long lasting results. These benefits make cupping popular:

Elimination of old, stagnating blood.
Increased blood circulation.
Improved tissue oxygenation as well circulation.
Stretching fascia and connective tissue to repair and rejuvenate old bonds.
Triggering helpful inflammation (called sterile inflammation)
Development of new blood vessels.
Improved toxin removal from organs and the skin

What other issues does cupping help with?

These days, cupping is considered an advanced treatment technique, despite its roots in ancient medicine. Not only does cupping help with healing tissues, tight muscles and stagnant joints, it provides additional relief with other areas of ailments as well. Furthermore, with cupping being a non invasive and a non intrusive technique, it is an easy preference over most allopathic corrective treatments. Here are some of the ailments that cupping treatments help with:

Rheumatic disorders- arthritis and fibromyalgia
Scarring
Herpes
Cervical Spondolysis
Frozen shoulders
Facial paralysis
Acute conjunctivitis
Toothache
Chronic back and waist pain
Stiff muscles
Varicose veins
Blood disorders-anemia and hemophilia
Skin disorders- urticaria, acne, eczema
Gynecological problems- infertility, leukorrhea, irregular menses
Facial rejuvenation and wrinkles, dull skin elimination
Mental disorders- depression, anxiety, migraines, insomnia etc
Respiratory disorders- asthma, bronchitis, allergies, common cold, congestion etc
Excessive weight, cellulite and related disorders.
Gastrointestinal disorders- diarrhea, dysentry, severe or frequent gastritis.
Sore throat
Headaches associated with a high or low fever
Damages sustained by injuries to soft tissues
Early stages of a tumor growth (only in certain specific conditions)

Who cannot receive cupping treatments?

Despite a wide array of ailments that cupping technique can possibly cure, it is still not advisable for use under certain conditions, which are:

Actively menstruating or pregnant women
Those suffering from constantly fluctuating muscle spasms and a fracture in the bone
Patients with metastasizing cancer, that is, cancer that has not restricted itself into a tumor but is actually spreading from one part of the body to another. This may also be the case for a tumor growing uninterrupted.
Patients with morbid obesity or emaciation who are already on medication as described by their doctor.
Patients, who bleed easily, have extremely fragile skin and have too weak an immune system to withstand hot or cold sources of exposure to the skin.

What are the side effects of cupping?

Cupping should only be performed by trained experts, preferably forearmed with years of experience and expertise to account for. Luckily for you, experts at Vitality Wellness Clinic come equipped with exactly that! They know how to identify every patient’s tolerance threshold to customize cupping techniques for each. This means that they know exactly the kind of pressure needed, the exact suction level and the duration for which to let the cups stand for every patient. In most cases, the prerequisites of a successful cupping technique differ from one person to another. However, inexperienced and amateur people performing cupping can end up doing more harm than good! Here are some side effects seen from bad cupping practices:

Skin infection
Mild to severe irritation
Burns
Severe bruises and discomfort

Wet cupping:

Lacerations and cuts which may fester
Skin infections due to unsterilized instruments being used

Dry Cupping

Persistent circular swelling
Persistent burning or tingling sensation

At VWC we take a different approach to treating health conditions. We specialize in cupping therapy here in the Grapevine, Southlake, Colleyville Texas area. So contact us today to schedule your cupping treatment.

Cupping Therapy – All You Need To Know