What is Cupping Therapy?
American athletes are finally using a technique known to the Chinese for thousands of years, cupping therapy. “Fire cupping” or simply “cupping” as acupuncturists refer to it, is now a new rage among athletes dubbed myofascial decompression. But it is the same technique acupuncturists have been performing on patients for generations.
Fire cupping involves placing heated glass cups on the surface of the skin. The heated cups create suction which pulls the skin upward into the cup. The cups are sometimes placed in stationary positions along the spine and neck, for example, and sometimes moved across the surface of the skin to release stagnant blood. Although entirely painless, the suction often creates circular red marks that last several days.
Some acupuncturists use suction cups rather than fire cups, but the idea is the same. Athletes can regenerate damaged muscles and heal acute injuries by releasing stagnant blood and drawing new blood to a localized area.
Should you try it? If you have muscular injuries, cupping can be a very effective way to speed up the healing process. Make sure you seek a licensed acupuncturist to perform the procedure and expect to leave with noticeable marks for several days.
If you want to know more about
Cupping Therapy
or other alternative therapies, or if you would like to make an appointment, please contact us at (919) 891-9991.
