Purple Circles of Love: What Cupping Therapy Can Do For You

You know you've seen the purple circles adorning the backs of your favorite athlete, celebrity, and fellow gym-goer. Let's take a look at what it is and why the cupping craze is here to stay. Cupping therapy is an ancient technique; it has early documented use in ancient Egypt (1500 B.C.), was used by Hippocrates in ancient Greece (400 B.C.), and first came to be in use in China during the Han dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.). At EAST, we value the traditional uses of cupping while embracing many incredible new clinical applications.  Read on to learn more about this incredible therapy:

How it works

Cupping utilizes glass or plastic cups and a vacuum pistol, bulb or machine to create suction on the body surface. These cups are either kept in one place (stationery cupping) or moved over the skin using gliding motions (sliding cupping) while gently pulling up on the cup in order to facilitate joint mobilization or soft tissue release. Regardless of particular technique, the suction created by cupping reaches deep into the soft tissue, attachments and organs and also has a sedating effect on the nervous system.  Another benefit is to pull inflammation and toxins from the body tissues so that the skin and lymphatic system can readily eliminate them. Scar tissue often releases quickly, despite the age of the injury or keloid tendencies.

Uses

One of the most amazing aspects of this technique is the “separation” that the suction produces in tissue layers. This enables water absorption and renewed blood flow to undernourished and dehydrated tissue, which is invaluable in pre- and post-surgery treatments. It is evident that separation of fused, congested soft tissue and increase in tissue function can be a catalyst for change in many current health conditions. Cupping therapy produces immediate and long-lasting results for many health conditions including:

• Deep tissue and structural issues – old injuries and chronic movement patterns
• Arthritis, Tendonitis, Bursitis
• Scarring – old, new, keloid, post-surgery
• Loose skin and old deposits from weight loss
• Fibromyalgia
• Sports – injuries and post-event conditions
• Cellulite
• Asthma and other respiratory ailments
• Common cold and flu
• Coughing

Theory

Our bodies are a “walking history” of our lives-- Every injury, illness, surgery and even the toxic substances that the body has been exposed to from conception forward may still be present in the tissues. The body is brilliant in its efforts to protect itself from the effects of personal history, yet the capacity is limited. The body has to store that which it cannot process and eliminate. The result is an accumulation of materials such as old medications, inflammatory agents, cellular wastes and acids in stagnant lymph fluid. Ever wonder why cellulite can be so painful to the touch?

Each body reacts uniquely to this accumulation of debris and stagnation, and we see examples of degeneration occurring at younger ages more than ever before. Ordinarily healthy people become fatigued and sluggish due to the cumulative effects of their lifestyle and eventually move into the “dis-eased” state. This may help to explain the high level of auto-immune disorders that exist.

Think about the elements of living today such as intake of medications, acidic diets, and a high-stress/no-rest pace- all producing a constant state of inflammation. This literally “cooks” the water right out of the body tissues. How many people actually absorb the water that they drink? Water is eliminated from the lymph as well, leaving it thick and unable to flow. This internal heat also fuses the soft tissue, closing the space between layers where the lymph should move freely.

We are water-based beings. Since cells eliminate their wastes into the interstitial fluid, which becomes part of the lymph, then what happens when this system becomes blocked? Would not the cell and tissue functions become sluggish, thus affecting the larger organism? What if we clear the drainage system and create the space for lymph to flow again? This is accomplished by the separation of tissue and the ability to carry stagnation via the suction of the cup. This is only enhanced by the increased blood flow that brings oxygen and nutrition to the cells and tissues, boosting all levels of metabolism.

One of the most amazing aspects of this technique is the “separation” that the vacuum produces in tissue layers. This enables water absorption and renewed blood flow to undernourished and dehydrated tissue and the elimination of old waste and congestion. It has become evident that separation and drainage of fused, congested soft tissue produces an increase in tissue and systemic function and is a great catalyst for change in health.