5 Frequently Asked Questions About Cupping Massage
What is Cupping Massage?
Cupping massage is a therapy technique that uses a combination of negative pressure from a suction device (“a cup”) and massage movements. Cupping Massage can be used to achieve a wide variety of responses ranging from extreme relaxation to therapeutic.
How does it work?
In order to create the negative pressure, a cup is placed over the area to be treated and a vacuum like suction is created within the cup to draw up underlying tissues into the cup. The suction intensity can range from light to heavy, and movements by the therapist can be stimulating or sedating based on the needs of the individual client.
What does it do?
Cupping Massage softens tight muscles, tones attachments, loosens adhesions and lifts connective tissue by the creating suction and negative pressure. The same suction also helps to hydrate the underlying tissues, increase blood flow to tissues, and also drain excess fluids and toxins by opening lymphatic pathways.
Is Cupping Massage just for athletes?
No, cupping massage has a wide range of uses that benefit not only athletes but the everyday person. After the Rio Olympics, seeing athletes such as Michael Phelps with the cupping marks, has spiked the populations interest in cupping massage and what it does for the body. Cupping isn’t for everyone though, it should be used with caution on pregnant women or people taking medication or supplements that thin their blood.
Why do you get marks from cupping?
The discolouration that appears during most treatments is a desired effect. The more visible or the darker the mark, the greater the level of stagnation and toxicity that has been removed. This is the effect of stagnant fluids (toxins, blood and lymph) that often appear on the skin as discolouration being brought to the skin surface during treatment. The cupping marks can last anywhere from a couple hours to no more than 2 weeks depending on the severity of the mark.
To find out more about Cupping Massage, feel free to contact Mackenzie, our certified Cupping Massage therapist, by clicking here