The ancient healing practice known as “cupping” leaves those strange red circles.
Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. People get it for many purposes, including helping with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage. The cups most commonly used are made of glass or silicone. Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus, describes how the ancient Egyptians used cupping therapy in 1,550 B.C. Today cupping is used to heal back pain, drain excess fluids and toxins, stimulate the nervous system and boost blood flow to the muscles.
A more modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump instead of fire to create the vacuum inside the cup. Sometimes therapists use silicone cups, which they can move from place to place on your skin for a massage – like effect.
If you want to give cupping therapy and meridian massage a try, give us a call at the Beddington clinic at 403.295.8590. Rebecca, our talented Massage Therapist, would love to talk with you about the benefits of cupping therapy.
Blair balances his busy professional life by staying active. He enjoys cycling, swimming, working out, hiking, camping and snowboarding, depending on the season. Blair shares his free time with his wife, son and daughter outside on the weekends. He has learned to enjoy the journey, as life really is too short.
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