Dim Sum Mum - Tess' Little Pieces:

I went cupping yesterday.

As many of you long time readers know I am a long term user and advocate of acupuncture and credit Dr Ma for the fact that I have triplets instead of a singleton. (God had a little bit to do with it as well). Chinese Traditional Medicine definitely has its place.

A: Cupping is one of the oldest methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Originally, practitioners would use hollowed-out animal horns for cups, and place them over particular points or meridians. Today, most acupuncturists use cups made of thick glass or plastic.

Q: How does cupping work? What does it treat?

A: In a typical cupping session, glass cups are warmed using a cotton ball or other flammable substance, which is soaked in alcohol, lit on fire and placed inside the cup. Burning a substance inside the cup removes all the oxygen, which creates a vacuum. As the substance burns, the cup is turned upside-down so that the practitioner can place the cup over a specific area. The vacuum created by the lack of oxygen anchors the cup to the skin and pulls it upward on the inside of the glass as the air inside the jar cools. Drawing up the skin is believed to open up the skin’s pores, which helps to stimulate the flow of blood, balances and realigns the flow of Qi, breaks up obstructions, and creates an avenue for toxins to be drawn out of the body.

Cupping is used primarily to treat respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, and congestion; arthritis; gastrointestinal disorders; and certain types of pain. Fleshy sites on the body, such as the back, buttocks and stomach are the preferred sites for treatment.

Q: Is cupping safe? Does it hurt?

A: While cupping is considered relatively safe it can cause some swelling and bruising on the skin. As the skin under a cup is drawn up, the blood vessels at the surface of the skin expand. This may result in small, circular bruises on the areas where the cups were applied. These bruises are usually painless, however, and disappear within a few days of treatment.

Ursula has been cupping for a while and it has made a big difference to her knees. I am very respectful of my knees, I try not to run downhill ever, and I never run around a track more than three times, but still...I'm 40. Must be nice to knees. I ran half a marathon the other day and the next day ran 10 with no problem. I like being able to do that and I want to continue doing that.

So I went to cupping and had a good experience. It started with a massage that was not meant to be enjoyable and really wasn't. The lady was particularly interested in my shoulders (right in particular) and kept going back to them. At one point I had to ask her to stop. The massage was only to the waist, and then my shirt came off, and it was time for the cupping to commence.

When the cups were placed on my skin there was a tightness as the seal was made, but no pain. They stayed on for maybe 10 minutes.

I felt really tired afterwards.

Both Ursula and I had an urgent desire to eat afterwards. It was amazing. I bought some blueberries at a stall and ate them unwashed (sorry mum).

The bruises were quite red immediately.

Today, the next morning, I feel really good.

I am going to go again. This is a maintenance thing. Besides my knees, my liver always needs work, I have "a few" neurological issues, and there is nothing wrong with keeping those meridians clean.

The kids asked if I had chicken pox when they saw my back!

I will let you know if the bruises become less vivid over time.

Comments

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This is *SO* something I want to do! Ever since I read about Gwenyth P doing it & showing the bruises, I read up on it & thing it sounds like an amazing procedure - but then I love accupuncture & all sorts of odd things.

You knew that, though. ;)

Posted by: Boulder | July 17, 2010 at 05:24 PM

When you come visit, we will go cupping! The markings have started to fade dramatically, except the two outside ones and the two on my lower back. Watch, that will be translated into "that's where your short term memory is blocked" and "where fat cells are getting ready to invade your body".
xo tess

Posted by: tess | July 17, 2010 at 08:25 PM