Cupping therapy is beneficial for many reasons, such as easing pain or discomfort. If you have keenly watched sporting events, you may notice that some athletes have circular bruises on their skin. It is no cause for alarm. Most of them with those odd bruises can swear by cupping therapy.

What Is Cupping Therapy?

Cupping therapy is a manual technique that uses small cups carefully placed on particular areas of your body. This alternative therapy relieves pain in the body by improving blood flow. It helps with muscle flexibility by relieving pain.

Benefits of Cupping Therapy

Below are the benefits cupping therapy offers:

• Alleviates chronic back pain

• Lowers blood pressure

• Improves digestion

• Relaxes the body

• Stimulates blood flow to promote faster healing

• Increases energy

• Relieves stiffness from diseases such as neuralgia and osteoarthritis

Cupping therapy also treats psychological conditions such as anxiety.

How Does Cupping Therapy Work?

Cupping therapy has been in use for many centuries. It dates to ancient Egypt and has its roots in Chinese traditional medicine. It begins by removing oxygen from the cup using a lit cotton ball soaked in flammable liquid. Heating the cup creates a vacuum once applied to your skin.

Once the heated cup is applied to your skin, the air inside it cools. It then pulls the skin away from your body and creates a lift of all the soft tissue. Providers can also achieve this using a device that removes the air from the cup to create a vacuum. As a result, the affected site receives stimulation of blood flow. The restriction of your tissue, especially the fascia, can decrease your range of motion. It can also reduce your suboptimal muscle performance and asymmetry. The suction of the therapy will lift your skin and stretch your fascia.

Cupping causes a chemical breakdown of the toxins in the targeted sites. Such toxins delay tissue and muscle healing. Hence, the therapy reduces inflammation to restore normal movement.

Your specialist can leave the cup on the treatment site for a few minutes. Once removed, you are likely to remain with purple or red bruises. The bruising is an indication of improved blood circulation. It does not signify injury.

Who Should Not Cup?

The back, shoulders, and neck are the sites usually cupped because most toxins build up in the areas. Your specialist should avoid your inner wrists, front of your neck, genitalia, front of your ears, and your armpits. They should also evade surgical scars, varicose veins, broken skin, psoriasis, and eczema.

The elderly and children have sensitive skin. They should receive treatment from an experienced and certified practitioner. Individuals who have had heart problems in the past or a history of taking blood-thinning medications need monitoring.

Why Professional Athletes Use Cupping Therapy

Professional athletes must perform or race severally in a week or even a day. Cupping therapy helps their bodies and muscles recover. It helps reduce muscle tenderness and pain.

The benefits of the therapy center around the connective tissue all over the body called the fascia. If the fascia has issues, if not adequately lubricated, pulled, or too tensed, it can hinder performance due to pain.

Cupping therapy helps with a more efficient and smoother muscle movement as it lubricates the fascia. Thus, most athletes opt for this therapy to perform well without discomfort or pain.

For more about cupping therapy, call Aktiv Integrative Chiropractic at our office in El Paso, Texas. Call (915) 975-9094 to book an appointment today.