Cupping Therapy in Mesa, AZ

Person getting done Cupping in Mesa on their back

Cupping is an alternative therapy that has been around since 1550 B.C. After regaining popularity in recent years, it has become everyone’s favorite wellness routine. Its many benefits range from plumper skin and back pain relief to asthma control.

But what is cupping – and can you get it in Mesa?

What Is Cupping?

First things first – cupping is an ancient medicinal technique that involves placing special cups all over the body and using them to create suction on the skin.

In Ancient Egypt, China, and throughout the Middle East, cupping suction was achieved by putting herbs and other flammable substances in cups and setting them on fire. After extinguishing the fire, the hot cups were placed onto the skin, lifting it upwards.

Suction is possible thanks to the vacuum between the cup and the skin. It causes the skin to rise, thus expanding blood vessels and promoting blood flow.

Cupping hasn’t changed much over the last 4,000 years. Several new variants were born, including wet cupping, which involves making tiny incisions on the skin after the cups are removed. These incisions are believed to help the body get rid of harmful toxins.

The special cups used for cupping can be made of different materials like glass, metal, silicone, bamboo, and earthenware. In some variants, cups are replaced by special rubber pumps with the same function. In most cases, cups stay on the skin for up to three minutes.

At our clinic we perform dry cupping using high-quality glass cups and a specialized rubber pump.

Benefits of Cupping Therapy

There are many benefits of cupping therapy, although not all of them have been confirmed by science. In general terms, suction from cupping is believed to promote the blood flow and the energy flow that facilitates many healing properties.

In 2017, scientists showed that suction from cupping improves local blood flow and activates heme oxygenase-1, a gene that helps the immune system prevent vascular inflammation. A year later, a review of studies has provided a list of official benefits.

Today, it is a scientific fact that cupping therapy can:

  • Improve blood flow
  • Boost cellular immunity
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Increase pain resistance

In other words, cupping could successfully relieve chronic pain such as headaches, migraines, neck and shoulder pain, and back pain.

It achieves this by helping the body change how it processes pain signals. Using counter-irritation, cupping tricks the immune system with artificial local inflammation and ultimately relieves chronic pain by inflicting pain and numbing it in a vacuum.

In addition to pain relief, cupping relieves muscular tension and enables the body to heal at the cellular level. It may even help create new blood vessels in the tissue and new connective tissues, all while reducing cholesterol and other toxins.

Other conditions that cupping may help are:

  • Acne and shingles
  • Facial paralysis
  • Cough and asthma
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Hypertension
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Cervical spondylosis
  • Lumbar disc herniation
  • Rheumatoid arthritis

The holistic effects of cupping contribute to a healthier and stronger immune system with better resistance to pain and pathogens and a greater capacity to heal. It’s what the ancient Chinese used to call the flow of “qi,” meaning – “life force.”

Possible Dangers of Cupping

Cupping possesses a huge healing potential that scientists are yet to uncover. Ironically, it might take them a while to study the long-term benefits of this ancient technique, but one thing stands out – they are not concerned about the long-term risks.

If there are any, the possible dangers of cupping are insignificant and temporary. Bruising is the worst side-effect you can experience from cupping.

You shouldn’t undergo cupping if you have skin-related problems like wounds, sunburns, and thinning skin or if you use blood-thinning medication.

In case you experience excessive bruising or burns from cups, you should schedule a visit to your doctor. The same goes for extremely rare side effects such as itching, scarring, skin infections, soreness, muscle tension, fatigue, headaches, and nausea.

Does Cupping Hurt?

Typically, cupping therapy shouldn’t hurt, but there sometimes can be discomfort.

Keep in mind that cupping must be performed by trained and knowledgeable professionals. While you can make your own ice cup massage tool at home, cupping that involves flammable substances and deep-massage movements requires some skill.

Cupping Therapy Near Me

Whether you can’t get up in the morning because everything hurts or you simply need something to help your body relax and recuperate from psychological trauma, cupping can help you heal and feel better. Interested in getting cupping therapy? Book a cupping appointment now!