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Chinese Medical Cupping Therapy |
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What is Chinese Medical Cupping?
Chinese Medical Cupping is an ancient practice in which a cup is applied to
the skin via a heated flame. The flame sucks out the air causing
a partial vacuum. In some cases the cups are left in place,
and in other traditions the cup may be moved while the suction
of skin is active, causing a pulling of the skin the technique
is called gliding cupping. Chinese Medical Cupping therapy has been practiced for thousands
of years for the treatment of disease and pain. Cupping therapy is well
known throughout the world. In the west we call it cupping.
In Latin America they call it ventusis and in Yiddish they call
it bonkus. It has been documented that on all five continents
methods of cupping were found to be in used for healing. Typically
cupping has been used to move bad blood that is stagnant blood.
In Chinese medicine pain is due to qi stagnation. This stagnation
can be a result of injury or stress. Chinese Medical Cupping is used to reduce
the pain of stagnant Qi and blood. Cupping stimulates the flow
of Qi and blood. Its uses include relieving pain in the muscles,
back pain, shoulder pain and stiffness. Cupping therapy has been used
to clear congestion in the chest, due to cold, flu and asthma.
How is Chinese Medical Cupping done?
The Acupuncturist takes a number of glass cups, which are heated
with a flame. The cup is then quickly applied to the skin. This
creates a vacuum. Generally, the cup is left in place for about
10 minutes (typical range is 5-15 minutes). The skin becomes
reddened due to the congestion of blood flow. The cup is removed
by pressing the skin along side it to allow some outside air
to leak into it, thus equalizing the pressure and releases it. |
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