9 Amazing Benefits of Cupping Massage

What's Cupping?

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 to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage. Cupping is a safe, traditional treatment that helps resolve chronic muscle tightness and pain faster than massage therapy alone.

From Olympic athletes to pregnant pop-stars, people are rediscovering the benefits of cupping. Maybe you’ve even seen people at your gym or swimming pool with those tell-tale dark red circle marks on their backs and shoulders. It’s becoming more common for people to request cupping to relieve chronic muscle soreness. But did you know that cupping can be used to treat many other complaints?

1. Cupping stimulate the flow of fresh blood and increase  blood circulation

The suction from the cups increases circulation to the area where the cups are placed. The additional blood flow to that area can help relieve muscle tension and promote cell repair. Increasing circulation with cupping also helps to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

2. Cupping Massage helps remove toxin from your body

Yes, you do have organs that remove toxins from your blood. But the modern lifestyle overloads your body with toxins. Cupping gives your body a boost in releasing those toxins. Focused blood flow helps your body by flushing built-up toxins through the lymphatic system. (Your lymphatic system is responsible for eliminating your body’s toxins and waste.)

3. Cupping Massage reduces stress 

When your therapist glides the cups across your skin, your parasympathetic nervous system engages. This promotes deep relaxation to move through your entire body. (Your parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for slowing your heart rate, assisting in digestion, and increasing intestinal and gland activity.)

4. Cupping Massage reduce stretch marks and scars

Increased blood flow enables your body to dispose of toxins, restores lymphatic circulation, and helps remove edema (excess fluid), which helps reduce the appearance of scarring. Studies have shown the positive effects of cupping on stretch marks and scars even in areas that are far from the area where the cups are applied.

5. Cupping Massage improve varicose veins

Varicose veins look like bulging, bluish veins just under your skin, usually on legs and feet. They happen when the valves inside the vein aren’t working properly—the valves don’t effectively push the blood from the muscle back to the heart, so the blood congests and the veins twist and bulge. Cupping helps by bringing fresh blood flow and oxygen back to the problem areas. You’ll notice your varicose veins appear lighter after your first session, though it will take a series of cupping sessions for lasting results. 

6. Cupping clear congestion and help treat asthma

Congestion (the buildup of fluid or phlegm in your lungs) caused by a cold, bronchitis, or even asthma can be treated with cupping. The suction from cups breaks up and expels congestion. It brings oxygen rich blood and lymph toward your lungs and your other respiratory muscles. Cups are usually placed on your back, but may be placed on your chest as well. Your therapist may leave the cups in place, or may gently glide them in an upward motion to facilitate the movement of the lymph fluid. Facial cupping can also be used to help unblock your sinuses.

7. Cupping Massage helps digestion disorder

Cupping helps to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which increases blood flow to the digestive tract. Gentle cupping over the abdomen also stimulates the insides of your digestive organs. It aids in peristalsis (contractions that push food through your digestive tract), helps clear colon blockages, encourages blood and body-fluid to move through your organs, and helps relieve indigestion.

8. A Way of Relaxation

Cupping Massage acts as a form of massage that provides relaxation. The energy and blood flow created due to cupping massage is a great form of relaxation.  

9. Faster healing and help boost immune function

Cupping Massage remove toxin from the body and stimulate  the flow of fresh blood  lymph to the affected area and throughout the body and faster the healing process.There's really no downside to trying alternative practices like cupping massage, since studies show they can help boost immune function and speed up healing  process without the use of any medications or even herbs.

Wondering if cupping could work for you?

Give us a call or ask your therapist during your next acupuncture or massage session. Our therapists have been trained and certified in safe and effective cupping techniques. You can choose to have a cupping-only session, or add cupping on to your therapeutic massage or acupuncture treatment.

Book online with our licensed therapists  or call 416-800-3978 to set up the appointments.

3 Common Acupuncture or Acupressure Points for Tinnitus ( Ringing in the ears )

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine provide relief for patients with tinnitus. Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital researchers conclude that acupuncture plus topical herbal medicine reduces the severity of tinnitus with a total effective rate of 93.5%

Acupressure can reduce tinnitus symptoms by applying pressure to specific points on the body. The following are the commonly used acupressure points for tinnitus that you can do on your own. Some of the pressure points are hard to press with your fingers, you can use acupressure probe.

Tinggong (SI19)

Tinggong can be used to relieve excessive ear pain, irregular ear discharge and tinnitus. It is located in the hollow directly in front of the ear. Press it lightly with your forefinger and applying pressure using small circular motions for 1 to 2 minutes with your mouth open.

Ermen (SJ21)

Ermen can be used to reduce discharge of pus from the ear, earache and tinnitus ringing and buzzing. It is located directly above the Tinggong point. Press it lightly with your forefinger and applying pressure using small circular motions for 1 to 2 minutes with your mouth open.

Tinghui (GB2)

Tinghui can be used to relieve excessive itching in the ear and tinnitus. It is located directly below the Tinggong point. Press it lightly with your forefinger and applying pressure using small circular motions for 1 to 2 minutes with your mouth open.

Celebrities Love Acupuncture and how acupuncture works

Everywhere you turn; there are stories about celebrities getting acupuncture.  

New Duchess of sussex Meghan is a fan of alternative medicine, and revealed that she also has acupuncture in a bid to ease the debilitating migraines she used to suffer with. "I have been a longtime believer in acupuncture and cupping," she told The Chalkboard. "I used to have debilitating migraines (hospitalised for them), and acupuncture and Eastern medicine absolute changed my life. Migraine-free living is a game changer."

Supermodel, Elle Macpherson, recently said in an interview with UK tabloid, News of the World, "I have acupuncture regularly and I see a Chinese doctor who treats most common ailments with herbs." 

When asked how she maintained her health and well being, Elle answered, "I do choose to look after my body from a Chinese medicine perspective, which promotes and maintains wellness rather than treats illness."

Elle is not the only celebrity that seems to have become "star-struck" with this traditional form of health care that is touted as being able to treat everything from anxiety to a torn rotator cuff.  Gwyneth Paltrow, a longtime advocate of the benefits of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, once said that having acupuncture had guided her to a "new level" in life, helping her to find love with her husband and giving her the strength to cope with the death of her father. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow said, "I have been a big fan of Chinese medicine for a long time because it works."

So what other celebrities are up for being a voluntary pin-cushion?  Dr. Maoshing Ni, an acupuncturist in Santa Monica lists Jim Carrey and Helen Hunt as two of his many famous clients.  In a testimonial, Jim Carrey said "Undergoing acupuncture treatments with Dr. Mao at his acupuncture clinic and following his nutritional advice has led to a marked change in my physical vitality and my general state of well-being."

Celebrities have embraced acupuncture so whole-heartedly that they even schedule regular acupuncture treatments for their pets.  Sarah Michelle Gellar of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame, has been spotted in Los Angeles taking her pampered pooch, Tyson, in for his acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture is becoming more and more respected by conventional medicine, so much so that there were acupuncturists on-site for the athletes at both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

From blogs.wsj.com - September 23, 2015 5:23 AM

VIERZON, France—The mere mention of one of Vincenzo Nibali’s secrets 

on his way to victory at the Tour de France on Sunday is enough to make 

any cycling fan nervous: Needles on the bus. Almost every day.

But these aren’t the kind of needles that have dented cycling’s credibility

 for decades. When Team Astana uses them to treat Nibali, nothing is injected, 

nothing is extracted.

We’re talking about acupuncture.

“It’s those little extra details that can help us,” Nibali said when he was asked 

about the treatment by a Belgian television station.

 “Maybe now others will also use this technique.”

Celine Dion's pregnancy with twins was the result of her six in-vitro fertilization attempt. After five times in-vitro fertilization failed,she turned to acupuncture therapy to improve her chances to getting pregnant.

How acupuncture works

 Is there any evidence to back up this rapid growth in the popularity of acupuncture?  Besides the 2000 years of clinical evidence, there are a multitude of studies to substantiate that acupuncture has a measurable affect on the body.  One study on how acupuncture works to relieve pain, published in the Journal of NeuroImage, used brain imaging technology to prove that acupuncture affects the brain's long-term ability to regulate pain.  In the study, researchers were able to show that acupuncture increased the binding availability to opioid receptors in the brain in much the same way that opioid painkillers, such as morphine, codeine and other medications, are thought to work 

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have declared acupuncture effective for more than 200 other conditions including, respiratory, eye and mouth, gastro-intestinal, neurological and muscular disorders. Because of acupuncture's ability to speed the healing process, bring down swelling and inflammation, relieve pain, and help to restore normal range of motion, it is especially effective at treating musculo-skeletal disorders.  

"The purpose of acupuncture is to trigger your body's innate ability to self heal. " Say our licensed acupuncturists at Oriental Acupuncture Clinic Scarborough 

"When someone comes in for treatment, we take all of their symptoms into account and aim at balancing the energy within the body to optimize health.  Treatments are tailored for the individual.  That is why it is important to talk with an acupuncturist to see how acupuncture will be able to help your specific and unique case."

Both female and male acupuncturists are available at Oriental Acupuncture Clinic

Call Oriental Acupuncture Clinic today at 416-800-3978
to set up your first appointment!

Healing from the root, beyond treating symptoms.

So you can experience greater health and well-being!