5 Reasons to Add Cupping to Your Massage
“What is cupping?” You might ask. Cupping is an ancient technique dating way back to 1550 BC or before. The practitioner will place the cups along the body, using suction as a form of treatment to the body. Sometimes they will move the cups along the body, while suctioning the entire time, creating a massage-like feeling with cupping. In this post I will talk about the different benefits you may get from adding cupping to your massage.
#1 Increase Blood Flow
The suction that the cups provide will draw blood to the affected area. This helps promote healing by bringing more oxygen to the area. By bringing more oxygen to the area it helps promote healing in the body. The increased blood flow is what results in the marks you may (or may not) have post session. These marks are not bruises as they don’t have any characteristics that a normal bruise has. The marks do not hurt, they don’t migrate like some bruises do, and they don’t change colors as they fade, like normal bruises do.
#2 Break up Adhesions
The pressure and suction from the cups with help pull the adhesions in your body apart easier than what a normal massage may do. Cupping is especially effective post injury or surgery, where there may be more adhesions present. The cups can sit on the area that needs broken up while other parts of the body can be paid attention to. This allows more body parts to be covered as the cup can work on one, and the therapist can work on another. Sometimes we may put multiple cups on at one time, allowing a much broader area to be worked out in one session.
#3 Loosen Fascia
Massage normally takes time to work deeper into the body to get to the root cause of the issue. Cupping will use the pressure to pull apart the fascia naturally so I can get deeper into the body more easily. This is extremely beneficial for those are just “tight”. Typically people who work out a lot may be this type as their whole body is affected. Cupping will help me loosen up the surface area first and then I can get to work.
#4 Decreased Sensitivity
Do you maybe need deep tissue work but it hurts when you get it done? Cupping would be great for you! Since the cups will break up the fascia and adhesions first, it makes it easier for not only me, but you too! I don’t have to fight as hard with the body to get deeper and that means less pain for you.
#5 Different Approach
Massage is really just a bunch of trickery to try to get the muscles to respond in the way that we want. Even deep tissue has many different types of techniques we can try when one way isn’t working as well. Typical massage is generally just pushing and compressing the body and breaking up the adhesions with force. Cupping provides a different approach that can help confuse the muscles into submission. When pushing and compressing doesn’t work, why not try pulling instead?
Cupping isn’t for everyone. You want to avoid if you have blood disorders, hypermobility such as EDS, diabetes, or inflammation. Talk to your practitioner for a full list of contraindications associated with cupping. But, if you’ve ever thought about trying something different or adding in a new approach to your massage, cupping is a great place to start. Book your next cupping massage with Jefferson City’s own Respiro Spa.
