What is Cupping?

Chances are that if you've had a treatment with me at Durango Acupuncture Clinic, you're familiar with the warm massage-like suction sensation of cupping.  I use a technique known in Chinese Medicine as fire cupping, where fire is introduced into a glass cup to create a vacuum which is then suctioned to oiled skin.  The cups are then moved along the meridian or myofascial pathways to increase circulation.  Don't worry, I rarely produce anything close to the large bruises you see on the Olympians as I use a very gentle technique. 

Why all the cool kids are cupping 

There's nothing new about cupping, in fact this simple and effective healing technique has been a major part of Chinese medicine since 1000 B.C.  

The tell tale marks of cupping have been made trendy by Hollywood stars for years and have recently been brought into the lime light by its popularity among nearly half of the U.S.A Olympic swim team. 

There's a reason why cupping is gaining in popularity, because it works!

Why you should too

You don't have to sport a speedo to reap the benefits of cupping (though that would be entertaining).  If you suffer from muscle pain, respiratory, digestive, skin or stress issues, basically, if you are alive...Cupping can help. 

Benefits of Cupping

1.  Reduces Pain:  Clinical trials and people with six pack abs agree that cupping is thought to release tissues deep inside the body, relax tense muscles and ease stiffness associated with chronic back and neck pains, migraines, rheumatism, and fatigue. Some athletes have been known to use cupping therapy to naturally improve performance and reduce stiffness, muscle cramps, joint pains and scar tissue caused by injuries.

2.  Promotes Relaxation:  By lifting away pressure from tight muscles and sedating the central nervous system, cupping decreases, anxiety, stress and depression.

3.  Boosts Skin Health:  That's right, cupping can reduce cellulite, acne, skin inflammation and even herpes by increasing blood flow and expanding capillaries.

4.  Improves digestion:  IBS, gastritis, gastrointestinal diseases and water retention can all be benefited by the circulation improving powers of cupping.

5.  Treats respiratory infections:  By moving blood and lymphatic fluid, cupping has been shown to speed healing time for colds and flus and clear away phlegm and congestion.  It's even one of the worlds oldest treatments for tuberculosis!

6.  Speed healing after surgeries:  Medical doctors are beginning to prescribe cupping to their mastectomy patients prior to surgery to accelerate tissue formation and nerve regeneration.

I include cupping in all Acupuncture treatments when necessary and offer it as a separate treatment with Asian massage for $40 for 30 minutes. Call or Schedule yourself online to reserve your space today!

Ditch the Zyrtec™

and Smell the Wild Flowers!

When you grow up in New Hampshire and suffer from chronic seasonal allergies as a child, as I did, your doctors love to tell you that the solution to your sinus issues is to move to the desert. It wasn’t until finally moving to the Southwest in my early 20’s that I realized just how totally off the mark those East Coast doc’s were. Here in the high desert of the four corners area, we have some brutal allergens from pinions, junipers, cottonwood, flowers and grasses. I’ve even known certain people to head to higher elevations in the spring in search of escape from the endless sneezing and sniffles. So what’s a nature lover to do?

Try these tips to get to the root of your allergy issue.

Prevent histamine: Start taking quercetin and some variation of the Chinese formula Yu Ping Fan San, to stop allergies in their tracks by preventing the release of histamine and other inflammatory agents. I have many effective options in my office!

Heal your gut: Did you know that the root of many allergies often begins with the health of our gut? Dietary proteins that pass through the compromised lining of a leaky gut can trigger a cascade of autoimmune response, including allergy symptoms. Removing inflammatory foods like gluten and dairy can be a great start to solving this problem.

Get Acupuncture! Over the past 13 years, I have been implementing a special allergy busting technique that uses Acupuncture and Guasha (an anti-inflammatory massage technique) to give you instant relief while addressing the root cause of your allergies. I’ve helped hundreds of patients breathe freely again and significantly reduce or eliminate seasonal allergies.

Load up on quercetin rich foods like: swiss chard, carrots, beets, yams and cabbage, along with probiotic rich fermented foods like kombucha, kimchi and sauerkraut.

Stop avoiding the fields of flowers, schedule your appointment today and get out there! I’m offering a special promotion on Acupuncture Allergy 5 packs this spring, call to find out more!

Photo Credit: Alex Jones