Our patients get excellent results from our fire cupping treatments. Fire cupping is offered as a stand alone treatment, an add on to a massage, or as part of a comprehensive acupuncture treatment. Cupping is a safe, painless, and highly effective natural therapy.
Fire cupping has been used in China for thousands of years. In ancient times, cups were made out of the horn of an animal or pieces of bamboo stalk. Cupping was historically used most often to treat respiratory diseases such as colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia. There is also a rich history of the use of fire cupping in the martial arts traditions throughout Asia.
Traditional Chinese medical theory states that fire cupping is used to dispel stagnation of blood, lymph and qi energy. Based on modern research we now know that cupping has many beneficial, scientifically validated actions.
The quick insertion of the fire wand into the cup before placing the cup on the skin causes negative pressure to form in the cup. This provides lift to the connective tissue web known as fascia. This lifting action causes 3 important things to happen:
1) It promotes the circulation of blood into the tissue. This improves oxygenation, enhances the absorption of micronutritients into the cells, helps eliminate waste products such as lactic acid, boosts the immune system, and improves healing response.
2) By lifting the fascia, the stretch receptors in the connective tissue are activated, resulting in a relaxation of muscle tone. This can reduce pain, improve the function and movement of joints, and simultaneously increase both strength and flexibility.
3) The lifting action on the fascia also causes a relaxation response on the entire nervous system. Fire Cupping has the ability to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, resulting in less stress, more calm, deeper sleep, improved organ function, and a stronger immune system.
Fire Cupping can cause circular marks that usually last for about 3-5 days. Sometimes, in cases where the tissue has a lot of tension or adhesions caused by previous injuries the marks can last up to 10 days.
We typically recommend that our patients wait for the circular marks to fade before they have fire cupping again. This means that cupping treatments should be spaced at least one week apart.
