Learning Self-Massage Tachniques

Cupping is becoming more popular all the time, but the name alone won't tell you much about this particular procedure. If you're curious about cupping but don't really know anything about it, this guide can help.

Variant of Massage

At its core, cupping is a form of massage that originated in China. Cupping utilizes glass cups to create suction on the skin. There are two ways that it can do this.

One method is to use an actual vacuum attachment at the end of the cups. This is the more modern method and perfectly effective. The cups are placed on bare parts of your body that are experiencing tension or pain. The gentle vacuum sucks the tissue upward into the cup, urging a strong blood flow there that can help with the healing and inflammation issues. In addition, it helps to break up muscle tension.

The other method is to use a flame to create a vacuum in the cup. Rest assured that this doesn't hurt. The flame is lit inside the cup and then the flame is completely withdrawn and the cup is quickly pressed over your skin. This creates another gentle vacuum, complete with warmth this time, and feels very relaxing.

Cups aren't static, so they can be moved. This ensures that your entire body can be treated during one session, leading to relaxation and recovery.

Popularity

Cupping is more popular than ever. While it's been upheld in China as a relaxation and recovery method for centuries, it has become so popular that even Olympic athletes have begun to utilize it as a way of reducing their pain and inflammation without having to rely on drugs or medication.

What to Expect

Cupping is a painless experience. As already explained, the cups will be applied to your bare skin. You can just lie still and relax while they draw the skin upwards and help to improve circulation and break up muscle tightness. After a few minutes, your therapist may slide the cups to a new location. This method can work on multiple areas of the body.

After your cupping session, you may have some slight bruising. This is from capillaries bursting while the vacuum is going. Rest assured that this is ultimately harmless and shouldn't be painful. The bruises will subside in just a few days.

Cupping is very popular for pain relief and for good reasons. If you've been curious, give it a try.

To learn more about your massage options, contact a clinic like FF Massage.