So you’ve heard of “Cupping”…What is it? What are the benefits of therapeutic cupping? And why should I consider or request therapeutic cupping for my body?

Welcome to Yarrow and You Therapeutic Bodywork

Hello and Welcome to Yarrow and You Therapeutic Bodywork blog! My name is Heather and I’ve been a licensed massage therapist for over ten years now. I have experienc and specialize in many different types of therapeutic bodywork such as Cupping, Therapeutic Massage, Hot Stone Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy, and Myofascial/Btructural bodywork. My office is located just outside of Wilsonville, about a 15 minute drive south, in the historic downtown area of Aurora, Oregon. You can find my website booking info here at YarrowandYou.com.

What is Therapeutic Cupping?

Therapeutic cupping is a form of bodywork. Glass, silicone or plastic cups create a vacuum by drawing air out of them. This negative pressure cup/suction-cup is placed on the body in strategic areas. The suction creates a pulling effect on blood, connective tissues, muscles, fascia, organs, etc. This action promotes blood circulation which can reduce inflammation. Inflammation can cause pain. Promoting blood circulation helps to flush old stagnate blood cells out of the localized area and allows new fresh blood and oxygen to cleanse the tissues. The mechanism of cupping can also pull apart layers of “glued” tissue and this is how it can help release fascial adhesions and scar tissue (this is often why there is tightness or soreness in the body.) Cupping is a form of deep tissue bodywork, similar to massage but the tissues, in a sense are being vacuumed! When tissues are unnecessarily stuck together, misalignment happens and this can cause pain. Cupping can help release these tight tissues and therefore is great tool in reducing pain in the musculoskeletal and system, which includes fascia.

Cupping has been used worldwide for thousands of years to treat a variety of conditions. There is evidence it was used by the ancient Egyptians, and in ancient Greece, Russia and Arabia. Horns of animals were used as cups in Africa and in North America. Bamboo and other plant materials had been used by the ancient Chinese until the glass cups were created. Many times cupping was used in bloodletting, a practice that let blood out of the body that may be toxic such as when infected by a snakebite or pustule. It was even used in European and American healthcare until the mid 1800’s. And now we are seeing a resurgence of this very useful form of bodywork.

The discolorations on the skin that can be seen after cupping is from vasodilation and hyperemia, or more blood and toxins coming out of the tissues to the surface of the skin. After this old blood and toxins reach the more superficial layers nearer the skin, the lymphatic system can clear this out. Darker reds (on any skin color) are usually a sign of ischemic (or very tight) tissue/muscle. The marks that occur from cupping are not bruising. Bruising on the other hand is usually from impact trauma that break blood vessels and allow blood to seep into surrounding tissue and this does not occur during cupping if done correctly. These discolorations/marks usually last from 5-14 days. Read more about cupping marks are in this blog post.

Cupping with Therapeutic Massage

I love to use cupping within a session of therapeutic massage. It is a great tool to help me, the practitioner access more of the tissues and is extremely effective in doing so. Cupping can be a stand alone session or incorporated into a massage session but I always do some light massage or lymphatic drainage to help those toxins leave your body more easily. However, there are contraindications for cupping therapy such as skin ailments, vein or blood vessel disorders, cancer, and certain heart conditions to name a few and this will be discussed at the time of treatment to see if this is the right treatment for you and your body.

Book a Cupping Session Today

Cupping is generally very safe for most people so book now to experience a cupping session and reap the benefits! My office is located inside The Happy and Healthy Life Clinic in downtown historic Aurora, Oregon, just a 15 minute drive from Wilsonville.