Cupping

Like Acupuncture, cupping therapy, has its origins in ancient China and is a cornerstone of Traditional Chinese medicine. As explained under the Acupuncture page Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on the philosophy that the body has natural energy or Qi flowing through various meridians or channels.

As long as “Qi” keeps moving through the meridians you feel healthy. But, illnesses and injuries can create obstructions or stagnation in the flow of Qi. As a result, you can feel ill, mentally or physically.

Like acupuncture, cupping aims to remove the stagnation so that your Qi can flow more easily through the meridans. During the assessment and discussion, I may decide to use either Acupuncture or Cupping or potentially a combination of the two to maximise the benefit of the treatment. Of course, if you have an aversion to needles cupping can be used as an effective stand-alone treatment as it uses the same healing principles as acupuncture.

To perform the cupping treatment, I will use small glass or bamboo cups (of different sizes depending on where the pain or stagnation is). By heating the inside of the cups, a vacuum is created inside the cup which is placed on the skin on or around acupressure points.

Cupping can help you with many disorders but is particularly helpful with

Colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, and the flu and other respiratory issues
Reducing pain arising from musculoskeletal issues and injuries
Helps in the removal of toxins by boosting the functioning of the lymphatic system