CUPPING, GUA SHA, & TUI NA THERAPY

Cupping

Cupping therapy dates back thousands of years and was used by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese, promoting a wide range of healing benefits:

  • Provides a profoundly deep massage, breaks down adhesions, & increases energy flow
  • Improves circulation, normalizes healthy muscle position and releases unhealthy tension.
  • Draws fresh blood to areas of dysfunction within the body which encourages a heightened healing response.
  • By promoting healthy blood flow, cell metabolism and repair is increased and new connective tissue and blood vessels form.
  • Cupping therapy drains excess fluids and toxins, hydrates the joints, lifts and lengthens fascia tissues, and releases entrapment of peripheral nerves.

Multiple cups are placed on the treatment area. By using either heat or suction, a partial vacuum is created and tissue is pulled up into the cup. While a certain amount of pressure can be felt by the recipient upon initial suction, cupping is not known to be a painful procedure.

Cupping may be moved during treatment or stationary. When moved, a thin layer of oil is administered, the cups are placed, and suction is applied. The cups are moved usually up and down the back (erectors), shoulders, and hips.

Typically, no oil is used for stationary placement and the cups may remain on most areas of the body for 1-10 minutes depending on the severity of the condition.

Discolorations from cupping will fade after a few hours while others take 7-21 days to go away completely. The discolorations are related to your body’s health at the time of cupping. The darker and longer staying the discoloration signifies more stagnant old toxins and congestion.

Gua Sha

Gua Sha is also known as scraping, spooning or Graston technique and is most commonly used for treating pain. Gua Sha promotes microcirculation, lymph flow, removal of toxins, and stimulates the immune system.

Using a Gua Sha instrument, the practitioner press-strokes in one direction on a lubricated area of the body surface. This causes blood to diffuse through the surrounding tissues and creates transitory therapeutic petechiae called ‘sha’ (minute discolored spots).

Tui Na

(Oriental Body Work)

Tui Na is deep tissue bodywork and an excellent alternative to Swedish massage. The focus is on pain sites, acupressure points, muscles, joints, and meridians. Tui Na works in accordance with TCM and as such supports broader health goals than those attained by a typical massage.