CUPPING | ConnectionsMassage

What is Cupping?

Cupping is and has been a time-honored treatment , that is still used by the wellness and health community till this day. This has been represented by the recent exposure with Michael Phelps, when he had cupping marks on his back during the 2016 Summer Olympics. The health community exploded with questions about what it is and how it helps athletes, health activists, and those who want to keep their body healthy. It has been a few years and still the community of health and fitness is only now slowly added cupping into their practices and using it themselves.

What is cupping ?

Cupping is the use of negative pressure and suction, rather than the compression on the body which facilitates myofascia release, lymphatic drainage and everything that goes between. Cupping helps rigid and tough muscles to loosen up, breaks up adhesions in muscles as well as stretching the muscles increasing new blood and lymph that compressions massage cannot do.Cupping therapy helps muscles release toxins, stimulates the lymphatic system, the circulatory and skin system, clears colon blockage, reduces stretch marks and cellulite, and improves varicose veins!

What is Cellulite?

Cellulite is the lumpy dermal appearance caused by thick fatty tissue (or lobules) in the superficial level of your skin and the inflexible fibrous connective fascia. It can affect any body, weight, size, and can occur on the thighs, hips, and abdomen of women and men. Mostly women have a bigger issue of this since they have more hormonal changes occur in their lifetime from puberty, pregnancy, menopause, etc. Our hormones are responsible to execute and regulate the blood flow, lymphatic drainage, fat and connective tissue which all can cause the formation of cellulite. If your hormones are not properly doing their job, you will not be getting fresh nutrient-rich blood to the skin, and the lymphatic system might not be moving and taking away the waste and dead debris. This stagnation in the blood flow, and lymphatic system allows for things to stay where they are at, causing premature hardening of the once elastic skin, causing it to tighten and bear down on the fat cells below.

Cellulite cupping is usually done in many sessions. Depending on the degree of cellulite, you can go through a treatment for months at a time. Since the tissues is decompressing, you will also help the underlying muscles to tighten, which helps the fascia around the muscles recover. Along with adjusting you diet, and lifestyle, you can get back the body you had 20 years ago with minimal to no cellulite shown.

Facial Cupping:

Facial cupping has been used in Asia, Russia and Europe to maintain a youthful look and rejuvenate the skin for generations. The small, glass cups vacuum and lift the tissue to help increase lymphatic drainage, as well as tighten the skin. The increase in circulation helps reduce edema in the facial tissue, and chronic puffiness. With one treatment you can see the difference, and continued treatments are going to increase the results. Wrinkles and lines tend to plump up and look lighter, and scar tissues seems like it eases up, as the tissues around the space relaxes and softens up with the negative pressure of the cups.

Clients love the softness of the treatments, compared to alternative advanced facial treatments on the market. With lots of muscles in the face, you will notice a benefit in tension release and tightness and losing up tight, hard muscles especially with those who might have TMJ disorder. Depending on what type of facial cupping treatment you are looking for, we will need to do a consultation on how long I will need to do the treatments, and after we go through the main treatments you will need to come in for maintenance. Every client is different, and no two faces are the same and thats why I will focus on what your face needs.

Modalities of cupping

Stationary Cupping:

Stationary cupping can be used with any cupping tools ( Kang Zu, Bagunfa cups, glass). It is the most well know out of all the cupping modalities. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, you can add this to any aspect of you body and it will help heal the tissue underneath.

Dynamic Cupping:

Dynamic cupping (picture on the left) is an amazing addition to any massage when there is issues with joint immobility and/or soreness. The cups are place around the joint, and then the massage therapist goes through some ROM with the client allowing the muscles to flex and extend while stimulating new blood flow and decompressing and stretching the muscles. This has helped alleviate pain, help muscle recovery as well as helped with post op.