Cupping

Cupping is a technique which is effective for loosening tight muscles in the back and shoulders.  Glass cups are applied to the back, using a flame to create a vacuum. The suction helps improve circulation and release trapped waste products from rigid muscles.   (The flame is not used to heat the cup, just to create a vacuum.)

There are two types of cupping:

Stationary cupping:  Cups are left in one place during the treatment, and removed when the needles are removed. We do not generally use this type of cupping at Heavenly Stems, because it is more likely to cause bruising.

Moving cupping:  We first apply a thin coat of organic unscented massage oil to the back. The oil lubricates the surface of the skin, so that the cups can be moved up and down the back and shoulders, breaking up knots in the muscles and fascia. It feels a bit like a deep tissue massage.


Melissa Margolis