Cupping Therapy Options and Applications

The Cupping Blanket

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Cupping therapy has been around for at least 3,000 years and is considered to be the first globally practiced medical application - as it was practiced in many ancient civilization on most major continents. There are scrolls recovered from the Library of Alexandria on what medical conditions that cupping is the most effective treatment. And cupping remains extremely important in Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and Islam. It has lasted over the millennia because it’s very effective at relieving a variety of problems.

I love the “Cupping Blanket" treatment, which is a strong manual therapeutic service where many suction cups are arrayed over a large muscle group set to pull over a longer period of time. This approach is extremely effective in lifting and stretching the body’s fascia (connective tissue), which is very fast to adhered to overworked muscle fibers. Furthermore, cupping blankets can trigger a VERY STRONG detoxification of that tissue region, freeing trapped toxins which enabling, improving, and restoring lymph/blood circulation. Most people experience a profound relaxation, boost in metabolism, relief of muscular pain, and improved muscular function.

This is a peek into a Cupping Therapy Session from Serota Massage Therapy. The red and blue acupressure magnets that are visible in the video and pictures below have been removed for more comfortable application and are not often used.

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Cupping on the foot can feet amazing or very intense, but there’s not therapy I know of that can stretch and relieve the muscles between the tarsals and metatarsals like cupping!

Cupping Blankets are amazing at addressing sciatic issues and upper/mid/low back distress. Optimal Blanket target zones are:

  • Back

  • Shoulders

  • Rotator cuffs

  • Pelvis/glutes

  • Quads

  • Hamstrings

  • Chest/Pectorals

  • Feet

These areas are more challenging to cup, but still doable and can be greatly beneficial:

  • Neck

  • Calves

  • Knees

  • Forearms

  • Hands

  • Abdomen

The detoxification can be very visual, creating cupping “marks” over problem areas - NOT BRUISES! The marks are temporary and usually fade in a day or two. It’s rare, but some people will have stronger reactions to cupping. If someone has large amounts of toxins stored in their body, it can result in blistering (which is very rare, but it does happen). Recreational drug users often experience a secondary high as the active substances are reintroduced to their bloodstream prior to elimination. Whatever is in you has to go through you to get out… but it’s worth it in order to detox it out of your body and get you towards a better, healthier, happier you!