Cupping is a type of alternative therapy that originated in China. It involves placing cups on the skin to create suction. The suction may facilitate healing with blood flow.
Proponents also claim the suction helps facilitate the flow of “qi” in the body. Qi, is a Chinese word meaning life force. A famous Taoist alchemist and herbalist, Ge Hong, reportedly first practiced cupping. He lived from A.D. 281 to 341.
Many Taoists believe that cupping helps balance yin and yang, or the negative and positive, within the body. Restoring balance between these two extremes is thought to help with the body’s resistance to pathogens as well as its ability to increase blood flow and reduce pain.
Cupping increases blood circulation to the area where the cups are placed. This may relieve muscle tension, which can improve overall blood flow and promote cell repair. It may also help form new connective tissues and create new blood vessels in the tissue.
People use cupping to complement their care for a host of issues and conditions.
Cupping works with the fascia.
Fascia means “band” or “bundle” in Latin. It’s mostly made of collagen. Ideally, your fascia is healthy and therefore malleable enough to slide, glide, twist, and bend, pain-free.
Because fascia appears and connects throughout the body, you might think of it like a tablecloth : tugging one corner can change the position of everything else on the table.
Unhealthy fascia can cause a host of problems
When it’s unhealthy, fascia is sticky, clumpy, tight, and flaky. It forms restrictions, adhesions, and distortions (think: muscle knots).
Fast facts about fascia:
Fascia connects all connective tissues (that means the muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and blood)Fascia holds together the entire body.There are four different kinds of fascia (structural, intersectoral, visceral, and spinal), but they’re all connected.When it’s healthy, it’s flexible, supple, and it glides.
What causes unhealthy fascia?
a sedentary lifestyle
poor posture
dehydration
overusing or injuring your muscles
unhealthy eating habits
poor sleep quality
stress
