MediCupping™* is three to five times more effective than traditional Deep Tissue massage or Target Area massages because it doesn’t just help remove painful knots (adhesions); it helps heal the soft tissue dysfunction creating the problem in the first place. Massage compresses into the tissue. Cupping pulls the tissue layers out and apart to decompress the tissue. When tissue decompresses, many benefits occur:
- muscle soften
- scar tissue reduced
- attachments strengthen
- knots dissolve
- connective tissue stretches back to normal
- hydration to soft tissue and blood flow increases
- lymphatic pathways open so that acidic-toxins can drain away from the injured tissue.
How do I know if MediCupping™ is right for me?
We always encourage clients to receive either a New York Style Signature Massage or a Target Area Massage several days before their first MediCupping™ for several reasons:
- Allows your massage therapist to assess the issue and surrounding tissues more thoroughly to know the whole story. Your pain may be coming from another area.
- Desensitizes your tissue to new-touch and may reduce secondary pain patterns that confuse the issue and keep you from relaxing and letting go.
After one of these first massage-assessments, your therapist will be able to tell you if and how MediCupping™ might help. Of course, you don’t have to get one of these massages first. Brave souls jump in all the time and let a MediCupping™ session be their first line of treatment for an injury. We have free consultations. Call our office, set up a conversation with one of our LMTs today, or go online to book a New Client Intake and Interview.You’ll want to fill out our online intake first so that the therapist is up-to-speed on your current health before you chat.
How does it work?
Glass or plastic cups are placed over the skin, and suction is created using a vacuum device for several seconds or several minutes, as therapeutically necessary. The suction is created by a machine, a suction gun, or squeeze-bulb. The suction level can range from very light to very heavy, depending on the client’s tolerance and tissue level needing to be reached. We use the MM600 MediCupping™ machine, manual cups, and acupressure magnets to erase pain and dysfunction, bringing your body back to a healthy natural state with Lymphatic drainage, deep tissue, and fascial release.
How does it feel?
The sensation is truly indescribable, often experienced as deep warmth and a tingling sensation lasting long after the treatment has ended. The nervous system is sedated, and people will often descend into a profound state of relaxation. Many people have seen the pictures of Michael Phelps and his big red circle and thought to themselves, “Wow, that looks painful!” PAIN IS NOT NECESSARY for MediCupping™ to work correctly. We often start by heating and gently clearing the closest lymph node to the area we are working. Then we begin with a gentle suction-release technique to free the “stuck” layers before we raise the suction or glide. Once we can glide smoothly through a section of tissue, we know the layers are free, and misplaced “dirty fluid” will be headed out of the body. If we didn’t do this, you would feel pain or pinching that would have no benefit to you.
Is cupping safe?
This treatment is used safely on children, adults, and the elderly. MediCupping™ is an intense therapy, and its impact on the body systems is significant. All clients are given verbal and written instructions such as:
- avoid exposure to excessive heat or cold for approx. 12 hours
- have sufficient hydration
- avoid exercise until the next day, etc
Will I have bruises or red marks?
MediCupping™ with our machine very rarely produces any discoloration on the skin. Our manual polycarbonate massage cups are more likely than our machine to create marks. If this appears during the treatment, it’s just a bonus indicating the release of intense stagnation (body fluids and toxins) in the area. Dark-colored marks are NOT BRUISES and will dissipate anywhere between a few hours and a few days. Rarely and in the case of severe or old injury is there seen excessive colored marks that last longer. It is also unlikely that marks will re-occur in the same area once stagnation is cleared.
Other Resources
- What The Red Marks Mean
- MediCupping™ on Fascial Adhesions
- MediCupping™ on the Abdomen
- Explanation of MediCupping™
- The History of Cupping
- MediCupping™ on Scars & Injuries
- Manual Massage Cupping™
Edited excerpts are from THE ART OF ACE MASSAGE CUPPING™ THERAPY by Anita Shannon, Copyright TheraCupping™ L.L.C. All photos are Copyright and not to be used without permission.
*aka Myofascial Decompression, Massage Cupping™, Theracupping™, and VacuTherapies™. MediCupping™ is a trademarked modality that requires each practitioner to be certified through ACE Massage Cupping™ & MediCupping™ – Ashville, NC. MassageFIX therapists must also go through rigorous testing at MassageFIX before using this modality on clients.