Cupping

 Cupping has been around for a long time. The earliest written record of cupping as a therapy was in 1550 B.C. in Ancient Egypt. It was documented in one of the oldest medical textbooks known to exist, the Ebers Papyrus. In addition to Ancient Egypt, cupping has long been used in China and the Middle East.

Cupping therapy can be used for many things, from muscle tightness and fatigue, to arthritis, fibromyalgia, seasonal allergies, and headaches. Cupping uses suction to lift the tissue and promote enhanced circulation to the area being worked.

Traditionally, cups were suctioned to the body and left in place for 3 to 15 minutes. This typically would leave red/purplish circles on the surface of the skin for a period of time. Marks can remain from a few hours to a few weeks. At Allsworth Massage Therapy, cupping is done with movement, typically in the direction of lymph flow. This minimizes inflammation, and reduces the amount of marking left on the skin. Though marking is still possible, especially for the first few treatments, it is typically less intense than with the stationary cupping techniques.