Cupping and Gua Sha
Cupping
Cupping is one of the world's oldest medical treatment methods and is still widely used in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It quickly relieves sore and stiff muscles and joints and aids circulation.
For cupping, a glass or plastic container (cup) is attached to the skin and then a vacuum is created within the cup. This can be done by heating the air in the cup and then quickly placing it on the skin (as the air cools, it contracts), or by extracting the air with a pump. The vacuum exerts a pull on the skin and the underlying tissue (the skin gets sucked up a bit into the cup), which relieves pain, relaxes the whole body and improves circulation and metabolism. Cupping can also be used to tonify (strengthen) the whole body and improve immunity. |
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Scraping / Gua Sha
Gua Sha or scraping therapy is a method from Chinese folk medicine which produces amazing relief for stiff and sore muscles.
For Gua Sha, the skin is lubricated with an oil or a medical ointment and then scraped with a blunt item (a porcelain spoon, a specialized instrument made of horn, or a screwtop jar lid) until red, or until little red spots appear in the skin (petechiae). To be quite honest, sometimes the technique itself can be uncomfortable, but once they've had it, my clients often ask for this treatment, because it provides instant relief for pain and stiffness. The red spots themselves do not hurt, and they disappear within 2-5 days.
Although I regularly employ this technique, I'm still amazed about the immediate amount of pain relief and increase in range of motion it provides.