Besides the very effective and safe needling procedure commonly used in acupuncture treatment, ancient Chinese medical tradition also can utilize cupping acupuncture to help treat various kinds of pain and illnesses in the body. Cupping acupuncture is actually just one among several techniques used in acupuncture.
Cupping acupuncture is a modality that is part of a ancient Chinese codex called traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Like the needling technique, cupping acupuncture’s aim is to remove or relieve body pain. It also has added benefits to the body. This type of acupuncture can be self administered by if one decides to apply cupping acupuncture on himself then it has to be done only after consultation with an experienced acupuncturist who needs to inform the patient on how to do it rightly to prevent any bad results that can harm the body.
The materials used for cupping acupuncture include a small bamboo or glass jars or cups. The cups or jars are heated inside to form a vacuum. Once a vacuum is created, the jars or cups are then placed in the body. These create a suctioning effect and are allowed to remain in the body for 15 minutes or more. In a more advanced setting, instead of using jars or cups a suctioning pump is used. This makes the whole procedure faster and easier as well as minimizing any harmful side effects the use of jars or cups can give the body.
Cupping helps energize the body organs to allow them to fight and get rid of diseases and pain. It also helps the lungs detoxify itself by opening it up and let the “old” and toxic blood and free radicals to come out of the body through skin pores or through the nose. The result will be smoother and easier breathing. Cupping acupuncture can also remove the cold element and wetness in the body to keep the body healthy and active.
Another good result of cupping acupuncture is that when toxic and “old” blood has been removed, they are replaced by fresh blood that’s rich in oxygen that can help the body get well faster. Also, the fresh oxygen and fresh blood rejuvenates and adequately nourishes the whole body. Cupping acupuncture cannot be applied to all people. It is not a good treatment form for pregnant women although there are rare cases when the physician will recommend this treatment to his pregnant patient.
When you go for a cupping treatment, one sign to look for to know if the treatment is working will be wounds that begin to heal and after a week disappear completely. To be on the safe side you can consult with your healthcare provider before going for cupping acupuncture. If he gives you a green light he may even recommend a good one for you.