Category Archives: Acupuncture

Cupping Therapy For The Relief Of Fibromyalgia Symptoms

In the treatment of the symptoms of fibromyalgia, it is just as important to know what medical treatments will work best for you as it is important to learn the alternative therapies that can provide relief for the symptoms. This is because unlike conventional drugs and treatments a wide range of alternative treatments do not have any negative side effects.

For some sufferers of fibromyalgia, there are a lot of alternative remedies available that are powerful enough to alleviate pain. Cupping therapy, which has turned into a very popular therapy for fibromyalgia patients, is one such therapy.

What is cupping therapy?

A healing technique that’s a part of TCM or traditional Chinese medicine, cupping therapy involves the use of glass cups heated and applied to the skin to help restore proper circulation, clear toxins, and relieve pain in the body. Heat is applied inside the cup creating a vacuum inside the cup. Then the cups are placed on selected trigger points (or acupuncture points in acupuncture) and left in place for about 10 to 15 minutes.

The two most commonly used forms of cupping are:

1. Stationary cupping – In this type of cupping, glass cups are applied to the skin and remain stationary till the end of the treatment.

2. Massage cupping – In massage cupping, the glass cups are moved around the site of the problem in a massage-like movement help massage painful muscles and joints.

How is cupping session therapy administered?

Cupping therapy is usually done with the following tools: matches, candles, rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and glass cups. It is performed in the following manner:

1. First, the practitioner soaks a cotton ball in alcohol and a burning candle is used to set the cotton ball on fire.
2. The practitioner holds the lit ball inside the cup creating a vacuum within the cup.
3. The cotton ball is removed once a vacuum is created and the cup is quickly placed on the acupuncture point on the skin.
4. During a session, four to six cups are usually used and left in the body for fifteen minutes more or less.

While cupping therapy uses fire for healing, it is actually not a painful form of treatment for most people. In fact, the only thing a person may feel is the suctioning sensation of the cup while it is placed on the skin. After the procedure, the patient may sport red circle marks on his skin due to the cups. Those circle marks disappear after a few days. Chinese practitioners actually believe that the marks are a sign that blood circulation has improved inside your body.

Cupping Therapy for Fibromyalgia

After a cupping therapy session, patients often report a feeling of deep relaxation. The areas that have been targeted for treatment also feel agile and light. This is because cupping has the ability to foster speedy healing of ligaments, tendons, and muscles, to eliminate toxins from the body, and to increase blood flow.

These are the additional benefits that fibromyalgia sufferers can get from cupping:

 Alleviation of stress
 Less feelings of anxiety and depression
 Enhanced overall range of movement and muscle flexibility
 Decrease of painful trigger points
 Stiffness and pain relief for tissues and muscles

For people with fibromyalgia, cupping is an extremely safe treatment as it does not exacerbate their ailments.

One should not administer cupping therapy on their own, nor should anyone allow someone not qualified to perform the therapy on you or anyone else. If you are seeking cupping treatment for your fibromyalgia, you need to search for a qualified therapist. You can find one in holistic treatment centers and in local clinics. You may also ask your massage therapist if he or she has been trained in this healing art or they know as qualified cupping therapist. You can also search online and type in “cupping therapy” and your location as the main keywords.

Cupping Therapy Is An Excellent Cure For Diseases Related To Pain

Cupping therapy has been used by countless number of people since time immemorial. It is a multi-millennial healing therapy mostly used to relieve pain. There are no records on how this therapy actually originated but because of its versatility and extreme effectiveness, it is widely used in several parts of the world for various types of illnesses.

Cupping therapy is a method in which cups are applied on the skin. The cups are used to generate low pressure on the skin. This eventually leads to the curing of certain types of diseases. A mechanical or heating device can also be used during the treatment as a way to enhance the flow of blood in the body. Cupping is a perfect treatment for various types of diseases related to pain.

This therapy’s healing mechanism is fairly simple. It generates a low pressure area on the skin causing the blood flow to increase within the tissues. This boost in circulation increases the supply of nutrients to the bones and muscles of the body.

This increased circulation provides additional strength to the bones and muscles. The strength neutralizes the uncomfortable effects of pain. Cupping is a very effective treatment for back pain. Millions of people in the US are suffering from back pain due to an unhealthy lifestyle. Back pain can occur when the spinal cord becomes weak. Cupping therapy can cure back pain related to weak vertebrae through the application of heated cups on various parts of the back where pain is felt. The cups are oftentimes placed on specific points on the body known as acupuncture points.

The low pressure generated by cupping is extremely beneficial in helping increase the flow of blood into the tissues of the body and this increases the amount of nourishment received by the tissues and cells in the body. This leads to the betterment of the spinal muscle’s overall capacity and function.

Cupping works quite well in the treatment of neck pain. According to Chinese medicine, there are five lines in the energy channels or meridians of the body. The cups are usually applied along these lines. The fire and heat from the cups are meant furnish energy on various acupuncture points on the skin.

Cupping therapy is usually done by an experienced and qualified therapist or practitioner. Anyone can avail themselves of this treatment if they require relief from diseases such as rheumatism, migraines, fatigue, stiff muscles, neck pains, etc. Cupping therapy is indeed an ideal treatment for these diseases.

 

 

Tui Na Is A Physical And Energetic Form Of Bodywork Therapy

Tui Na is an ancient form of Chinese Massage and is sometimes called ‘anmo’. It comprises one of the major components of Chinese medicine alongside qi gong/tai chi, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, and acupuncture. In the West, this type of bodywork is still relatively unknown, but in China, it is widely used in many Chinese clinics and hospitals. Tui Na has been practiced for over 3000 years, and several modern massage techniques like Shiatsu and Swedish massage have evolved from it.

In both theory and practice, Tui Na is dissimilar to any other type of massage. Besides treating the physical body, practitioners also work with the energetic body; they utilize what one would consider as massage techniques to relax the tension and knots out of the muscles, whilst stimulating the acupuncture points and energy channels (meridians) to balance and regulate the movement of qi or energy in the same manner as acupuncture. This means in Tui Na, there are several kinds of ‘acupressure’ techniques. In fact, Tui Na is sometimes referred to as ‘acupressure massage’, although that term is also applied to more basic acupressure methods that lack the understanding and underlying theories of Tui Na.

In general, there are two styles of Tui Na: the Yin and the Yang styles. Very light healing method using light touch is used in the Yin Style. It strengthens organ function, removes stagnation from the meridians, and balances and regulates the Qi. This therapy is an extremely relaxing and calming treatment.

To eliminate muscular tension and knots, the Yang style is a much more preferred style as it uses deep penetrating techniques. It is quite helpful in relaxing stiff and tight muscles, but in a painless manner, unlike most deep massages.

In fact, a competent practitioner will use both Yin and Yang styles as needed, and most therapies are somewhere between the two extremes. There are no preset routines, and therapies are always designed for each person based on their specific needs.

Tui Na involves the same specific diagnostic techniques and sophisticated understanding of the mind and body as other branches of Chinese medicine such as acupuncture. This is what makes it distinct from other types of massages. The theory and practice of Tui Na are basically inseparable.

This makes it appropriate conditions other than muscular problems. Basically, it can be used to successfully treat a number of ‘internal’ conditions including hormonal, psycho-emotional, digestive, circulatory, and respiratory conditions to name a few. It is also an ideal way to deal with stress and maintain health.

A Tui Na Treament

Before starting treatment, the practitioner will perform a full Chinese Diagnosis on the patient, just as one would if he was receiving acupuncture. The practitioner will ask a series of questions about your overall health and complaint. Then he will take your pulse and tongue.

Afterwards, the practitioner will then proceed with the treatment itself that will be customized to your unique needs, and is usually undertaken over clothing. Sometimes, if oil is to be used, the practitioner will ask to remove some of your clothing.

The practitioner takes clues from the patient’s body to determine the appropriate strength of the techniques and the procedure should involve no pain even when strong techniques are used. In certain instances, only very gentle and light techniques are used, although they can be just as effective.

Reflexology Can Help Relieve Chemotherapy Side Effects And Diabetic Neuropathy Symptoms

Reflexology is an Oriental healing technique that balances the internal organs by stimulating acupressure points on the feet.

Practitioners of reflexology believe that various areas of the feet energetically connected with the various internal organs of the body. The area of the big toe, for instance, which goes down to the heel of the foot on the inner aspect of the foot is associated with the spine.

By stimulating this area of the foot with self-massage, tension and pain in the spine, neck, and shoulders can be loosened and relieved.

Try this simple exercise.

Observe where there is tension or where there is relaxed tissue in the neck by rolling your neck from side to side.

Then, for 3 minutes, massage the base of your big toe also rotating it as if giving your neck a massage. Do the same procedure on the big toe of the opposite foot.

Now rotate roll your neck from side to side. What did you observe?

People tend to feel a relaxation and relief of ache in the neck relaxing after the area of the feet have been manipulated.

Some reflexologists use a type of massage that targets the acupressure areas of the feet. The energetic healing are of qi emission enables energy to flow from the therapist to the client.

While this is a procedure mainly performed without massage and off-the-body, it is deeper than conventional reflexology as it also stimulates the energy meridians that exist in the feet that are connected with the internal organs. It is quite useful for imbalances affecting the nervous system.

This type of method can be of tremendous benefit for people undergoing chemotherapy or those suffering from diabetic neuropathy (e.g. tingling or numb feet).

If You Seriously Want To Quit Smoking, You Should Consider Auricular Acupuncture

With the all too many ill-effects smoking has, not only to our health but to the world around us, many of us (especially those who are addicted to nicotine) still find it unbelievably difficult to quit. Being a chronic smoker myself, I have already been through numerous counseling sessions and nicotine gum and patches in order to quit, all to no avail. Fortunately, I was able to discover an ancient Chinese secret and European healing innovation that has helped me break my smoking habit and turned my life around.

This article will talk about this secret in the hope that it will help you get over the difficulties in trying to quit smoking for good, especially in dealing with nicotine addiction withdrawal. This method, which has been practiced by the Chinese for thousands of years, is acupuncture, but specifically, the more than six decades of European medical innovation, research, and practice known as Auricular Acupuncture.

What is Auricular Acupuncture?

Auricular Acupuncture, also called ear acupuncture or auriculotherapy is a form of acupuncture treatment that originated and was refined in France. It is a procedure that utilizes the theories of traditional acupuncture and basic modern medical science (mainly based on neurology/neurophysiology).

Auricular Acupuncture basically involves the insertion of ultra-thin, single-use, disposable, and sterile needles onto the auricle or outer ear. A modern form uses low level laser instead of needles to stimulate the acupuncture points on the ear. Two to five acupoints are generally used for treatment, which is often combined with needling or “lasering” of selected acupoints on the body. Both needling and laser auriculotherapy are 100 percent safe and pain-free procedures that leaves you extremely comfortable and relaxed.

How Does Auricular Acupuncture Work?

Several theories have been postulated as to how acupuncture actually works. But with regards to Auricular Acupuncture, years of research have shown it to definitely work for a wide range of health conditions. When the outer ear auricle is stimulated, either with laser or needle (studies have shown the laser is less effective than needling but, nonetheless, still effective), natural pain-killing chemicals are released by the brain to calm and relax the person and ease the pain.

Certain parts of the CNS (central nervous system) and the pituitary gland secrete the endorphins, which is triggered by Auricular Acupuncture. The treatment has been shown to influence the blood serum and endorphin levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

A person addicted to nicotine (through tobacco smoking) will naturally show high levels of endorphins in his/her body. If this is the case, then how can Auricular Acupuncture help lessen a person’s smoking cravings since nicotine has already increased endorphin levels in the smoker’s bloodstream?

When a person has decided to give up smoking, the CNS will stop secreting endorphins in the body. This results in the rise of symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, which can be very difficult to overcome, and more often than not, is the reason why most people fail to stop smoking. Therefore, the endorphin levels of the person need to be maintained. Auricular Acupuncture actually doesn’t increase a person’s endorphin levels per se; it just stabilizes the rate of release. In this manner, people who have quit, and need assistance with the withdrawal symptoms can be helped, and people who need assistance in actually stopping their smoking can be treated.

As mentioned a while ago, Auricular Acupuncture can be extremely comfortable and relaxing to the patient. This occurs because of the treatment’s ability to release endorphins that brings about a state of analgesia. This effect is caused by the activity within the prefrontal cortex, somatosensory, thalamus, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal gray regions of the brain that is stimulated via needles/laser. This makes it possible to successfully treat symptoms of nicotine withdrawal including physical cravings, stress, restlessness, and anxiety.

What Does Auricular Acupuncture Treatment Involve?

Patients should first look for a trained and licensed acupuncturist who has specialized in Auricular Acupuncture and is preferably experienced. Most of these specialized acupuncturists have had done their training within specific clinics in the United States or Europe.

Treatment typically begins with a full evaluation of the patient’s condition by means of various diagnostic procedures. One specific mode of evaluation that acupuncturists use is the examining of laterality dysfunction. Laterality means the state of harmonic interaction between the brain’s two cerebral hemispheres. In order to select the correct acupoints to be used, the dominant hemisphere of the patient must first be determined (a left-handed person will have a dominant right hemisphere and vice versa). Laterality dysfunction may be caused by any emotional or physical trauma that a person experienced in life; it may happen at any time.

Laterality dysfunction may manifest through productivity problems (such as difficulty in coordination and concentration), behavioral issues (stress, anxiety, depression) and learning disorders (dyslexia, ADHD, ADD, etc.). Medical studies have revealed that people with substance addiction (specifically nicotine) are striving to re-balance or re-lateralize themselves. The studies show that Auricular Acupuncture is the quickest and most ideal mode of treatment for such disorders.

The issue of Laterality Dysfunction is often why a lot acupuncture treatments (like protocol based clinics) do not succeed. Laterality dysfunction is an obstruction to treatment, and should first be diagnosed and treated before actual acupuncture treatment is initiated.

Practitioners may utilize either a polarized object or filter combined with a certain pulse procedure called VAS or Vascular Autonomic Signal to identify the points on the outer ear that are the most “active”. This is important since the ear has hundreds of acupuncture points practitioners will be at a loss when finding the right acupoints to treat. Unfortunately, laser treatments that are protocol based are like this and hence, are usually unable to completely help the patient.

The Patient’s Role in the Treatment

The practitioner must explain to the patient the process that they will go through and how long the treatment will least. Most patients require between two to six sessions of therapies. A follow-up session is sometimes necessary to make sure the treatment is going as it should.

The cooperation of the patient is also needed. Before treatment, some acupuncturists will advise their patients to try not to smoke (for a few hours, at least), since to relieve their anxiety, many of them tend to smoke a cigarette before treatment. It is also advised that the patient should avoid any stressful situations and social settings in which they would normally smoke. This can be a bit difficult and its success will depend on the willpower of the patient.

Conclusion

For people who earnestly want to quit smoking, Auricular Acupuncture can be a very good option. The assumptions surrounding acupuncture about being uncomfortable and painful don’t really apply to this procedure, since after treatment most patients experience a renewed confidence in themselves, a deeper sense of relaxation, and a strong determination to quit.

Chinese Nutritional Therapy Tips That Can Help Treat Eczema Symptoms

Eczema can be a severe disease that can affect both children and adults make their lives misery. It produces thick, scaly, and dry red skin constantly itches. For a lot of sufferers, eczema is set off an allergic response to certain; avoidance of these foods can alleviate the symptoms. Chinese nutritional therapy, an ancient holistic system of healing which is part of TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine, views diet in an entirely different perspective from our western diets. This article will talk about the six Chinese food secrets that may aid eczema sufferers and change their life for the better.

1. Avoid Foods that Generate Damp in the Body

In Chinese medicine, one of the major underlying causes of eczema is internal dampness. Hence, it is best to avoid foods can trigger eczema. These include sugar, bananas, orange juice, peanuts, wheat, and dairy products like cheese, ice cream, butter, and cow’s milk.

Cow’s milk is the most food that triggers eczema in children. By nature, cow’s milk is extremely damp and if your child has a weak digestive system, the milk can cause weeping and oozing lesions, rashes, and itchy skin. In Chinese nutritional therapy, milk is not a common ingredient and is very seldom used. In Western countries however, a lot of people tend to over consume milk which is the reason more and more of them are getting an allergic reaction to it. You need to look for milk substitutes if your baby is suffering from eczema. Less dampening alternatives such as goat’s or soy milk can be potential replacements.

2. Select nourishing and cooling foods

If you have eczema, you can treat the symptoms of itchy skin, inflammation, and redness as well as their underlying cause by eliminating excess heat in your body. You also need to tonify the blood and vital energy (qi) and moisten dryness. Moistening and cooling foods recommended include tomatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, strawberry, pears, tofu (bean curd), barley, celery, cucumber, watermelon, seaweed, lettuce, and grapefruit.

Blueberries, aduki beans, kidney beans, beetroot and other dark red veggies and fruits as well as leafy green veggies are all very good for tonifying blood and qi. Meats such as chicken, kidneys, and, liver are all blood and qi tonifiers. Eating bowl of oat porridge added with a few dates is a great way to start the day.

3. Don’t Eat Greasy Foods

By nature, greasy fried foods are warm and extremely damp forming. Eczema is itself a sign of excess heat (Yang) in the body which leads to symptoms like thirst, inflammation, and redness. Cooking styles that are Yang by nature include sautéing, stir frying, deep frying, grilling, and roasting. If you have eczema, it may be preferable if you steam, braise, simmer, or boil your food as these cooking styles are yin by nature and when cooked these ways, the foods cooked in this way will be more nourishing to the skin and body and are naturally cooler.

4. Balance your Tastes/Flavors

The saying, “too much of one thing is bad for you” is applicable in Chinese nutritional therapy. You will find a balance of tastes – pungent, sweet, bitter, sour, and salty in most Chinese recipes. Salty foods like fish, pork, and seaweed, for instance, stimulate digestion, drain built up moisture, and regulate moisture balance. Overconsumption of salt, however, will cause dryness and dehydrate the body. Sweet foods such as milk, bananas, and sugar, tend to moisten dryness and lightly the flow of blood and qi. But when you consume a huge amount of sweet foods, it will cause the buildup of heat and dampness in the body which can result in eczema. Hence, it is a really good idea to follow a balanced diet that includes all the flavors. You may need to reduce or increase a specific flavor depending on your specific needs.

5. Enjoy your Food and Chew them properly

Eczema is often triggered by emotional stress. We tend to not enjoy, under eat, or overeat when we are under stress. When you are angry while you are eating this will impact the flow of qi and may cause it to stagnate. Over time, stagnation of qi can create an excess of heat in the body that can come in the form of skin inflammation and rashes.

6. Avoid Ice Cold and Raw Foods

Consuming too much chilled foods ((as opposed to cooling foods) or raw foods can harm your digestive system. This system needs digestive fire or warmth to operate properly and an excessive and prolonged consumption of ice-cold or raw foods can eventually impair this digestive fire. Because of this, you will notice that the Chinese seldom eat ice-cold foods or raw foods.

7. Concentrate on Your Food When You’re Eating

When you’re eating your meal, just focus on your food and stop reading, watching TV or any other thing. Each portion you take in should be chewed fully since this helps your digestive system to work more efficiently.

Cupping Therapy For The Relief Of Fibromyalgia Symptoms

For fibromyalgia sufferers, there are medical treatments as well as alternative therapies that can be considered. One type of alternative therapy that has been shown to work for this condition is an ancient Chinese healing art known as Cupping Therapy.

Because of the many side effects that can be experienced from taking conventional medications, more and more people are turning to natural alternative treatments to help cure, relieve or manage their health problems. The same applies to fibromyalgia sufferers. Most alternative therapies do not have the nasty side effects that a lot of Western allopathic drugs do. However, not all alternative treatment modalities are legitimate since there are a lot of hokey alternative therapies out there as well. So, let’s talk about the things you need to know about cupping therapy to understand why it can be an appropriate choice for you.

What is Cupping Therapy?

Cupping therapy is one component of an age-old Oriental healing system known as traditional Chinese medicine. It originated in China more than 2,500 years ago and is a form of treatment designed to help boost blood flow, alleviate pain, and rid the body of toxins through the application of glass cups on the skin. For most Westerners, this may sound a little weird but this was also their reaction when acupuncture was first introduced in America. In cupping therapy, each glass is set on different parts of your body. The air inside the cups is sucked out by a vacuum device and the cups are then quickly placed on the body where they remain in place for about 15 minutes.

Practitioners may choose one of two different methods of cupping. One method is called stationary cupping in which, during the session, the glass cups are left untouched and not moved. The other cupping method is called massage cupping and in this procedure, the glass cups are moved in a massage like motion around the skin. This type of massage is commonly used to relieve sore muscles and joints.

The materials used in cupping therapy include matches, candles, rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and of course, glass cups.

A Typical Cupping Therapy Procedure

This is a step-by-step description of a typical cupping procedure. First, the practitioner soaks a cotton ball in alcohol and use a match to light the ball up. The flaming cotton ball is held inside the cup and the heat creates a vacuum. The cotton is then removed and the cup is immediately placed on the part of the body targeted for treatment. The vacuum effect in the cup draws the skin into the cup. The cups are then left on the patient’s body for 15 minutes or less. Normally, four or five cups are used in the treatment. But for severe problems, sometimes up to six cups are used.

The treatment may seem painful and sound a little bizarre. But, the fact is, the patient merely experiences a light sucking sensation on the site where the cup is applied during treatment. Later on, he may have little red rings on his skin but they do fade quickly.

Cupping can be an effective treatment for fibromyalgia. Sufferers may experience a significant change in their condition. The treatment can help them feel calm and relaxed and most importantly, help relieve their aches and pain in a huge way. It can release toxins from the body and quicken the healing time of injured joints and muscles. Patients may also experience greater flexibility in their muscles. The pain for the trigger points is significantly reduced and if you suffer from depression and anxiety, the treatment can also help overcome them.

Cupping therapy for fibromyalgia should only be performed by a qualified practitioner. You should not try this yourself at home. You need to visit a holistic treatment center or search for a qualified practitioner or massage therapist. The treatment can definitely provide great benefits that can lead to the healing of fibromyalgia symptoms.

The Various Parts Of The Outer Ear Used In Auricular Acupuncture Therapy

The ear has different regions that can be located in an auricular acupuncture chart that also shows the other parts of your body. This chart is much more recommended than using a regular acupuncture chart that you can find anywhere online.

People who espouse the use of auricular acupuncture usually follow the methods provided by the charts. There is practically no reason to require the services of a body acupuncturist considering that you can find all the systems of the body in the auricular acupuncture chart.

Moreover, the use of needles, though important in body acupuncture, may not always be necessary when performing auricular acupuncture since the needle’s dull end or even a finger can locate the auricular acupoints that are needed to treat a certain condition. This is important if the ear acupoints are located on sore places of the ear.

The System

In order to diagnose the problem areas, you can even also use a toothpick to prick the important acupoints on the ear that are sore and tender to the touch.

When the important points are located, you can start to insert a needle into those points. You can use a thin sterilized sewing needle if you don’t have any acupuncture needle at your disposal.

After you’ve inserted a needle approximately two millimeters into your auricle or outer ear base on the ear acupuncture charts, you need to gently roll the needle between your fingers in that acupoint with the intention to rotate it.

Twirl the needle as long as the patient can endure the pain in that area. Believe it or not, this can help remove the pain that is affecting that area. You can also move the needle in a circular motion, if needed.

The needle may need to be stuck nearby the area and once more twirled twisting it in a circular motion till all of the pain is taken out of the ear.

Several of the body’s internal systems including the uterus, gall bladder, heart, diaphragm, abdomen, small intestine, large intestine, and bladder are all represented in the inner part of your ear near the ear hole as shown in the auricular acupuncture charts.

The tonsils, ankles, toes, knees, wrists, and fingers are all represented in the top of the ear. The outer part of the ear is where the energy channels associated with the elbows, spine, appendix, chest, and shoulders are found.

The ear lobe covers the energy channels that correspond to blood pressure, the teeth, eyes, tonsils, and mouth while the lower back, coughs, and headaches are covered by the back of the ear.

Cupping Therapy For The Treatment Of Ailments And Pain

In the medical field over the last few decades, there was a gradual awakening in which people began to turn to natural and alternative treatments over allopathic medicine and invasive procedures. This was due to the realization that a lot of these natural therapies are just as effective and come with no unpleasant side effects compared to the conventional forms of treatment.

Cupping therapy is one such treatment that has grabbed the attention of people in Western societies. While it is relatively still a novel form of treatment in the United States, cupping therapy has been used for thousands of years and was widely practiced in the Middle East, Egypt, and China and for hundreds of years in some Eastern European societies.

What is Cupping Therapy?

Cupping therapy is a mode of treatment in which the practitioner or therapist uses certain types of cups, heats them and applies them to specific treatment sites on the body, usually muscular regions like the legs, arms, abdomen, and back. The cups are made of silicone, plastic, or glass.

Cupping therapy can be administered in various ways. One approach is called fire cupping or dry cupping. In this method, the practitioner/therapist soaks a cotton ball in alcohol or some other inflammable substances. The cotton ball is then lit with fire and used to heat the cups. Sometimes, the cups are heated by immersing them in hot oil or water.

Once they reach the desired heat, the cups are immediately placed on the skin of the patient. This causes the skin to rise into the cup completely sealing the cup off. The heat generates a suctioning effect that causes the muscles and skin to develop a small puff. The cups are left on the skin in this position for some minutes before they are carefully removed.

In the moving cupping method, the cups are not held in a single position but instead are moved carefully across the site of treatment. First, before the cups are applied, the practitioner/therapist applies cream or oil on the skin. The areas that are treated become red. This is caused by the suction and the subsequent dilation of the blood vessels.

In another cupping method known as the wet cupping method, the practitioner/therapist creates tiny incisions on the skin of the patient before applying the cups on the skin. The suction effect of the cups is designed to extract small amounts of blood from the body. A third method that combines acupuncture treatment along with cupping is probably the most potent of all the different types of cupping methods. It entails the sticking of tiny needles into the skin before the cup is applied on the skin.

As a way to heal the body, cupping therapy works at the deep tissue level. It is used to:

• Enhance performance by stimulating the flow of qi or vital energy all throughout the body
• Strengthen the function of the immune system helping the body fight allergies, colds, and the flu
• Boost the flow of blood and thus encourages healing
• Relieve inflammation
• Relax the body by alleviating knotted and tensed muscles
• Eliminate toxins that have built up in the tissues

Reducing Pain through Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy is used for treatment of various types of conditions. However, it is most effective when used to relieve pain. Because of this, several athletes use it to help them heal quickly and get fast relief.

It is used for the following ailments:

1. Toothaches – You should know that cupping can significantly relieve severe toothaches.
2. Menstrual Cramping – This is good news for women who have to cope with severe menstrual cramps during their period. Cupping therapy can be a safer and more effective alternative treatment than pain killers.
3. Pain associated with respiratory conditions
4. Pain due to arthritis and rheumatism – People suffering from arthritis-induced pain or rheumatism can use cupping therapy as a long-term remedy.
5. Muscle and joint pain – Cupping lessens the severity of muscle and joint pains; hence, you can find relief from muscle stiffness, neck pain, back aches, and injuries.
6. Tension headaches and migraines

As a type of alternative remedy cupping therapy can do so much for the health of your body. It can help you lose weight, boost your blood circulation, combats stress and anxiety, relieves stiffness and pain and promotes digestion. The process only becomes more effective when it’s combined with acupuncture.

Massage Acupressure Therapy Can Cleanse The Various Systems Of Your Body

With a massage acupressure therapy, you can manage to clean out the various systems of your body. Based on the ancient Chinese healing art of acupuncture, acupressure massage is a very ancient form of treatment that unlike acupuncture facilitates healing without the needles. Acupressure involves the administration of moderate pressure on specific trigger points all over the body. It is a form of massage treatment that stimulates the energy of the body to raise the functionality of the immune system and bring back balance in the body. Technology has now given us the power to stimulate and locate the acupressure points of the body through modern massage chair brands that are sold today.

The massage techniques used in acupressure help free obstructed energy centers in the body. Using electrical techniques, science has been able to confirm the existence. Chinese medicine practitioners are aware that these meridian channels deliver energy all across the body. They have observed that some centers or junctures can become blocked or inhibited causing imbalance in the body. Through the application of pressure on specific pressure points in the body, the circulation of energy can be restored.

Massage acupressure therapy is done using vibration, tapping, and kneading massage procedures. These procedures are utilized all over the body combined with the stimulation of the acupressure points. Acupressure massage therapy is done by making quick circular motions using moderate pressure on specific trigger points. The trigger points are then activated along with body massage to free up obstructed energy. Circulation of energy is then restored and the body goes back to normal balance.

There are many positive benefits to massage acupressure therapy. It is able to relieve pain, aches, muscle tension, and stress. It helps control the healing powers of the body. The stimulations of acupressure can help disperse the accumulation of toxins in the body. As toxins in the body gradually accumulate, it causes the muscles to stiffen. This stiffness adds unwanted pressure on the lymphatic and circulatory systems and places unequal pressure on the body putting it in disharmony and throwing it out of balance.

Technology has given use massage chairs that can accurately find the trigger points in our body. A map of the trigger points are made available by the software programs built in to these chairs. The acupressure massage is specifically designed for each user. In the back alone, there are about a hundred or so trigger points. Massage chairs are incredibly efficient in stimulating the acupressure points and in administering massage procedures such as vibration, percussion, and kneading to the user. These treatments are quite effective in alleviating pains, aches, and soreness in the neck, shoulder, and back.

Several manufacturers have designed air compression systems for the lower body. These compression systems integrate uniquely designed airbags with special nodes to stimulate trigger points in the lower areas of the body. When it is activated, the air compression system causes the airbag to inflate and the node to gently push into the trigger point. The trigger points are typically located in the bottom of the feet and the back of the calves. When they are stimulated, they help release built up tension and bring about overall body relaxation.

Recent research in massage acupressure shows that it can be used to relieve constipation, digestive problems, dizziness, insomnia, headaches, and even motion sickness. Science is just starting to realize the power of acupressure, which for hundreds of years has already been known in China. The use of modern technology in creating the best massage chair recliners has led to an efficient way of treating bodily ailments thorough massage acupressure treatments. But if you want a really effective massage acupressure, you need to get it on a daily basis. It is important to know that stress builds up in your body everyday and so it must be released periodically. The most convenient and cost effective way of experiencing the benefits of massage acupressure is through these massage chairs.