Cupping has been used in China for at least two thousand years and probably longer, it remains part of Chinese Medicine and is used extensively throughout China today both in hospitals and by many individuals who use it as a home remedy for many different conditions especially in rural areas where little medical treatment is available.
Cupping is used to invigorate blood and qi flow where it may have become congested in the muscles, the cups pull congested blood to the surface of the skin thereby improving circulation which relieves pain and dysfunction. When the cups are applied the can feel tight, this can easily be adusted for your comfort. A reddish bruise is often created by cupping which will take about one week to dissapear, before cupping is given, the procedure and its effects are discussed, your permission is asked for before treatment.
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Glass and Bamboo Cups
Cupping used to be applied by animal horns many centuries ago but now has been replaced by bamboo, ceramic, glass and quite recently by vacuum pump plastic cups, the latter have become very popular due to their ease of use due to the control available over the amount of pressure created by the cup. Horn, bamboo, glass and ceramic cups are used with fire to create the vacuum inside the cup, this is known as "fire cupping". A small flame is used to burn the oxygen inside the cup which is then quickly and skillfully placed directly onto the skin thereby creating a vacuum which pulls the skin and some of the underlying tissue tightly into the cup. The cup remains in position via the suction created until the desired effect is reached, the duration of the treatment with cups usually will depend on the condition being treated.
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Modern Vacuum Cups pictured with pump
which
is used to create a vacuum
 In experienced hands the "fire cupping"method is a safe method of cupping and is still used widely although many practitioners are starting to use the plastic cups due to their convenience in a busy clinic or hospital setting. During my last visit to China in 2000 I did notice how many practitioners were changing to the plastic vacuum cups, when I asked them why they confirmed that they were much more convenient as no flame is needed not that they were better than fire cups just simpler to use.
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The conditions for which cupping is useful is long and varied but below are some of the common conditions that are helped significantly by cupping alone or together with Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs or Moxa :
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Asthma |
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Back Pain |
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Colds and Flu |
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Circulatory problems |
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Digestive problems |
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Fatigue |
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Fever |
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Hypertension |
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Insomnia |
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Gynaecological Problems |
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Muscular and joint pain |
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Skin problems |
If you would like more information on how you could benefit from this practise, you can contact Ray Ford on (02) 9954 3342 for more information or to book an appointment.
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