Did you know that there are different styles of cupping? There are many different types of cups that cupping therapists use, and there are several techniques with which therapists apply the cups. The cup and technique make the "style" of cupping applied in a treatment. The cupping style applied by the therapist depends on the therapeutic effect desired. This might be different with each session, changing with the body's needs.
To match cupping style with your therapy needs, let's first look at the components of cupping style, cup types and techniques.
Cup types:
Some cups used in cupping therapy are made from plastic, or silicone. Traditional "fire cups" are made of glass. Cups made from thin plastic may have an attachment site for a manual pump to either vacuum or expel air. Plastic cups will often be applied stationary: they will sit on the treatment area, then they will be removed after several minutes.
Unlike stationary plastic cups, silicone cups glide easily. They can be applied by creating a manual vacuum, and then moved around in a gliding, or massage, movement by the therapist. This is called massage cupping, or dynamic cupping. Massage cupping is so relaxing that the body usually cannot distinguish between cups and massage! It feels similar if the massage movement is being made by the decompressing cups or by the compression of hands.
Fire cups (pictured) are the oldest cups used in cupping therapy. Although they can be used for massage cupping, they do not glide as smoothly as silicone cups. So, glass cups are often applied (with a temperature/warmth vacuum) and then left stationary for several minutes.
Small, and tiny, facial cups are a specialized set of cups with a glass tube and a silicone bulb. Facial cups are used to relax face muscles, relieve TMJ tension, and for anti-aging purposes such as reducing wrinkles. To prevent gua sha marks on the face, facial cups are always in motion: they are never left stationary on the face.
Cupping techniques:
Stationary cupping vs. massage, or dynamic, cupping -
Stationary cupping involves applying cups using a vacuum, then letting the cups sit for several minutes.
Massage, or dynamic cupping, is when the therapist glides the cups around.
Either technique may be used, or a combination of both, depending on the desired therapeutic effect. Also, some therapists prefer to use certain cups, so they may not do as much of one technique or the other. Silicone are the most versatile cups (Nina's professional opinion), but some people prefer fire cups because they are classic and traditional.
Which cupping style is best for you?
The style that your therapist uses depends on your body's needs. If you need...
100% relaxation- Massage cupping using silicone cups feels great. This can be applied to regions of the body, or to the whole body. Facial cups can be added for additional relaxation, specifically targeting the face. Facial cups are also effective in relaxing smaller areas such as the jaw, neck, and hands.
Targeted therapy, for deep release of "knots" and trigger points, warrants stationary cupping with fire cups, silicone cups, or plastic cups. For example, if working at a desk or computer cause stiffness and tight spots in your upper and middle back, fire cups may be used, mainly stationary. Silicone cups are a good choice, too, for trigger point release: they can be applied stationary for several minutes, then, without removing them immediately, the therapist can glide them over and around the tension spots. When done manually in a massage, this is cross-fiber friction.
For restoring chi, silicone cups can be used to combine passive and active cupping techniques. Chi is the flow of life energy. This flow includes blood circulation, lymph, nerve pathways, and other energetic physiology of the body. When chi gets stagnant or impeded, pain and inflammation occur. First, stationary cupping may be used to focus on chi restoration in a stagnant or tense area. Then, massage cupping may follow to move chi that has been elicited, and to relax the body and mind.
Immune boosting- Cupping is a Lymphatic Drainage technique. Your lymph flows through your body in lymph vessels, but those vessels are not muscular: i.e., they do not have their own pumps to move the lymph. They rely on the contraction of muscles around them to "milk" the lymph through the vessels. Pooling of lymph and swelling, or lymphedema, can result from inactivity (not using muscles to push the lymph). For example, if calf (leg) muscles are not active, you may experience swollen ankles. Cupping and massage are 2 types of manual therapy that move lymph.
Mobile wellness- Cupping has been practiced around the world in both public and private settings. Cups provide mobile versatility. They can be used for community treatment, for wellness events, and for booths and fairs.
Talk to a certified Cupping Therapist.
Nina Dropcho holds Cupping Therapy certification through the International Cupping Therapy Association, or ICTA.
Determine which cupping style is best for your body's current needs.
Book your cupping session today! Get Cupped!
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