Cupping and Gua Sha

What is Cupping?

Cupping is an ancient Chinese technique which helps release muscular tension and spasms.  Particularly when it comes to neck pain, back pain and leg pains. Traditionally air is extracted from the sterile glass cups with fire and placed over the affected area which creates a suction.  These days we use sterile cups and a hand pumping suction devise to get exact, more precise levels of suctions without the need for fire and without risks of being burnt from a overheated cup.    Because the blood is being drawn into the muscles, they swell with fluid helping the muscles fibers to relax and spasms to stop.  This increase in blood flow to the area helps the body to remove built up waste products within the muscles. (1)

Cupping is also used to treat those suffering from cold and flu as it helps eliminate toxins from the body. (1)

Does it hurt?

The treatment will leave a bruise in the affected area which should fade over a three day period. Rest assured this treatment should not hurt and people often compare the feeling to that of a firm massage.  The results from cupping are usually felt that day and the following day and many patients report relief from muscular tension by the end of the treatment.

Is it safe?

Cupping is considered safe when performed by a registered practitioner.  There are certain medical conditions which are not appropriate for cupping and all our practitioners are fully aware of these and have advanced training as part of their qualifications.

 

What is Gua Sha?

Gua Sha also known as scraping is an ancient healing technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for muscular pain and tension.  A blunt instrument is scraped in a certain direction across the affected area causing the blood to come to the surface and the pores to open.  This technique helps increase blood flow to the area very similar to the results of cupping.  Like cupping it is used for muscle pain and boosting immunity. (2)(3)

How much does it cost?

Standard Cupping and/or Gua Sha is included free if you are seeing us for an initial or follow-up acupuncture session, however you can also book it as a stand alone treatment.

We offer acupuncture services at two price points.  The lower price is for Standard Acupuncturists and the higher price is for Senior Acupuncturists with advanced training and over a decade of experience.

The costs are:

* If you would like the cupping or gua sha only sessions at the reduced time and fee you must specify “cupping only” session when making the booking otherwise they will book you in for a full 60 or 90 minute acupuncture session at the full fee.

 

 

1. The medical perspective of cupping therapy: Effects and mechanisms of action.  Abdullah M.N.Al-Bedah^aIbrahim S.Elsubai^aNaseem AkhtarQureshi^aTamer ShabanAboushanab^aGazzaffi I.M.Ali^aAhmed TawfikEl-Olemy^abAsim A.H.Khalil^aMohamed K.M.Khalil^aMeshari SalehAlqaed^a

2. Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese “Gua Sha” Therapy in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial . Maximilian Braun, MD, Miriam Schwickert, MD, Arya Nielsen, PhD, Stefan Brunnhuber, PhD, Gustav Dobos, MD, Frauke Musial, PhD, Rainer Lüdtke, MSc, Andreas Michalsen, MD

    

3. Gua Sha, a press-stroke treatment of the skin, boosts the immune response to intradermal vaccination. Tingting Chen, Ninghua Liu,Jinxuan Liu,  Xiaoying Zhang, Zhen Huang, Yuhui Zang,  Jiangning Chen, Lei Dong,  Junfeng Zhang, and Zhi Ding