Do you remember the image of Michael Phelps at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, there was something unusual about the gold-medal-winning swimmer. He had noticeable marks on his back and shoulders which were in fact cupping marks. Cupping has been around for 1000’s of years- it’s an ancient Chinese and middle Eastern medicine used for healing. Cupping is done using small plastic cups that are placed on areas of the body to help alleviate tension and increase circulation to the area to promote healing.

In traditional Chinese medicine cupping is done using glass cups and a match, lighting the inside of the cup with a match creates heat, when placed on the body a suction is created this drawing the skin “up into” the glass cups. Our therapists at Savannah Massage Therapy and Wellness clinic use a more modern version of cupping we use silicon cups and a manual pump to create a suction between the cup and the skins surface. The cups may be placed on the body and will remain suctioned to the area for up to 3 minutes or the therapist will slide the cups along the surface of the skin in a massage like movement. Cups vary in size so that any area of the body can be treated, from a larger surface like your back or front of your thigh (quads) to the small fascial muscles or TMJ area.

Chinese traditional medicine believed in the balance between Yin energy and Yang energy. These can be translated loosely to positive and negative energies. Achieving balance means good health, while an imbalance or disruption means sickness and the occurrence of diseases. Through cupping, traditional Eastern medicine seeks to establish balance and good harmony of your body by restoring the Yin and Yang equilibrium.