Cupping refers to an ancient Chinese practice in which a cup is applied to the skin and the pressure in the cup is reduced by suctioning out air, so that the skin and superficial muscle layer is drawn into and held in the cup. In some cases, the cup may be moved while the suction of skin is active, causing a subtle, regional pulling of the skin and muscle. This technique has been used for over 2,500 years to treat various ailments. The negative pressure created from the cup helps increase blood flow to tense muscles and to separate layers of muscle and connective tissue that may have formed adhesions. In this session, cupping will be used intermittently along with other massage techniques to treat the affected areas.
