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Cupping

Archive for the ‘cupping’ Category

6 Do’s and Don’ts with Cupping Treatment Aftercare

Posted on: May 11th, 2022 by TouchStone Health

Medicine and pain relief have evolved plenty, but there are still many reliable treatments existing for years. Cupping is an alternative method of treating various diseases and ailments. This is done by placing cups on the skin and creating suction with a vacuum pump. Cupping helps with: blood flow, muscle tension, lymphatic drainage, cleansing the skin and releasing toxins. 

Cupping therapy is not just a fad as it definitely has a lasting purpose and effect on people. Not only is it a safe and powerful method of dealing with pain and different illnesses, but it is also an effective one. 

If you’ve gone through the treatment, it’s important to know the dos and don’ts of cupping aftercare to ensure that your health isn’t compromised. Continue reading to learn more.

1) Do Stay Hydrated

After having a cupping treatment session, it is advantageous that you stay hydrated. While this therapy is quite powerful, give your body a good supply of water to help flush out the inner toxins in your body. Plus, staying hydrated will help your body heal faster from the heat that came from cupping.

2) Don’t Eat Big Meals

You might be craving a big meal but, for the sake of cupping aftercare, it’s important not to eat big meals. Because our bodies have lost a lot of their energy, we have to eat light meals and focus on digesting. Eating a big meal will only slow down your digestion, and you’ll end up with problems.

3) Do Rest Up After Your Treatment

The heat that is produced from the cupping treatment is a great detoxifier. But after your treatment, you need to rest so that your body can repair itself. Give yourself a few hours to rest and relax before doing your daily chores or going out. Also, remember to take breaks in between to help the body heal faster.

4) Don’t Expose Your Skin to Chills

When you’ve had a cupping treatment, it’s best to avoid cold or chilly air. The pores on your skin are wide open after the treatment, and exposing yourself to the cold air will make you feel uncomfortable. If you have to go outdoors after your treatment, bring a shawl or blanket with you to avoid exposure to the cold.

5) Do Postpone Exercising

With the heat from the cupping treatment, you must let your body relax as much as it can. In fact, it’s best to avoid physical activities for a short period after your treatment. At best, simply do some light stretching and breathing exercises. Doing so and postponing extraneous activities will help you recover quicker.

6) Don’t Go Sunbathing

After your cupping treatment, don’t go sunbathing. Even if there’s a temptation to jump into the pool or the beach to bask in the sun after reaping the benefits of cupping, that’s not a good idea after the session right away. The heat from the sun will be too much for your body to bear, and you might suffer from serious skin irritation.

Conclusion

Cupping is a great alternative method of dealing with illnesses and pains. Because of its popularity, more and more people want to be part of the cupping experience. Make the appointment and learn the proper know-how of cupping aftercare.

In need of a registered acupuncturist? Touch Stone Health provides licensed naturoparthic, cupping, acupuncture, chiropractic massage therapy and counselling services to Kitchener-Waterloo and surrounding areas. Get in touch with us today!

Cold and Flu Season: Strengthening Your Immune System

Posted on: September 30th, 2019 by TouchStone Health

By Anna Totzke, Registered Acupuncturist

As the colder air and shorter days of Fall arrive, our patterns of exercise, diet, and sleep change. We are more prone to colds and flu. These seasonal changes can affect our immune system and it is therefore important to adjust our daily patterns during this season:

Diet——> Eating warmer foods (soups, stews, etc) helps strengthens the immune system. Stay away from raw vegetables and cold foods at this time of the year as it will weaken the immune system. Limit your sugar intake but incorporate “sweet and warm” foods like squash, pumpkin, and cinnamon. Make sure you are drinking enough water.

Stay Warm ——> Make sure your head, upper back neck, and feet especially stay warm. A warm body helps protect itself from outside “pathogens”.

Manage Stress ——> Stress weakens the immune system

Exercise ——> During the colder months most people tend to exercise less. Add Yoga and stretching into your exercise routine. Exercise help keep the circulation moving and helps decrease stress levels.

Sleep——> As the daylight hours get shorter, it is important to allow yourself to get more sleep. Getting adequate sleeps is very important to help manage stress, keep your body strong, and therefore keep your immune system strong.

Acupuncture:
-Help prevent colds and flu by boosting your immune system
-Can help you recover from a cold or flu faster if you are already sick
-Reduce chills, fever and body aches
-Relieve sore throat and congestion
-Can help relieve stress

Cupping:
-Can help stop or reduce upper respiratory symptoms
-Can help strengthen the immune system
-Calms the Nervous System
-Improves Blood and Lymphatic circulation
-Can help clear sinus congestion and sinus headaches

Learn more about Acupuncture and Cupping.

Cupping Therapy: Not Only for Muscle Pain

Posted on: October 5th, 2018 by TouchStone Health

By Anna Totzke, Registered Acupuncturist

Cupping is a technique used in Chinese Medicine to stimulate acu-points or larger areas of the body.  Glass or plastic cups are placed on specific areas. Through suction, the skin is gently pulled into the cups.  Cupping improves the flow of blood, balances and realigns the flow of qi, breaks up obstructions and creates an avenue for toxins to be drawn out of the body. 

In clinic, the most common reason people come to me for a cupping treatment is for back, hip, neck, and shoulder pain and stiffness. Beyond muscle pain and stiffness, there are many other wonderful ways cupping is a helpful treatment:

Facial Rejuvenation Cupping:

Small, glass cups are used with very gentle suction. No red marks are left on the face. This is a gentle and relaxing treatment.This treatment helps:

-stimulate the production of collagen and elastin to encourage firmer skin
-circulate blood to the face to help with dry skin and improve the complexion
-decrease facial puffiness and sinus drainage
-relieve headaches

Whole Body Lymphatic Drainage:

This is a very gentle treatment that aids in lymphatic drainage and circulation.

-helps with detoxification
-helps regulate and release excess fluids in the body 

Colds/Bronchial Conditions:

Cups are placed over the lung area on the back. This treatment can help:

-chronic and acute asthma
-bronchial infections
-move out a cold/congestion

Fertility:

-can help increase blood flow to the uterus and ovaries
-helps decrease stress

If you have any questions about cupping or acupuncture treatments, please feel free to contact Anna Totzke, Registered Acupuncturist. annatotzke@gmail.com

The Benefits of Cupping Therapy

Posted on: August 30th, 2016 by TouchStone Health

By Anna Totzke, R.Ac.

Cupping is a technique used in Chinese Medicine to stimulate acupoints or larger areas of the body.  Glass or plastic cups are placed on specific areas (most commonly on the back). Through suction, the skin is gently pulled into the cups.

Cupping improves the flow of blood, balances and realigns the flow of qi, breaks up obstructions, and creates an avenue for toxins to be drawn out of the body. The cups can be left in place or can be moved along the surface of the skin (slide cupping).

Cupping is often used for:

-Muscle pain and tightness (softens rigid soft tissue)- shoulder, back, neck

-Bronchial conditions – Asthma, lung congestion, cough and colds, sore throat

-Breaking up scar tissue and fatty deposits

-Arthritis and fibromyalgia

-Gastrointestinal disorders

-Relaxation and stress relief

-Fatigue and improve sleep

-Lower high blood pressure

-Migraines

-Removing cellulite

-Anemia

-Boosts the immune system

After a cupping treatment, there are often circles (the size of the cups) left on the treated area and can range in colour from light pink to dark purple. These circle are not painful and will clear within 4 or 5 days. Many clients report the feeling of deep relaxation after a treatment and find they have a comfortable sleep.

Cupping is often used along with Acupuncture but is a treatment on its own.

If you have any questions about Cupping, please feel free to contact Anna Totzke, Registered Acupuncturist at annatotzke@gmail.com.

 

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