About Balancing Meridians

 "One of the earliest documentations of cupping can be found in the work titled A Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies, which was written by a Taoist herbalist by the name of Ge Hong and which dates all the way back to 300 AD. An even earlier Chinese documentation, three thousand years old, recommended cupping for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. In both Eastern and Western cultures, cupping evolved from shamanistic practices that held the belief that illnesses and infirmities can be sucked out of the body."(Rushall, 2023)

"Cupping is the term applied to a technique that uses small glass cups or bamboo jars as suction devices that are placed on the skin to disperse and break up stagnation and congestion by drawing congested blood, energy or other humors to the surface. In dry cupping, the therapist will simply place the suction cups on the skin using oils or alcohol. In wet cupping, the practitioner will make a small incision on the skin and then apply the suction cup to draw out small amounts of blood."(Rushall, 2023)

"“Where there’s stagnation, there will be pain. Remove the stagnation, and you remove the pain.”

The old Chinese medical maxim holds that pain results from the congestion, stagnation, and blockage of Qi, or vital energy, vital fluids, lymph, phlegm, and blood. If pain is the essence of disease, then suffering is a result of obstructed or irregular flow in the body. Chinese cupping is therefore a method of breaking up the blockage to restore the body’s natural flow of energy."(Rushall, 2023)

You may feel different or the same. Sometimes you feel a little light headed. That is actually normal and a sign of an effective treatment. This feeling should resolve within 1 hr or so

Hydrate

It’s important that you increase your water intake after your cupping therapy. You’ve just moved around a lot of built up toxins in your body, and your body will need water to help flush out your lymphatic system and fully remove the toxins from your body. 

• Adding a Biotoxin Binder will also assist in the detox process

Stay Warm

It’s normal to feel a little feverish after a cupping session. When you loosen the built up toxins in your body, they are carried by the blood to your lymphatic system for removal. This is essentially the same process your body goes through when you are battling a minor illness like a cold. Cupping also helps open your pores, which can make you feel cooler than normal. 

Get Enough Sleep

Just as previously mentioned, it is normal to feel a little fatigued and under the weather due to the removal of toxins from your body. Don’t fight the urge to rest; this is a natural part of your body removing toxins and feeling better. Rest is essential. Don't just get good rest after cupping. Make it a nightly habit to get enough sleep!

Cover Treated Areas

The areas of your skin where the cups were placed will have marks that range from light pink to deep red, and possibly other colors. If other colors are present please let me know. Cupping can be therapeutic and diagnostic. If you are pulling up other colors there may be a deeper issues that need to be addressed. Please keep the cup marks covered with loose fitting clothing. No need to bandage them, unless there is skin damage present. If any skin damage is present after cupping. Use the burn cream provided in your kits. you can also use your personal ointments as you see fit.

Caffeine

Caffeine can have a negative effect on the body, and can completely negate the release of tension provided by cupping. It’s best to avoid caffeine for as long as possible after your session. 

Alcohol

If you are planning cupping therapy, it’s best to reschedule your wine night for another time. Alcohol has to be processed by your body. Your body has to actively remove the toxins in alcohol from your blood, which can interfere with the detoxifying effect of your cupping session. 

Sugar

It goes without saying, sugar isn’t good for us. Sugar is another ingredient our bodies must process and store. Eating sugar after a cupping session can put your cupping detox on pause and demand the attention of your cells on processing glucose. 

Meat and Dairy

The hormones found in meat and dairy products should be avoided after your cupping session to ensure they don’t cause a rise or fall in your own natural hormone levels. Cupping helps to restore your body’s natural balance. Eating these foods could interfere with that process.

Extreme Heat or Cold

As previously mentioned, cupping helps open the pores and stimulate muscle and fascia tissue. Exposing yourself to extreme temperatures can damage the release of tension in these areas, causing stiffness, aching, and pain. 

Intense Exercise

The span of time immediately after your cupping session isn’t great for exercise. If you need to move, an easy walk or light stretching is acceptable, but because your body is actively detoxing, you’ll need to conserve your energy for that process. 

Eight things to know about cupping therapy : Chinese medicine " balance within acupuncture & chiropractic. Balance Within Acupuncture & Chiropractic. (2018, August 17). https://www.balancewithinyou.com/non-needle-acupuncture/eight-things-to-know-about-cupping-therapy-chinese-medicine/

Mehta, P., & Dhapte, V. (2015, February 10). Cupping therapy: A prudent remedy for a plethora of medical ailments. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488563/

Rushall, K. (2023, March 31). The many benefits of Chinese cupping. Pacific College. https://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2014/09/20/many-benefits-chinese-cupping-1

What to expect after cupping therapy: Recovery processes and more. WTHN. (n.d.). https://wthn.com/blogs/wthnside-out/what-to-expect-after-cupping-therapy