 Many don't know this about me but I was professional athlete for many years. In 2002 I was ranked 5th in the world in javelin. I was a two time American Holder, Triple Crown Champion until I had a life changing injury.
I injured my UCL. Usually this is a javelin throwers death of the sport but i looked hi and low for all modalities. Acupuncture and Cupping helped shorten my recovery time. I was receiving acupuncture and cupping at the Olympic training center in Chula Vista, California. Then continued my treatment in West Lafayette Indiana. This is the whole reason I become an acupuncturist. I was so impressed with my recovery time that I started pursuing a career in acupuncture and cupping, knowing that this medicine would empower me to help other athletes recover quickly and return the sport. Cupping broke down the scar tissue quickly and let my arm reach its full range of motion in the matter of 5 months where normal recovery time would have taken a year. What is Cupping? Cupping is suction technique designed to pull toxins out of the body. Cupping can help facilitate the bodies recovery by bringing the toxins to the surface which then lessons the time that lactic acid will take up residence in the body. When lactic acid takes up residence in the body, it can create muscle spasms and even go into muscle strain because the muscle cannot get enough oxygen and blood to the cells to rid itself of waste. If this stagnation continues, for example in the shoulder, and the lack of blood and oxygen are unable to move through the muscle structure of the shoulder, the blockage can create a frozen shoulder over time. When this frozen shoulder is created, the scar tissue builds up, hence the name frozen shoulder, your shoulder will be unable to move up, down or around the head. Often times, it is unknown why frozen shoulders occur without any injury at all. But one example in Chinese Medicine is that when the impediment of blood and qi are blocked, it creates a frozen shoulder but Western Medicine has no diagnosis for this. Another example is when a swimmer is doing the butterfly stroke and the arm has to extend up and over the head, the arm needs to be free of any obstruction. Cupping the shoulder on a weekly or monthly basis will allow the muscle structure to be free of any toxins or structural impediments. Cupping can also elongate the muscles and allow the swimmer a better circumference. Cupping has the ability of breaking down any scar tissue the swimmer has built up in their shoulders. Cupping in true Traditional Chinese Medicine is most effective in lung disease, cold and illness. Many Chinese Practitioners will cup along the back for respiratory infections or pneumonia. Cupping is great for:
Is cupping painful? Everyone has their own pain tolerance level. Each person's experience is different. Cupping creates a suction so it has a pinching sensation that will last for a few seconds. I ask you to breathe through sensation then the pain lessons. I will continue to ask you how you feeling during the session so if there is too much pain, I will lessen the pressure of the cup. During the session, you will be cupped a multiple of 2-3 times using 20-30 cups. I apply the cups, then remove them 2-3 times depending on your tolerance level. Occasionally, you will leave with more pain than what you came with. The reason for this is that we are bringing the toxins to the skin surface. Toxins = Pain. If you need to take some oral pain relievers then please do so. What I Need to Know After a Cupping Treatment After a cupping session, it is recommended that you do not do anything to stress your body such as extreme cold, smoking, arguing, etc. You want to avoid getting chilled because cupping opens the pores. The pores open to the heart and the lung so you want to keep the area that was cupped covered for 24 hours after the treatment. The most common and unfortunate misconception concerning Cupping Therapy is the discolorations left on the skin. The discoloration is created by the negative pressure bringing toxins and lactic acid to the surface of the tissue. These discolorations are NOT bruises. The discoloration usually lasts 5-10 days depending on how toxic your body is. If you are dealing with scar tissue, injury or need to release toxins, give me a call to setup an appointment. You will be amazed with the benefits of cupping.
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