Do you suffer from muscle pain? If you need some deep tissue work, therapeutic massage can help relieve pain and reduce stress, but you can make your massage therapy treatments even more effective when you add in cupping.
When combined with chiropractic treatment, massage therapy cupping can offer a comprehensive approach to wellness and healing.
Cupping is a treatment in which your massage therapist places specialized cups on the skin to create a vacuum. This causes the muscles and connective tissue to decompress. The body reacts by increasing its blood flow toward the cupped area and promote healing.
Cupping can sometimes cause purple circles on the treated areas, but this is a temporary side effect that will fade within a few days. Practitioners can also gently glide the cups instead of leaving them on the body in the same area to avoid marks.
Cupping’s primary goal is to enhance circulation, relieve pain, and provide relaxation by acting on the tissue beneath the skin. The suction effect promotes blood flow to the cupped region, providing oxygen and nutrients to the cells, while also assisting in the removal of waste products. This increased circulation can aid in the healing of the tissue and can reduce muscle tension.
Many massage therapists integrate cupping into their sessions. Here are some reasons why it can enhance your chiropractic treatment.
Better Blood Flow
Massage therapists work on trigger points, which are specific spots where muscles tighten and create a knot, cutting off circulation. Sometimes you can even feel a nodule underneath your skin.
These spots are painful and also cause referral pain in other parts of your body. Cupping increases blood flow, which is exactly what a trigger point needs so it can release.
More Comfortable Treatment
Tight neck, shoulder, and upper back muscles can also cause tension in the chest. You might also be breathing in a shallow manner, further tightening the pecs and the muscles near your sternum. Cupping can release the diaphragm, which inflates the lungs without causing discomfort from manual treatments near the ribs.
Emotional Safety
For some people, deep tissue body work can cause anxiety, particularly if they have been physically or sexually abused. It may be triggering to be touched or massaged in some areas, causing the body to feel under stressed and threatened.
Cupping provides a safe, gentle way to treat muscle tension with minimal human contact as patients learns to feel safe in their bodies again.
Improved Skin Appearance
Cupping can decrease varicose and spider veins. These are often blue, twisted lines caused by inefficient blood flow in the veins, and are visible through the skin. Cupping increases blood flow and oxygen levels. It can also reduce stretch mark scars because of benefits to the lymphatic system.
Reduced Stress
Stress triggers your sympathetic nervous system, causing flight or fight responses. But, cupping engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms you down. Reducing anxiety can help you think more clearly and work efficiently. It can also help you digestive system work efficiently, meaning you have the energy you need to reach your deadlines.
When combined with chiropractic care, the benefits of cupping during therapeutic massage are accentuated. Chiropractic treatments address the alignment of the spine and ensure the smooth functioning of the nervous system.
The soft tissue work achieved through massage therapy cupping complements this by ensuring that the muscles and fascia are free from tension and constriction.
This harmony between skeletal and muscular systems ensures that the body functions at its optimum, reducing pain and promoting overall health.
We’re Here To Help
The combination of cupping and chiropractic care offers a two-fold approach. Chiropractic care ensures structural integrity and optimal nervous system function.
Massage therapy cupping addresses the soft tissue components, ensuring they are nourished, relaxed, and free from tension. This synergistic approach not only addresses immediate concerns but also promotes long-term wellness.
Call 417 Spine to schedule an appointment and start conquering your pain.
