Accident Recovery – Cupping
I’m Ed Smith, an Auburn Car Accident Lawyer. If you watched the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil you may have noticed some strange round marks all over the skin of certain athletes. Everyone curiously stared at Michael Phelps as he stepped up to the blocks with these perfectly circular bruises on his back and shoulders. Those marks are nothing revolutionary but are actually left by a therapeutic technique that has been around for thousands of years called cupping.
What is Cupping?
Cupping is the use of negative pressure or a vacuum to provide many therapeutic benefits. Many ancient civilizations used cupping methods as a form of medicine including Egyptian, Middle Eastern, and Chinese cultures. The therapist will place the cups on your skin after burning cotton, alcohol, or herbs inside and as the air cools inside the cup it creates a vacuum which will pull skin and underlying tissue up into the cups. Some modern cupping sets use a hand pump and rubber valve to create the vacuum instead of flames while others are flexible and are made to move around and slide across the skin with oil or lotion.
Benefits of Cupping?
Advocates of cupping therapy claim a lot of the same benefits that come from massage are also provided by cupping. When skin and underlying tissues are exposed to the negative pressure they are lifted away from the body which allows for better blood flow and lymph circulation. Lymph is the fluid that lies between tissues and helps remove cellular waste. White blood cells then clean up the waste and return the fluid back to the blood stream.
The lifting away of the skin also can also loosen adhesions and muscle tightness. Adhesions are caused by a buildup of scar tissue after an injury. A protein called collagen forms bridges throughout the injured area to stabilize it. These bridges, or adhesions, can seriously inhibit movement and need to be broken down and metabolized by the body to restore proper function and range of movement. To break them down, movement and massage are really effective along with cupping. Ultrasound is also a great way to break up adhesions and scar tissue.
Cupping can also induce a relaxed state by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the opposite of the fight-or-flight system and is often called the rest and digest system. The muscles relax and the body’s energy is focused on repairing and resting. Many people also enjoy the sensation of a cupping massage. The flexible cups made from silicone can slide across muscles and specific areas of the body which feel like a massage only, instead of pushing and prodding, there is a gentle lifting and pulling.
Proof or Hoax?
While cupping has been around for thousands of years, not much research has been done on its actual effectiveness and mechanisms. What little research that has been done shows positive effects on those afflicted with shingles, acne, facial paralysis, and cervical spondylosis. No studies have been conducted that disproves the benefits of cupping but many researchers agree that more scientific studies need to be conducted to support the claims. Even with the lack of evidence, many people will testify to the effectiveness of cupping and the fact that it is a pleasurable experience. The placebo effect may be in play but can also aid in one’s recovery from a traumatic injury from a car accident by lifting spirits and giving a positive outlook on the oftentimes daunting healing process.
Auburn Auto Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, an Auburn Car Accident Lawyer. Recovering from an accident can be tough and expensive. If you find yourself involved and/or injured in one, do not hesitate to contact me for some free, friendly and no obligation advice at 530-392-9400 or 800-404-5400.
I’ve been a car accident, personal injury, and wrongful death lawyer for the Auburn area for 35 years. My past verdicts & settlements page can show you what I can do for you after a traumatic incident such as a car accident.
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I am also a listed attorney on milliondollaradvocates.com.
Check out my webpage, www.autoaccident.com for other great articles and news reports for the people of Northern California.
Information Sources:
- https://www.cuppingtherapy.org/pages/about.html
- http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/cupping-therapy#2
Image Attribution: By Markgran – Wikimedia Commons
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