Cupping is used to remove toxins and help energy move around the body. The technique stimulates blood flow, relaxes congested muscles, treats stiffness in the body and relieves pain.
Glass cups are heated then placed on a specific area that needs treating, or on acupuncture points, creating suction. The skin and superficial muscle is sucked into the cup, counteracting stagnant energy.
Well Woman may use traditional cupping, moving oil cupping or needle cupping depending on the diagnosis you present.
Cupping treatment causes no pain, but there can be a sensation of tightness on the area that has been sucked up into the cup, which is relieved when the cup is removed.
After cupping, it is normal to experience bruising on the skin that can vary in colour from light pink/brown to bright red or dark purple. Practitioners see the bruising as a reflection of the degree of stagnation or otherwise in the patient in that area. The bruising, though, doesn’t feel painful, but it can look rather startling!
Cupping therapy works by lifting the body’s connective tissue, loosening any adhesions and restoring blood flow to areas of the body that have been restricted.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing. Moxibustion has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years; in fact, the actual Chinese character for acupuncture, translated literally, means “acupuncture-moxibustion.” The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of qi, and maintain general health.
Tuina Massage
Tuina (pronounced “twee nah”) is a form of Oriental bodywork that has been used in China for centuries. A combination of massage, acupressure and other forms of body manipulation, tuina works by applying pressure to acupoints, meridians and groups of muscles or nerves to remove blockages that prevent the free flow of qi. Removing these blockages restores the balance of qi in the body, leading to improved health and vitality.
Chinese Dietary Therapy
Chinese dietary therapy is an integral part of any complete treatment plan. The earliest written record is Sun Simiao’s Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold, published in 652 A.D., in which he discusses the treatment of a variety of diseases through diet.
In the traditional system of dietary cures, foods have been organized into categories based on their innate temperature, energetics (the direction in which they move qi and how they affect qi and blood flow), and the organs they affect
Exercise and Lifestyle Advice according to Chinese Medicine
The TCM approach to healthcare is not that different from the general outlook of Western approaches. It considers that appropriate exercise, diet, relaxation, social relationships, and habits all play a part in promoting or hindering the healthy flow of Qì in the body.
