Cupping

Cupping is a lesser know treatment that forms part of Oriental Medicine. Glass cups are placed on the body and create suction to the skin and underlying tissue. Cupping can be used to disperse and break up stagnation and congestion in the blood, fluids and soft tissues of the body. This technique can also help to detoxify the skin and improve circulation.

Cupping May Be Beneficial for;

• Sore tight muscles

• Cough and phlegm stuck in the lungs

• Muscle and joint pain

• Pregnancy related muscle and joint pain

• Post illness recovery

Both Moxibustion and Cupping therapy are relaxing, usually pain free treatments. These techniques are often applied in conjunction with Acupuncture, but can act as stand alone treatments if needles are not desired.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is another technique used in Oriental Medicine. It is a form of heat therapy, whereby compacted dried plant material is burned near the surface of the skin. The aim is to warm and invigorate the flow of Qi (energy) in the body, warm up local tissue and dispel certain pathogenic influences.

Moxibustion can also be explained through the idea that heat from the burning moxa causes dilation of the nearby blood vessels to encourage greater blood flow into a certain area or region of the body. This allows for old stagnant blood to be removed from an area and new fresh vital blood to move in and nourish the target tissue, whether that be muscle, bone or organ.

Moxa is usually made from the dried leafy material of Chinese mugwort (Artemesia argyi or A.vlugaris) and is burned in the form of a stick (like a cigar) which the practitioner holds close to the body. Moxa can also be applied to an acupuncture needle in the form of a charcoal type nub that sits on the end of a needle.

When is Moxibustion Used?

When conditions, illnesses and injuries present with a “cold pattern,” which is determined by Chinese Medicine assessment and diagnosis.