Fire Cupping is a modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been around for thousands of years.

Unlike most traditional manual therapy techniques, which compresses tissue (massage therapy), cupping provides negative pressure to skin, muscles and connective tissue. Glass cups or jars are placed on the skin to create suction; this creates a negative pressure which lifts the skin and tissue.

To create the suction, a cotton swab is soaked in rubbing alcohol and lit with a small flame. The swab is then moved in and out of the cup to remove oxygen. Once the oxygen has been removed, the flame is extinguished and then the cup is placed on the skin over areas of pain, discomfort, tension or trigger points.

 By lifting the skin and increasing the volume of space underneath the skin, pressure is decreased on the pain receptions, fluid movement (blood flow and swelling) is improved, and pain is often lessened. By improving the circulation to an area, more nutrients can enter the injured area, and more waste products are able to be flushed, potentially allowing for faster healing.

What are the benefits of cupping?

• Increased circulation of fluids
• Decreased muscle tension and pain
• Increased Relaxation

What are some common conditions that are treated by cupping?

• Muscle tension
• Trigger points
• Pain from various degenerative conditions
• Tension or headaches
• Stress and anxiety
• Plantar Fasciitis (a disorder of the connective tissue which supports the arch of the foot)

Do you want to try fire cupping?

Book a fire cupping appointment with Acupuncturist and Registered Massage Therapist Erin Hubbell at our north office. Fire cupping can also be added to a massage therapy or acupuncture appointment with Erin. Please contact us and we'll be happy to help you choose the best appointment type for your needs.

What our clients are saying:

“I had other cupping done and in the past and I found it very effective and helpful so I was eager to try fire cupping! The cups were slightly warm on the skin which I found to be very relaxing, and the suction was greater than previous cupping sessions using silicon cups. The next day my muscles had far less tension than they normally would have had. I really enjoyed fire cupping."

Shin splints is a common condition that is characterized by pain on the front of the lower leg (shin). This condition can be triggered by irritated muscles on the back of the leg (the calf). In the springtime we often see a lot of clients with this condition: people who are excited to get outside and enjoy outdoor activity, oftentimes after being less physically active during the colder months. When we change our level of activity and/or the types of activities we engage in, we can experience discomfort as our bodies adjust to the new demands.  

Here are a few things you can try to help prevent shin splints so you can enjoy the outdoors without pain!

Tendonosis is a common and painful condition where the attachment site of a muscle to a bone (the tendon) gets damaged. Previously, these types of injuries were referred to as "over-use" injuries, but that term is no longer believed to be correct. We now know that tendonosis is due to overloading of a tendon.The injury is not caused because a person is using their tendon too much, the injury is caused because they are using their tendon in a manner that it is not designed for or ready for. 
 
Let's look at walking for an example. Many people can walk for an hour with little to no discomfort. During this walk, the muscles of the legs are supporting 100% of the person’s body weight with every step that is taken. Now if we compare that to trying to hold a "wall sit" position or a half squat position, most people will fatigue and have to stop within minutes. A wall sit, or half squat, use the same legs muscles, still only support 100% of the body weight, but they are so much harder to maintain over time. This is primarily due to physics (the angles of the hips and knees), the fact that the muscles are forced to be constantly engaged and holding instead of contracting and relaxing, and that we simply don't do wall sits very often compared to walking. The contrast between walking and holding a squat highlights how it is not always a "weak muscle", or an "over-used" muscle that causes a tendon injury, but rather, a muscle that is used in a way that it is not prepared for or designed for, and is ultimately overloaded.

Walking vs. a wall sit: many people can walk for hours with little to no discomfort. A wall sit engages the same muscles and supports the same amount of a person's weight as walking, yet most people fatigue and have to stop within minutes.