Cupping  For Therapy and Treatment

History of cupping therapy
       Cupping is an ancient Chinese therapy that is recorded in many books, with a long story of more than 2,000 years. In the beginning, they brought hollow animal horns in order to make a box or cup, and then boiled it in water or heated by fire to create a vacuum. Later, they changed devices to use bamboo or glass cups instead, but they still heated them by fire ( fire cupping) or boiled them in water in order to create a vacuum in the cup, and cupping treatment to heal the areas of skin that have inflammation, abscess, thrombosis ( blood clotted)

Theory of vacuum cupping

             The theory of glass cupping is claimed to treat a broad range of medical conditions by using a vacuum system from glass cup heated by fire, the vacuum will lift the skin up, and the reactions from cupping the skin are as follows: -

1. Stimulating blood circulation on the area of skin that gets cupping treatment.
2. Improving the function of meridian points, nerve cells, and blood cells.
3. Activating the function of White Blood Cells in terms of killing pathogens and bacteria.
4. Some toxins will be released from skin which forms as water drops inside the cup, other toxin will be excreted from the body through urine and stool.
5. Wastes and toxins are excreted from the body through sweat, or eliminated in blood circulation and released from body through urine and stool.
6. Wastes and toxins are eliminated from vascular wall which enlarged blood vessels that normally affect blood circulation negatively functions better.
7. Body organs have a regular blood supply, which balances bodily function.

Benefits of cupping therapy

1. Effect to promote health in order to prevent any diseases. Body will have regular blood circulation after wastes and toxins are excreted from the skin that gets cupping, and the skin will function better in order to defend against having external
2. toxins absorbed through the skin easily. This results in an improved immune system.The results of cupping therapy are similar to an acupressure of soles and stimulating nerve cells to be active, as well as improving blood circulation function in order to supply body organs. This therapy releases concussion in pain areas, results in improved blood flow and oxygen transmission which reduces pain.

Diseases and conditions that can treated by cupping therapyare as follows: -

- Cold - Headaches - Gastrointestinal disease - Diabetes -Adhesive capsulitis(Frozen Shoulder) - Sinusitis - Acne - Enlarged prostate - Dysmenorrhea ( Menstrual Stomachache) -Neck and Shoulders pain

- Constipation - Insomnia (Sleeplessness) - High blood pressure - Paralytic - Waist pain - Tonsillitis - Sexual dysfunction - Menopause ( Golden age) - Obesity - Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease

          There are many body parts for cupping therapy, such as back, abdomen, chest, legs, arms, or other parts of body that have space to put cupping on, and also body areas that have pain.

Steps and Procedures of cupping therapy

1. Practitioners of traditional medicine will examine patients by Chinese medicine method in order to investigate the cause of disease.
2. A cotton ball that has been moistened with alcohol will be lit, and brought to the inside of the cup to create a vacuum. Afterwards, the cup is placed upside down immediately on the organs that need treatment, whereby muscles and skin on the treatment area will be lifted up by the vacuum inside the cup until the skin turns different colors (Sometime, practitioners apply herbal oil on the skin before treatment in order to move the cups around easily)
3. Duration of cupping treatment each time is 10-15 minutes. Patients will have different skin colors such as red, brown, purple, black, and other colors. Then those colors will gradually fade and disappear within 5-7 days. The different skin-colors can indicate the level of diseases, symptoms, and pain of those areas.

Cautions of Cupping therapy

Usually, 90% of normal people can be treated by cupping therapy, but pregnant women between 1-4 months can’t get this treatment, because the heat and vacuum pressure from cupping can affect the fetus, and might cause abortion. Skin infection patients can’t get this therapy either, because cupping can activate the growing of bacteria and virus on the skin.

Duration of therapy

             Therapy depends on symptoms and discretion of practitioners of traditional medicine. Normally, about 1-2 treatments a week and it should be a course of therapy in order to get the most effective results.  It is also recommended to treat alongside acupuncture.

A course of therapy = 10 treatments

Cost of Cupping therapy

1 treatment for 300 THB

Aromatherapy

          The word “aromatherapy” was first coined by a French chemist called RENE MAURICE GATTEFOSSE in 1928. It is the practice of using essential oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to balance psychological and physical well-being. Aromatherapy wasstudied based on the physiology of human beings where people respond to the sense of smell by the olfactory nerves which lie within the nasal cavity. Various smells come from flower pollen molecules, and the scent is carried directly to the Olfactory bulbs which are located at the back of the nose and connect to the Limbic system, which is the part of the brain that controls emotions and memories.

         Normally, respiratory function begins from inhaling and exhaling to obtain oxygen, and will be changed into energy inside the body. When people breathe in the air with pollutants, such as exhaust pipe smoke, cigarettes, intoxicating substances in the air, etc., toxic agents from the pollutants will remain in the respiratory tract. These affect the nervous system and limbic system, and can affect emotional conditions and the memory, which may cause mood swings. The respiratory system and the nervous system respond to bad smells and good smells similarly.

On the other hand, if people inhale good smells of essential oils extracted from various herbal plants, these smells can treat several health concerns. The herbal plants provide properties that have been proven by several institutions and which have been used for thousands of years in a variety of different applications.

Essential oils properties

 

       Once essential oils have been applied by massage, the oils will be absorbed into the skin, with several benefits, such as anti-bacteria, improvement of skin allergy, firming of skin. Since the smells of essential oils arrive to the Limbic system of the nervous system, the smells will relax the mind and body, providing refreshment, releasing stress and tension, etc. The essential oils are extracted from fruits, flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant. Nowadays, the most common technique to produce essential oils is the steam distillation method using chemical substances as a solvent, where the essential oils will be extracted and synthesized to several aroma oils that will be mixed and applied for aromatherapy as various applications and properties.

Therapeutic uses of aromatherapy

        Aromatherapy combines the art and science of essential oils together with massage. The purpose of therapeutic uses of aromatherapy is to balance body, mind, and emotion. There are various procedures of aromatherapy that have been studied and applied for thousands of years, as follows:

    1. Massage can heal some health concerns, since the fragrant essential oils with therapeutic value will be absorbed through the skin with a massage application, and provide relaxation.

    2. Baths by soaking the body in a Jacuzzi with warm water and essential oils, where the oils will be absorbed to the skin, to provide a refreshing feeling.

    3. Compresses, which is a herbal compress massage along with application of essential oils to certain areas of the body.

    4. Inhalations of fragrant essential oils for relaxation and refreshment.

    5. Vaporization, where some essential oils properties, such as antiseptics, which can eliminate microorganisms in the respiratory system.

    6. Aroma jar to provide a steam room with certain essential oils that act as antiseptic, which can eliminate microorganisms and reduce fatigue conditions.

    7. Herbal incense is blended with essential oils to refresh, revitalize, reduce stress and relieve fatigue.

    8. Essential oils are mixed with various cosmetics, such as creams, lotions, which can provide cosmetic products that can help benefit to balancing the skin condition.

There are various Aroma Therapy oils with different indications, as follows:

1. Geranium benefits - provides relaxation, relieves fatigue or weakness, reduces stress condition

2.Relaxing benefits - relieves headache and muscle pain, provides relaxation,  stimulates cell functions

3. Rosemary benefits - provides refreshment

4.Refreshing benefits - boosts energy, provides refreshment, increases sexual desire

5. Orange benefits - provides refreshment and relaxation, relieves headache and decreases appetite

6. Lavender benefits - releases tension, minimizes headache, sleeplessness (insomnia), sore muscles, controls blood pressure, and relieves normal colds

7. Peppermint benefits - provides revitalization, boosts energy, relieves stuffy nose and sore muscles

8. Lime benefits - relieves headache and tension, reduces headache, sleeplessness (insomnia), sore muscles, controls blood pressure and relieves normal colds

9.Energizing benefits - reduces weakness and fatigue, releases tension, refreshment, boosts energy

10. Romantic benefits – stimulates temper, increases sexual desire

11. Aromatherapy benefits - nourishes the skin, provides skin hydration, prevents skin dryness, reduces skin itchiness

Duration of therapy

             Therapy depends on the symptoms and discretion of practitioners of traditional medicine. Normally it is about 1-2 treatments a week and should be a therapy course in order to get the most effective results. 

                                  One course of therapy = 10 treatments

Cost of Aromatherapy

                                 An hour treatment for 700 THB