TREATMENTS

Massage Cupping is the combination of massage movements and negative pressure with the use of a suction device on the skin. Moving the Cupping vessels on the body for massage has been commonplace throughout history.

Almost any massage modality can be enhanced by the addition of negative pressure. Cupping can be combined or used as a supplement to traditional massage sessions. The results from the cups are comparable to other expensive and many times painful treatments that usually require large mechanical devices to deliver the results that you expect and want.

The intended suction can range from light to heavy. This, along with the movements performed and areas treated by the therapist will produce stimulating (toning) or sedating (draining) effects. It is very important that therapists be able to effectively assess the condition (physical, mental and emotional) of their clients, before the procedure, so they employ the proper application of the cups to produce the desired outcome.

The traditional application involves inserting a flame into a glass cup to heat the air and create a vacuum, whereas the manual vacuum cups employ a hand pump. Other manual cups being introduced include silicone, rubber, and glass cups with rubber bulbs. A cup is positioned at the area to be treated and, depending on the type of cups being used; a vacuum is created within the cup to draw the skin and underlying tissue into the cup. The produced vacuum creates a suction effect that increases blood and lymphatic circulation systemically and to the local area, relaxes muscle tissue and support, draws stagnation, pathogenic factors, and toxins out of the body, and releases a myriad of pain-causing factors.

Stubborn conditions that may have been present for decades are easily resolved with Cupping.

Nothing works better at opening up and releasing joints, connective tissue and muscles than the use of negative pressure and movement. Manipulation of the tissue during decompression and stretching the surrounding scaffold breaks up of Scar tissue, adhesions, trigger points, compacted muscle bands, and tension.

Specific Dynamic Cupping Methods developed by the ICTA with the use of EarthSpa’s Baguanfa Cups help to further increase range of motion, pain relief, and tissue metabolism.

In general, providing Cupping on the feet has been at best a difficult procedure due to the limitations with the tools available to practitioners. Now, with the continued development of EarthSpa Cupping equipment, decompression treatments on the feet has become a favorite throughout the health community and the public.

The PediCupping Protocol developed by the ICTA and taught in our workshop is a powerful synergistic treatment of Biomagnetic Reflexology, Dynamic Cupping and Plantar Fascial Release on the lower compartment and foot.

Foot problems like Plantar Fasciitis, Arthritis, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, Medial Calcaneal Nerve Entrapment, Foot Drop, Extensor Tendinopathy / inflammation, Midtarsal Joint Sprain, Tibialis Posterior Syndrome, Peroneal Tendonitis and inflammation and general overuse can now be addressed with modern cupping equipment.

Cupping is an excellent therapy for the digestive system and the structure of the stomach as a whole. Decompression techniques stretch the walls of the organs, thus sloughing off stagnant waste and mucus and overall increasing of activity of digestion.

People consistently report expelling an excess amount of waste following abdominal treatments with an increase of eliminations throughout several days following.

The opening and stretching actions of the abdominal vessels breaks up constipation, help moving the client through episodes of diarrhea, minimizes cramping pain during menstrual periods and releases gas causing distention and reduces systemic acidity.

Cupping is regularly and with great success, being used to help manage a variety of conditions such as IBS, Diverticulosis, GERD, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease

A Trigger Point is a hyperirritable spot, a palpable twisted knot in the taut bands of the skeletal muscles’ fascia that are very sensitive to palpation and feel like tough, dense knots along the muscle.

Trigger points develop as a result of muscular injuries, strains, and trauma. When muscle fibers, fascia, ligaments, or tendons become weakened, overstretched, or inflamed, tiny tears in the associated soft tissue can occur.

As the tissue heals it contracts and restricts fresh blood supply needed by the muscle cells. In addition, there is often a shortening of the muscle fiber to protect itself from further injury.

Gentle Cupping techniques easily decompact and unwind these bound up bundles of Fascia surrounding the nerves and muscles, solving the discomfort of force that traditional Trigger Point therapy creates.

Manual Lymphatic Draining (MLD) stimulates the body systems and enhances the regenerative healing process inherent to all well functioning biosystems. MLD treats fluid retention and redirects cellular by-products back into the circulatory systems to be effectively flushed out of the body.

Therapists that do Lymphatic Drainage know how difficult and time consuming this system is to treat with compression.

Cupping does the opposite. Cupping stretches open, rather than closing the lymphatic vessels. When moving through the watershed fluid is pulled along the opened passages. These actions dramatically increase the movement of lymph locally and systemically with cumulative treatments.

Increasing Lymphatic output increases the immune system’s ability to detoxify the body and respond to stressors put onto it by disease, chemicals, stress, and electromagnetic fields. Cupping provides the perfect solution to traditional MLD, speeding up treatment time with a far more effective outcome, and relatively painless for the patient.

Temporomandibular joint disease (TMJD) is defined as problems in the jaw when opening the mouth.

This joint acts like a hinge, connecting the jaw bone to the skull. This is caused by trauma to the jaw or teeth, grinding, dental issues, jaw clenching, poor posture, arthritis, whiplash and even stress can contribute.

Chewing and talking and can cause popping, clicking, and then at times the jaw gets stuck.

Cupping for TMJ can be extremely beneficial to people who suffer from this disorder. Suction helps to open up the joint, loosen the musculature and fascia around the jaw, increase circulation and drainage, relieve tension, release and calm the nerves involved.

Used in tandem with joint manipulation, the pressure and pain associated with TMJD’s are relieved as inflammation is decreased and nerves relax.

Cupping should not be done over an infected tooth as the infection can spread.

One traditional method of Cupping includes the combination of Thai Massage and Cupping together.

Practitioners have used different Cupping methods along with traditional Thai Massage movements for generations.

With the next generation of the flexible Baguanfa Cups, Cupping in concert with Thai Massage is less limiting in the scope of movements and stretches and is far easier to perform with less stress on the client and the practitioner.

As the popularity of Cupping has increased exponentially with the public over the last couple decades, it has concurrently drawn the attention of SPAs throughout the world.

Top-shelf Spa’s like Mandarin, Red Door and famous Gurneys to destination Spas in Costa Rica, Hawaii, Tokyo, Bali, etc, now offer numerous Cupping treatments, as stand alone or in conjunction with complimentary treatments. Even the Cruise Lines have Cupping Treatments on their Spa menus and of course smaller, more intimate Spas everywhere have signed on to the amazing power that Cupping can bring.

Adding Cupping into any topical body treatment not only enhances absorption of applied products, but assists in the drainage of stagnant fluids. When combined with any number of adjunct therapies, elements and topicals – Cupping brings a whole new level of positive outcomes and treatments potentials not previously conceived.

Essential Oils, Clays, Thallasso and Mud based blends applied over a series of treatments has proven to be extraordinarily effective in dealing with the effects of current lifestyles, such as weight reduction, detoxification, addictions, smoking cessation, and much more.

Cupping turns the luxury of the Spa into a true holistic, full system encompassing experience.

Although still in it R&D stages of development – Equine and Canine Cupping is showing extraordinarily promising results in the trial study cases underway.

EarthSpa R&D is working with a specialize machine that enables the therapist to do decompression work through the prepared haircoats of  horses and dogs.

Our Austrian partner at Schropfmaster, Georg Kreuzberger, developed a machine called the Cupping Master in 2017 designed with a powerful pump using pulsation.  Vacuum pressure as well as pulsation intervals are gradually adjustable.  The slow pulses have a calming effect on the animal and the treatment is very well accepted.

Once the ICTA has put this new application through sufficient testing, we will launch a training program and make available the techniques and equipment Equine Therapist can use to bring their practices to an elevated level.