Cuppingmassage, wat is het? - Intertaping.nl

Cupping massage, what is it?

What is a cupping massage?

A cupping massage is a massage that uses cups made of glass, silicone or other material. These cups are placed on the skin and vacuum drawn.

This vacuum can be obtained in various ways, for example with a pump. The vacuum causes the skin and subcutaneous connective tissue to rise in the cup. This ensures that the blood flow in the treated area increases significantly. You can also use these cupping cups to loosen adhesions in the connective tissue.


How did cupping massage come about?

Cuppingmassage is an ancient, mainly oriental medicine. It was already part of traditional Chinese medicine way before Christ. Cups were heated and placed on the skin, after which they sucked a vacuum. Cupping massage was already given in ancient Arabia. Here, in particular, the law of cupping was given, whereby incisions were first made in the skin. By then vacuuming the skin, the 'bad' blood would be drawn out of the body.


But also in the Netherlands cupping massage was already used in the Middle Ages. Here too, cupping massage was seen as 'bleeding' and as part of curing disease.

Nowadays, both dry-cupping massages and wet-cupping massages are also done. You can read more about this under the heading 'Types of cupping massages'. In this blog we will mainly focus on dry cupping, where the skin remains intact. This is the method most commonly used in the Netherlands.


When do you do a cupping massage?

A cupping massage can be a stand-alone massage. But cupping massage can also be done as part of a different type of massage, such as a sports massage, complaint-oriented massage or connective tissue massage. Cupping massage can be used to reduce complaints. But a cupping massage is also recommended to promote the recovery of muscles and skin after exercise.

The demand for cupping massage is increasing. Offering cupping massages can therefore be a good extension of your massage practice!

More and more people are also doing at home cupping by himself. This is mainly aimed at reducing cellulite.

For which complaints do you do cupping massage?

A cupping treatment can have a positive effect in many areas. It is therefore used for various complaints. For example, a cupping massage can be very effective for:

  • neck complaints
  • headache complaints
  • Shoulder complaints
  • back problems
  • Arm complaints
  • muscle injuries
  • Cellulite
  • Adhesions of the connective tissue and complaints that arise from them
  • Scar treatment (older scars)
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Stretch marks
  • Wrinkles
  • Removing energy blocks

What is cupping good for?

Cupping has a strong effect on the skin and connective tissue. But cupping massage is also used to promote muscle recovery. In holistic massages, cups are used to remove energy blockages.

Cupping massage has a great effect on the connective tissue. In case of complaints caused by bonded connective tissue, it is recommended to give a number of cupping massages. A cupping massage can also help with long-standing or recurring complaints. In the case of long-term complaints, the connective tissue adapts and becomes tighter and stiffer, which also maintains the complaints. By intensively loosening the connective tissue by means of cupping, it is possible to break this circle.

Cupping massage can also be of added value for muscle complaints. The vacuum of the cups ensures that the blood circulation is strongly stimulated in a very local place. This encourages the body to remove waste products and supply nutrients at that location. This ensures that the recovery is accelerated.


Should I move the cups or not?


There are several options for giving a cupping massage. This way you can leave the cups on the skin. It is also possible to move the cups while they have been vacuumed. With this last method it is necessary to use massage oil.

Why do red round spots appear?

After a cupping massage you often see red round spots on the area that has been treated. These can even discolour to blue. This is because the blood flow in that place is strongly stimulated by the vacuum in the cups. These red spots occur to a greater or lesser extent and depend on the intensity and method of the cupping massage.

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