Home Cupping & Guasha
The fascial layer in between our muscles can become stiff from too little movement every day or as a result of surgery. They get tight and become knots. Both cupping and guasha use pressure to break up these knots and promote fresh blood flow to the tight and painful areas to heal the tissues.
Due to the blood flow promoting property, cupping and guasha are also used when there’s an invasion of cold (usually during the cold/flu season). However, it might cause extreme fatigue, make sure to check with your acupuncture practitioner if this is for you.
There are different types of cupping, each is unique in its own way. Fire cupping has a warming property, bamboo cups can be soaked with different herbs, silicone cups can glide easily, and plastic cups are user-friendly.
Cupping is usually done on a larger area of the body such as back or upper legs. Guasha is done on smaller areas such as face, neck, or forearms.
For home use, I recommend plastic cups, they are inexpensive and easy to use. As for guasha, any dull-edged ceramic or stone tool would work well (for example a ceramic spoon).
Side effects:
lightheadedness - a common side effect that occurs right after a cupping/guasha session, take your time getting up from a horizontal to a vertical position.
muscle soreness - drink plenty of water with minerals.
fatigue - rest after a cupping/guasha session, light stretching is okay, however, no energy-consuming activities should be done.
redness - depending on the severity, the skin might turn different colors ranging from pink to red to purple, the more stagnation it is, the darker it gets. To help with this, make sure to cover the marks, do not take a cold shower or expose them to cold air, increase stretching and movements in your daily activities, and hydrate. The color should lighten up and fade away after 2-7 days.
let the marks heal completely before working on that part of the body again.
My favorite at-home cupping sets
Cupping Workshop
I teach the public how to use cupping at home safely and effectively.
These workshops are offered throughout the year, check the Events page for the next one.
Cupping Photo by Canva.com