Cupping vs Massage Therapy: Which is Best for You?
You know the saying, “old habits die hard”?
Well, this is extremely accurate and applies to everything in our lives, including the treatment methods we use to cope with physical pain. Massage therapy and cupping have been around for the longest time and are considered alternative medicine.
We’ll be discussing the benefits of both to help you decide what suits you best.
What is Cupping Therapy?
Chinese cupping, an ancient technique, has especially become popular nowadays as celebrities have hopped on the train of treating their pain naturally.
Michael Phelps, the now-retired and most-decorated American swimmer with total winnings of 28 medals, had prepared for the 2016 Olympics using cupping therapy.
It uses 3 to 7 cups that can be made from traditional materials, such as bamboo or ceramic, or modern materials like metal, silicone or plastic to create gentle suction on the body. It uses the negative pressure created by the cups to lift the muscle fibers.
Originally, fire had been used to create a vacuum inside the cup but was switched for auto-suction cups to avoid burns.
Cupping leaves behind bruising marks but isn’t really painful. They’ll start fading and be completely gone within 2 weeks to 10 days.
Types of Cupping
Practitioners use a variety of cupping techniques to treat different types of pain.
Dry Cupping
The skin is drawn into the cups for a small amount of time and once the vacuum inside is released, the muscles relax back into place.
Dry cupping can either be stagnant, where the cups stay in one place for the full treatment or dynamic, where the cups are moved around to stimulate the lymphatic system, organs, and blood vessels.
Wet Cupping
The practitioner performs dry cupping first and follows it with making tiny cuts using a scalpel or needles, which allows contaminated blood, toxins, and harmful substances to flow to the surface and drain from the patient’s body.
Benefits of Cupping
Cupping is used to relax muscles and relieve muscle spasms, increase flexibility, stimulate blood flow to create a healthy skin tone, as well as relieve respiratory conditions.
Research suggests that it was used to treat conditions such as acne, herpes zoster, and facial paralysis.
Drawbacks of Cupping Therapy
Wet cupping can cause infections, so it’s important to make sure that your practitioner is using sterilized tools and make sure to tend to the cuts made using antiseptic and bandages.
Performing cupping therapy on inflamed skin, burns, infections or open wounds can cause more damage than healing.
If using the traditional fire method, burns or burn marks can happen so if you don’t want those, opt for the cups with the suction pumps.
What is Massage Therapy?
We’ve all needed a massage to unwind from stress or anxiety.
It’s where therapists use their hands and fingers, maybe even elbows for the manipulation of muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Types of Massage Therapy
Different types of massages provide different benefits.
Swedish Massage
The therapist uses long strokes and kneading motions for the relaxation of the muscles and for energizing the body.
Deep-tissue Massage
The strokes are more forced to target deep muscle layers and connective tissue, which will help with healing muscle damage from injuries.
Sports Massage
It’s similar to Swedish massage but it’s performed for athletes to help prevent injuries or muscle damage.
Trigger Point Massage
Performed on tight muscle fibers, also known as trigger points, that are a result of overuse or injury.
Benefits of Massage Therapy
Massage therapy can help lessen the pain involved with specific medical conditions, as well as reduce stress, help with anxiety and depression, stimulate blood flow and provide relaxation.
Drawbacks of Massage Therapy
It’s generally safe for most people, but if you have a medical condition, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or severe osteoporosis, you should discuss with your doctor first if it’s a good idea to get a massage.
Massages can be a little intimate and will depend on how comfortable you are at being semi-naked in front of your massage therapist.
Cupping vs Massage: The Verdict
How you choose which type of alternative medicine you want, depends on your needs. If you’re feeling like unwinding or giving yourself some stress relief, a massage is perfect for you.
However, if you need to target something more specific, such as clearing out the toxins from your body, you should go for a cupping session.
You should also consult your doctor for any specific medical condition to help you decide which will be more in reducing the pain, especially if it’s chronic.