What is Cupping?

​Anne uses fire​ to safely create a negative air pressure vacuum in the cups, which are then brought to the skin​ suctioning and drawing up muscle ​as well as the thin covering (​fascia​) which often gets “glued down” and prevents blood flow to freely nourish muscle.

The “knots” we experience often contain stagnant blood, as evidence when the cup draws up dark purple dots to the skin. One will notice where stagnation or pain occurs, there will be darker, or older stagnant blood deposits, which is not the same as a bruise. Bruising occurs when the skin is impacted, and this drawing out of old stagnation is called the Sha. Think of cupping as a detoxifying massage in reverse.  Cups can be used to draw out early colds, known as flash cupping, or to draw out old injury and knots, tension and toxins.

Here are some common uses for cupping:
​*  Athletes pre/post training support and rehabilitation
*  Pain in neck, shoulders, hips, legs
*  Early Colds and Illness
*  Increasing Circulation
*  Frozen Shoulder
*  Cystic Fibrosis
*  Post Operation for Shoulder injury
*  Detoxify (smoking cessation, etc)

What does it feel like?

Cupping feels like a tight suction, there is a strong sensation but many report it is a relieving feeling, not painful. The result from cupping can be soreness, which is from the fascia, muscle and tissue being moved, this is a normal expectation. One should keep the area covered and not expose to water for 24 hours. One can also expect marks from the sha, which look like bruises. ​

​Should I try Cupping?

If you have had a long standing throb in neck hips back or shoulders that remains unmoved by massage or stretching, you may be an excellent candidate for cupping. Cupping has many uses, and Anne is trained to lightly or deeply cup depending on your comfort level. She has cupped hundreds of people, for over 8 years, from children to the elderly safely and professionally. ​
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Are there Contraindications?

Some skin issues are not suitable for cupping, lack of muscle, or areas that have hair are not good for cupping, this can be determined during session. While fire is used, precautions are taken and burn cream is applied to prevent burns.

​Why Cupping?

Many people report deep relief from long standing knots and muscle pain, faster detoxifying and freedom of movement. Cupping is part of a regular treatment. You can combine it with acupuncture or take a full session for cupping, the price per sessions are the same regardless. Each session will have an intake and treatment and can include any of Anne’s offerings including essential oils, acupuncture, cupping, yoga mentoring and more.

What to look for when choosing a practitioner:

1. Experience. Anne has been cupping everyone from children to athletes for the past 11 years, including baseball players, rotator cuff repairs, back, neck and hip issues, the list goes on and on.
2. Confidence. Cupping with fire is the absolute echelon of the art, fire is detoxifying in itself, and a good suction with the right movement of the cups can be the difference from a neat sensation and a transformation. See this video of Michael Phelps getting fire cupped, this is the kind of cupping Anne rocks.
3. Testimonials. Make sure you’ve researched the education and efficacy of your practitioner.  Anne has a 3 year 1500 hour degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has logged hundreds of hours to this art. Check out the testimonial at the top of this page.
4. “Dry Needling” is acupuncture practiced by someone without proper training and has been discredited by the AMA. If you are receiving dry needling, you should not also do acupuncture.

Please note:

1. “Dry needling” is acupuncture performed by non-acupuncturists, and has been discredited by the American Medical Association. Unfortunately, it has been approved by many medical insurances and providers. Acupuncturists must undergo 3 years of training and over 1500 hours of practice to provide painless, safe treatment. “Dry Needling” is taught over a weekend or two. Without the full system of acupuncture, dry needling is not recommended.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Acupuncture is more than 2,000 years old and one of the most commonly used medical procedures in the world. The result is often a feeling of overall peacefulness, wellness, and more energy.

All treatments begin with a comprehensive overview of the entire body, including mental and physical considerations, so that we may find the root cause.  Hair-thin, relatively painless needles are applied to some of 365 points on 14 meridians throughout the body, each corresponding to an internal organ. The result is a balancing of the system: tonifying under-active organs, calming overacting aspects and expelling pathogens.

Needle-shy? No problem. There are many non-invasive modalities of Chinese Medicine,  like cupping, and we will go at your pace.