So what is cupping and why do we use it? Cupping is a form of traditional Chinese medicine, which involves applying glass or plastic cups using suction to the skin to encourage smooth energy flow; it stimulates your Qi as the cups are placed along the meridian lines of your body. This dissipates stagnation of blood and lymph fluid, promotes blood flow, eases stiffness, encourages better circulation to muscles and tissues, and feels great. It leaves a purple bruise and “cup” mark, only temporarily.

As a real life example-In 2012, during the London Olympics, acupuncture was widely acknowledged in the Olympic community as an extremely beneficial solution to guaranteeing a higher level of athletic performance. Since London, more and more Olympic athletes have been turning to the needle to and have been receiving excellent results.

Wang Qun, an Olympic swimmer for the Chinese team has been known to perform in events with cupping marks still present on her skin. In addition to Qun, other members of the Chinese Olympic Team use acupuncture, most notably being windsurfer Yin Jian, a gold medalist in the 2008 Olympics. Jian attributed nightly acupuncture with helping her achieve success and curing the muscle strains she experienced on a daily basis.

Carleton uses cupping when the condition is very difficult to treat and when acupuncture alone isn’t working as well as he would expect. He uses it primarily for musculoskeletal conditions where the muscles are tight and “adhered” or stuck together, to help loosen them and create flow throughout the body.  If you are curious about cupping, just ask Carleton and he can show you how it works!