What is Cupping?
Cupping therapy uses small suction cups on the skin to ease muscle tension and get blood moving. We offer it at our East Village clinic, which is open seven days a week.Cupping can be used for a wide range of health problems. It was famously used in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to alleviate athletic injuries and pain. We sometimes employ cupping therapy at the end of a treatment to balance out the system and get blood moving or to treat respiratory diseases like the
common cold, pneumonia and bronchitis, as well as back, neck, shoulder and other musculoskeletal pains.
What to expect in a treatment
When you arrive for a cupping session your practitioner will discuss your condition and goals for the session. They will then apply small plastic suction cups to your skin. The cups don't hurt but they do pinch a little bit. Most patients find the sensation enjoyable. We like to describe it as a backwards deep tissue massage- the cups are pulling rather than pushing.
When the suction cups are removed they will leave marks on the skin. Some people describe them as bruises, but they are a more productive than bruises and can be used diagnostically as well. The color of the marks left on the skin gives us information about the condition of the muscle. Please be sure to keep the cupping marks warm and covered for a couple of days. It is a great idea to bring an extra scarf to your session. It is also important to drink a lot of water after the cupping session.
The kinds of cupping
Face cupping
We offer facial cupping at our clinic and find it can be very helpful at releasing tight muscles associated with TMJ. We also use facial cupping as part of our facial rejuvenation acupuncture sessions. this can release tight facial muscles in order to lessen fine lines and wrinkles.
Dry vs Wet cupping
Wet cupping is when the skin is punctured prior to a cup being placed over it. This method is used to release stagnant blood and can be very helpful at treating old injuries. While all or our practitioners are trained in wet cupping it is not something that we use with any regularity at our clinic. If you are interested in this it is best to discuss it with your practitioner.
Dry cupping simply refers to cupping. We use dry cupping to treat other conditions, including insomnia, depression, hypertension, Bell's palsy, asthma and many more. Cupping can also help to release trigger points, which helps to relieve neck and back pain.
Sliding cupping
This is when massage oil is placed on the skin prior to the cups being applied and the cups are slid along the surface of the skin while they have some suction. Sliding cupping is offered at our clinic.
Cupping with acupuncture
In traditional Chinese medicine cupping is most often combined with an acupuncture treatment, and you can book the two together in one Acupuncture Plus session. It runs 45 to 60 minutes, which gives your acupuncturist time for both.
How Cupping Works
The cups create a vacuum on the patient's skin to dispel stagnation. Old injuries, illnesses, drugs ormedication can cause toxins, scar tissue and cell waste to build up in the muscle tissue or joints. This can lead to stagnation of blood and lymph movement in localized areas. Fire cupping therapy has been used for thousands of years to relieve the stagnation and create better Qi and blood flow, allowing the toxins to be released so healing can begin. In recent years fire cupping has been integrated into physical therapy treatments as well as an integral part of pain management. A western way of thinking about this: the skin is the body's largest organ, it contains about 20% of your blood volume, and its network of capillaries transport all the toxins that cupping pulls up to the liver and kidneys, where they can be metabolized and excreted.In our New York City clinic we see a lot of stagnation. People are stressed and hold this tension in their muscles. The marks left by the cups can be used diagnostically, indicating the level of blood and Qi stagnation, dampness or toxin accumulation in your body. The color and pattern of the marks reflect the level of stagnation in that area. Slightly red cupping marks indicate healthy blood circulation. The darker the marks, the more severe the stagnation. If we observe very dark cupping marks we will add more cups to that area. We may also ask that the patient return a week later for a follow up. The location of the stagnation in relationship to acupuncture channels gives us further information about the patient's constitution.
What it Costs:
Cupping session: $65. Duration 30 minutes, but allow for 45. After your consultation you will be given a treatment plan with a recommendation of how often you should come in for treatment, based on your treatment goals and your specific condition.
Cupping with acupuncture (Acupuncture Plus session): $105. Student and senior pricing: $95. Duration 45 to 60 minutes. This session combines an acupuncture session with another modality such as cupping therapy. Booking an Acupuncture Plus session may be recommended if your acupuncturist feels
that you require more time for one of the following: two needle sets (treatment of both sides of your body), cupping, guasha, trigger points, dietary consults.
Book an Acupuncture Plus Session with Cupping
* Seniors are 65 years and older, full time student, I.D. is required
* Students and seniors can book Tuesday to Friday before 2pm
We offer discounts of 10, 15 or 20% when sessions are purchased in packages of 3, 5 or 10 sessions.
Common questions
Does cupping hurt?
The cups don't hurt, but they do pinch a little bit. Most patients find the sensation enjoyable.
How long do the marks last?
The marks left by the cups vary a lot from person to person. Some patients don't see much of a mark at all and some patients have a dark round mark that tends to fade over a few days and is usually gone after a week.
How often should I come?
After your consultation you will be given a treatment plan with a recommendation of how often to come in, based on your goals and your specific condition. If we see very dark marks, we may ask you to return a week later for a follow up.
Can I combine cupping with acupuncture?
Yes. In traditional Chinese medicine cupping is most often combined with acupuncture. Book an Acupuncture Plus session and your acupuncturist will have time for both.
Is cupping a massage?
Not exactly, though many patients compare it to one. We like to describe cupping as a backwards deep tissue massage, because the cups pull rather than push.
What should I do afterwards?
Keep the marks warm and covered for a couple of days. A scarf is a good idea. Drink a lot of water after your session.
Finding us
We are at 155 East 2nd Street in the East Village, a short walk from Union Square, the Lower East Side and Soho. Our closest subway stations are the 2nd Avenue F train (exit at 1st Avenue), and the JMZ trains at Essex Street/Delancey.
We are open seven days a week.
Spring tune up
When the seasons change we can feel it in our bodies, this is a good time to get ahead of seasonal issues like allergies.
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I am late to trying acupuncture for my sciatic pain. After spinal injections and chiropractor manipulations did not work, I had 75% relief after my first session. Donna Nield is amazing and knowledgeable as is her colleague Brian. I have recommended them to several friends in the New York City area who are also pleased with how well they feel after their treatments. The staff is professional and lovely.
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