In the treatment of the symptoms of fibromyalgia, it is just as important to know what medical treatments will work best for you as it is important to learn the alternative therapies that can provide relief for the symptoms. This is because unlike conventional drugs and treatments a wide range of alternative treatments do not have any negative side effects.
For some sufferers of fibromyalgia, there are a lot of alternative remedies available that are powerful enough to alleviate pain. Cupping therapy, which has turned into a very popular therapy for fibromyalgia patients, is one such therapy.
What is cupping therapy?
A healing technique that’s a part of TCM or traditional Chinese medicine, cupping therapy involves the use of glass cups heated and applied to the skin to help restore proper circulation, clear toxins, and relieve pain in the body. Heat is applied inside the cup creating a vacuum inside the cup. Then the cups are placed on selected trigger points (or acupuncture points in acupuncture) and left in place for about 10 to 15 minutes.
The two most commonly used forms of cupping are:
1. Stationary cupping – In this type of cupping, glass cups are applied to the skin and remain stationary till the end of the treatment.
2. Massage cupping – In massage cupping, the glass cups are moved around the site of the problem in a massage-like movement help massage painful muscles and joints.
How is cupping session therapy administered?
Cupping therapy is usually done with the following tools: matches, candles, rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and glass cups. It is performed in the following manner:
1. First, the practitioner soaks a cotton ball in alcohol and a burning candle is used to set the cotton ball on fire.
2. The practitioner holds the lit ball inside the cup creating a vacuum within the cup.
3. The cotton ball is removed once a vacuum is created and the cup is quickly placed on the acupuncture point on the skin.
4. During a session, four to six cups are usually used and left in the body for fifteen minutes more or less.
While cupping therapy uses fire for healing, it is actually not a painful form of treatment for most people. In fact, the only thing a person may feel is the suctioning sensation of the cup while it is placed on the skin. After the procedure, the patient may sport red circle marks on his skin due to the cups. Those circle marks disappear after a few days. Chinese practitioners actually believe that the marks are a sign that blood circulation has improved inside your body.
Cupping Therapy for Fibromyalgia
After a cupping therapy session, patients often report a feeling of deep relaxation. The areas that have been targeted for treatment also feel agile and light. This is because cupping has the ability to foster speedy healing of ligaments, tendons, and muscles, to eliminate toxins from the body, and to increase blood flow.
These are the additional benefits that fibromyalgia sufferers can get from cupping:
Alleviation of stress
Less feelings of anxiety and depression
Enhanced overall range of movement and muscle flexibility
Decrease of painful trigger points
Stiffness and pain relief for tissues and muscles
For people with fibromyalgia, cupping is an extremely safe treatment as it does not exacerbate their ailments.
One should not administer cupping therapy on their own, nor should anyone allow someone not qualified to perform the therapy on you or anyone else. If you are seeking cupping treatment for your fibromyalgia, you need to search for a qualified therapist. You can find one in holistic treatment centers and in local clinics. You may also ask your massage therapist if he or she has been trained in this healing art or they know as qualified cupping therapist. You can also search online and type in “cupping therapy” and your location as the main keywords.