The Best Cupping Therapy in Austin
Athletes and people who work out regularly run the risk of developing tight, inflamed muscles. Cupping therapy is known to soothe and release these muscles while improving overall physical performance and relieving pain.
If you suffer from back, neck, or muscle pain from strenuous exercise or sports, consider a session of cupping therapy at the best massage clinic in Austin.
What is Cupping Therapy?
Simply put, cupping is the use of a vacuum to stimulate blood flow and release muscular tension. There are many different types of cups and cupping techniques in use today, including glass cups, bamboo, silicon, and pumping devices, but the main function is the same: flush and release.
During a cupping session, the massage therapist will create a vacuum between the cup and the skin. This pulls the skin, fascia, and superficial muscle layers into the cup. Blood rushes through the area nourishing the muscle, toxins release, and the muscle tissue relaxes.
What to Expect from Cupping
Cupping is a comfortable, relaxing, and releasing experience. Once secured on the skin, the cups may feel tight and you might notice a gentle pressure. Your massage therapist may leave the cups on for several minutes, or move them along the muscles similar to the stroking techniques of massage.
After your session, your muscles will likely feel free, open, and relaxed. You’ll likely feel loose and warm. Just like after a regular massage, it is important to take good care of your body after a cupping session. Plan to take it easy for the rest of the day, enjoy an Epsom salt bath, or practice a gentle yoga stretch before bed.
In some cases, especially after your first cupping session or if you have long-standing pain issues, you may experience soreness the next day. This is normal! Again, take it easy and keep the area warm and relaxed.
You will likely notice those infamous marks after a cupping session. While these marks look like bruises, they are not and do not hurt.
Benefits of Cupping
For such a simple and natural therapy, cupping offers a long list of benefits:
Improves Circulation. Even if you don’t suffer from pain, cupping therapy can be a great way to stimulate healthy circulation and blood flow as well as reduce inflammation. When things stop moving, they start to deteriorate. Cupping keeps your blood, muscles, and even digestion moving smoothly.
Releases Muscle Tension. While massage helps to relax muscles with downward pressure, cupping uses the inverse to release tension. Pain is caused by blockage, stagnation, and poor nourishment. With cupping, muscles are lifted up, allowing for open and free-flow between the muscle layers to relieve pain.
Detoxification. The suction from cupping removes old and stagnant blood from your muscle, fascia, and skin and brings it to the surface to be cleaned away by your immune system. Fresh and healthy blood flows into the muscles to regenerate and heal.
Relaxes the Nervous System. We are well aware that massage can be a great way to de-stress, but did you know that cupping also relaxes and sedates the nervous system? This makes it a great way to take a load off while lowering blood pressure and improving your overall health.
Is Cupping Safe?
As cupping grows in popularity amongst athletes and celebrities, the marks left from cupping are becoming quite trendy.
At first glance, cupping marks look like perfect circular bruises and might warrant some curious stares. Rest easy. These marks are not injuries but proof of the release of toxins and old blood that was congesting your muscle tissue. The vacuum of the cup pulls this blood out of the tissue, allowing fresh, healthy, oxygenated blood to rush into the muscle – thus healing injury and overuse.
The marks are temporary, lasting less than a week after treatment. Everyone’s cupping marks will look different; the darkness, color, and shape of the mark will depend on what is happening in the muscle tissue. Typically, the more severe the stagnation and pain, the darker and more purple a mark will be.
Mixing Cupping and Massage
At Mantis Massage, we love to use massage and cupping together to make for truly amazing results. Depending on your individual condition and health goals, we’ll determine what the best course of action will be to use our massage techniques along with cupping therapy to help your body heal even faster.
Schedule Cupping Therapy in Austin Today!
If you’re ready to try out cupping and see what the buzz is all about, look no further. Mantis Massage provides some of the best cupping therapists in the Austin area. Check us out in South Congress or Airport to earn your cupping marks!