What are those round bruises that Michael Phelps and other Olympic athletes have all over their bodies?  If you’ve been watching the Olympic Games, you may have noticed some strange, weird bruises on the backs and arms of some athletes, particularly swimmers.  So what are these strange marks?  Are the athletes adding their own “Olympic Rings” to their bodies?

This is from Cupping Therapy.  Cupping Therapy has been practiced for thousands of years with roots in Egypt, China, and Greece.  This is a suction therapy that that has been used throughout history to help a number of ailments.  In ancient cultures, bones, animal horns, seashells, nuts, bamboo, and gourds were used to “purge bites, pustules, infections and skin lesions from the body.”  Western medicine has since adopted this therapy, and uses “suction cups” to continue this practice today.

So what does Cupping Therapy do to benefit you?

• Drains and moves fluids
• Relieves Inflammation
• Expels Congestion
• Breaks Up Scar Tissue
• Stretches Muscles and Connective Tissue
• Loosens Adhesions
• Nourishes Blood Supply to the Skin
• Clears Stagnation
• Increases circulation
• Myofascial  Release
• Lymphatic Drainage
• Detoxification Treatment
• Olympic athletes can use these methods to increase muscle endurance, circulation, lung capacity, lymphatic drainage, and help them to achieve peak performance and ability to recover quickly after strenuous activity.

A Therapeutic Effect is proud to now offer Cupping Therapy as a way to help improve your overall health and wellness.  When you arrive for a Cupping Therapy treatment, you can expect small, plastic suction cups to be places on various areas of your body, depending on where you would like the treatment and where it is needed.  Air suction is produced from a small pump (this is not the same as wet or fire cupping).  Cups will stay in place no longer than 5 minutes on each spot.  This service can be an add-on to a massage treatment, or can be a full treatment on its own. For more information or to schedule your Cupping Therapy appointment, call A Therapeutic Effect at (717) 285-9955.