Scottsdale Acupuncturist Chimes in on the Benefits and Hazards of Cupping

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Aug. 15, 2016 - PRLog -- It's been plastered across all forms of media lately: what are those red, circular bruises seen on Michael Phelps as his Olympic medal count continues to exceed any other athlete ever? The answer is cupping, an ancient Chinese Medicine treatment that has been around for centuries. But as the treatment (dubbed Myofascial Displacement – MFD – by the athlete's support team) gains overnight notoriety, it's important to remember that cupping is a medical treatment complete with benefits, intricacies and potentially hazardous side effects.

Cupping Basics and Benefits

Cupping is an ancient Chinese Medicine treatment that was traditionally used to purge toxins from the body. Later it was used for dispelling what is referred to in Chinese Medicine as "invasions to the body," more commonly known as everyday colds and flus, asthma, arthritis, inflammatory joints and headaches. Cupping then began being used to treat muscle tension, pain, injury and overuse.

The objective of cupping is simple: get the stagnant energy (referred to as "qi" in Chinese Medicine) and blood moving. This is done by placing special glass or rubber suction cups over the affected muscle areas. The cups draw blood to the soft tissue, allowing it to permeate the tissue fibers and increase blood circulation. The cups are removed after four to eight minutes if they left stationary. They can also be slid around the afflicted area and then be left on for up to 20 minutes. The body's natural reaction to the treatment is what causes the red marks: blood vessels bursting near the skin. These marks last up to five days. Slight muscle soreness may also occur, usually lasting just one to two days.

The cupping concept is that the treatment itself causes minor injury to the area, which initiates the body's natural healing mechanisms. Bodily fluids, blood and energy (qi) are sent to the area to enable healing. So what are the benefits of cupping for athletes like Michael Phelps? When the treatment is used before competition, it can loosen up muscles and tendons by getting fresh blood and energy flowing to the area, making muscles more limber and less prone to injury. After competition, cupping can speed up recovery by accelerating the body's natural healing process to repair and replenish tissue.

Dangers of Cupping

While these benefits are tremendous for athletes and average weekend warriors alike, it is not a treatment that should be taken lightly and without warning. There are side effects and the treatment is not safe for everyone. Cupping is a purging process, and just like any other purging process such as vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, or bleeding, too much can be depleting. And if the patient is already weak from illness or poor general health, cupping can be harmful and is not a good idea. There are other, safer ways to achieve the same results without further depleting the system.

Linda Lofaro (http://www.wholeselfacupuncture.com/whole-self/), a Scottsdale acupuncturist with a Master's degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and owner of WholeSelf Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (http://www.wholeselfacupuncture.com/), has been practicing cupping for many years. She is certified and trained to not just perform the treatments, but to first perform a complete intake examination with patients before starting any treatment. This is a critical step often missed when this treatment is performed by untrained practitioners.

The cupping procedure is very easy. Virtually anyone is able to do it. There are videos on YouTube showing how to provide treatment and you can purchase cupping tools on Amazon. The question is, how does the cupping practitioner know when it's right or not?

"Being trained to diagnose a health condition properly and understand the signs and symptoms of disease plays an important role in determining if cupping is the right approach," comments Lofaro. "If cupping is not right, a trained professional will be knowledgeable in alternative therapies that also increase blood and energy flow and initiate the body's healing process, like acupuncture, therapeutic massage and even electro stimulation."

The hazards of improper cupping haven't really been discussed as the treatment rises in popularity, but they can be serious. The dangers include: making a person weaker and more fatigued; the spread of infection; the spread of blood and fluid-borne diseases; sudden drops in blood pressure causing dizziness and lightheadedness; muscle cramping; and excessive bleeding and bruising (especially if the person is on blood thinners or has a blood disease). Even convulsions are possible.  Additionally, pregnant women should never be cupped on the abdomen, low back or several other locations of the body to avoid possible miscarriage or premature child birth. With these hazards in mind, it is crucial to get treated by someone trained in Chinese Medicine or at the very least, someone trained and certified in cupping.

For Linda Lofaro and regular patients at WholeSelf, cupping is primarily used as an adjunct treatment and only when it's appropriate. "Before any cupping treatment with a new patient, I perform a complete intake to understand whether or not it is the best approach and to what degree," Lofaro explains. Even if the patient doesn't want acupuncture, tuina massage or acupressure massage as alternative therapies, she modifies the cupping treatment accordingly based on the patient's condition. This level of expertise, knowledge and caring is not found with all cupping practitioners.

The bottom line: cupping is an excellent treatment for many patients when performed properly by a trained and certified practitioner. But it is a medical treatment and should be treated as such… benefits, side effects and all.

About Linda Lofaro and WholeSelf Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Linda Lofaro is a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist in Scottsdale, Arizona. Board certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM (http://www.nccaom.org/)), Linda has over 3,100 hours of training. She received a Master's degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the New England School of Acupuncture (NESA (http://www.nesa.edu/)); the first acupuncture school in the United States and one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the field. As a private practitioner under WholeSelf Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, Linda administers acupuncture, Chinese herbs, cupping, moxibustion (Moxa), Gua Sha, electropuncture and Tuina. As part of the WholeSelf holistic approach, she also counsels patients on diet, lifestyle and health goals. For more information, visit http://www.wholeselfacupuncture.com/.