Cupping in Alexandria VA

cupping therapyIf you’re suffering from acute pain, have tight muscles, or congestion (including chest and lung), consider cupping therapy at Back to Health Center. With roots in China, cupping has been used for thousands of years as an alternative form of medicine. The treatment involves placing cups on the skin to produce suction.

Licensed Acupuncturist and Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Joanie Stewart, provides this therapy at the practice and has approximately 4,000 hours of training in Acupuncture school. While in school she learned various modalities, including cupping.

What to Expect

During a session, Dr. Joanie will place a number of plastic cups on the treatment area and use a hand-held suction device to create a vacuum within the cup. This very gentle suction increases the blood flow to the area, loosens the tight muscles, and relieves pain and congestion.

The cups are left on the skin for about 15 minutes. Dr. Joanie may move the cups around to different areas of the skin during the session, which she always supervises. Acupuncture may or may not also be performed during the session.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it hurt to receive this type of therapy?

Though it’s not painful, the suction created during the therapy may cause some temporary discomfort.

How long will I have bruises?

Because cupping brings stagnated blood to the skin’s surface, increasing blood flow, it may cause temporary marks on the skin, similar to bruises. However, those marks usually resolve in a few days.

How many sessions will it take to get relief from pain or symptoms using cupping?

It’s impossible to predict, as everybody comes in with different stages of pain. For some people, their issues are resolved immediately or at least in one or two sessions. A more acute pain condition, for example, can be resolved more easily. The more chronic the condition or pain, the longer it will take to resolve.

Dr. Joanie’s approach is to offer each patient a number of sessions, measure progress after a few sessions, and then proceed from there. Noticeable progress is made with each session.

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Cupping Alexandria VA | (703) 683-7771