After, someone posted an image of an Olympic athlete with cup marks on his back on my facebook page, I thought I’d write a blurb on cupping therapy and how I use it in my practice.

Cupping was developed thousands of years ago with variations used by Asians, Egyptians, American Indians, Greeks, as well as other European countries. This treatment was used to relieve pain, pull toxins out of the body, stimulate blood flow, enhance circulation, and more.

 Cups may be parked on the skin (usually to remove toxins) or moved. When parked, the cups can cause the skin to temporarily look bruised. The skin discoloration will usually last a few days.

I refer to cupping as a “reverse massage”. Instead of applying pressure to the muscles, the cup’s suction pulls the muscle upward. Cupping many times is preferred and found extremely relaxing by clients who have sensitivity to pressure.

On clients who are experiencing pain or spasm I will many times use cupping therapy by moving the cups across overly tight areas to help soften the muscle tissue enough so that the knots can be worked out. I also use cupping for lymphatic detox massages.

Ask to experience “cupping therapy” during your next massage! 

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Angela J. Powers, CLMT
Owner, Inner Light Wellness Massage
Mesa, AZ

I have recently had several active clients complain of fatigue and muscle spasms either during or after exercise. 

Living in AZ, (the valley of the sun), with this time of year reaching temperatures of 110+ most days, and yes, it's a "dry" heat for the most part, the first question I ask is: "Are you hydrating enough?" 

In every case the answer is "Probably not." I then suggest that they try to drink electrolyte water or use the flavored tablets available at most markets here. 

In each case the client has returned after hydrating more, and report that the muscle spasms after exercise have ceased.

Do you know that if we only drink water when we are thirsty that we are always a bit dehydrated?

With the summer heat, drinking adequate fluid is essential when exercising. 

Depending on the intensity and duration of your form of exercise, you may want to supplement your fluid intake with electrolytes. (Gatorade, electrolyte tablets, etc.)

Here are a few signs of dehydration to watch for:

Dry mouth

Muscle cramps

Fatigue

Headache

Decreased urine output

More info from the Mayo Clinic website

Until next time, Be Well and stay hydrated!

Angela J Powers, CLMT
Owner, Inner Light Wellness Massage
Mesa, AZ