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What is Cupping and How Is It Related to Acupuncture? 

Cupping is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy that dates back to ancient Egyptian, Middle Eastern and Chinese cultures as far back as 300A.D.  TCM philosophy believes that pain results from the blockage of Qi, blood, or energy. You have all heard me say in relationship to acupuncture: “Where there’s stagnation, there is pain.  Where there is free flow there is no pain.”  

Cupping, like acupuncture is a method of clearing this blockage to restore the body’s natural flow of energy.  This is beneficial for health promotion, prophylaxis, and treatment of disorders such as back pain, knee pain, asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines, as well as high blood pressure.   

Recent researches show that cupping therapy helps to: 

  • Reduce muscle pain  
  • Improve blood circulation, promote cell repair and increase muscle relaxation 
  • Assist the lymphatic system to drain excess fluids and toxins 

Cupping has many musculoskeletal benefits.  It is helpful for chronic lower back pain, neck pain and fibromyalgia.  In addition, digestive symptoms such as bloating, gastric reflux and constipation conditions can be eased with cupping. Overall recovery from cough, asthma and the common cold can be improved with cupping as well as acupuncture. 

In a cupping session, inverted cups made of bamboo, glass, silicone or plastic are applied to the acupuncture points on the body to create suction. The suction of the cups pulls the skin upward as the suction increases. The suction opens up energy pathways in a similar way to acupuncture and is often used in conjunction with acupuncture to clear the energy channels and remove toxins from the body that are responsible for pain and disease. It has been used effectively for pain relief, increasing blood flow, chronic inflammation, enhanced relaxation, and improved quality of life. 

Cupping draws fluid into the area being worked on by the suction it creates.  This causes improved circulation and release of toxins. The discoloration that occurs after cupping is due to broken blood vessels just beneath the skin, much like a bruise.  These marks and their color, are diagnostic of toxins being released to the upper skin layer for the body to disperse. The marks tend to fade within days to a week.   

In the next article I will discuss the different types of cupping, coloration of cupping marks and their meanings.  Stay Tuned! 

 

Sources 

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/16554-cupping 

Harvard Health Letter https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-exactly-is-cupping-2016093010402) 

WebMD “Cupping” https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/cupping-therapy 

https://www.thomsontcm.sg/articles/what-do-your-cupping-colours-tell-you/#:~:text=These%20cupping%20marks%20are%20discoloration,of%20stagnation%20in%20that%20area. 

Gratitude’s Link with Love & Happiness

Morning sunriseA glass half full – grateful people have a particular view of the world and themselves. They choose to notice the positive things in the world and their own lives and have an appreciation for things that other people may take for granted. In a growing body of research, the importance of gratitude suggests that it is a cornerstone of positive psychology.

Love:  Research from Psychologists Dr. Robert Emmons from UC Davis and Dr. Michael McCullough from the University of Miami go so far as to say that not only does gratitude promote feelings of happiness and love but that it is also a form of love itself. Open communication is necessary for healthy relationships. People who focus on the positive qualities of their partners experience more feelings of closeness and are often more aware of their partner’s needs and wishes, resulting in healthier, happier, more intimate relationships.

In 2010, Dr. Sara Algoe of UC Berkley sampled 67 heterosexual couples who had been together for at least 3 months. The partners wrote in a diary every night for 2 weeks and recorded both their own and their partner’s thoughtful actions, their feelings toward the actions and how they felt about the relationship that day. This research found that gratitude reminds romantic partners of the quality of the relationship, the quality of the individual’s partner and enhanced feelings of closeness.

Other studies, like one by Kubacka, Finkenauer, Rusbult and Keijsers in 2011 showed that gratitude begets gratitude. Kind gestures toward a spouse led to feelings of gratitude (of course!) and that gratitude motivated the other spouse to reciprocate with kind gestures. None of that should be too surprising but the ultimate result was a positive cycle of gratitude and caring behavior that continued to increase.

5 Proven Health Benefits of Gratitude:

  • Improved sleep
  • Can strengthen your physiological well-being
  • Longevity
  • Increased Energy Levels
  • Increased likelihood of physical activity

Life Satisfaction:

Ever wonder how some people continue to stay genuinely happy, even though they get hit with hardship after hardship and other people seem miserable even though they have everything anyone could ever want. Studies show it may come down to gratitude. “A key determining factor of well-being is the ability to notice, appreciate and savor the elements of one’s life”, say Dr. Emmons and Dr. McCullough. Three studies conducted by the pair looked into whether focusing on negative or neutral life events versus focusing on positive ones can lead to improved psychological and physical function. All three studies concluded that “an effective way to produce reliably higher

Is practicing gratitude a cure-all? Of course not! But research demonstrates its many benefits with no drawbacks. It is a powerful tool that can be utilized to live a good, meaningful life.
One thing to consider is being gracious with yourself. Show some gratitude to YOU, and treat yourself to an acupuncture treatment. Give us a call today!
https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-research/

The Importance of Giving Thanks

Giving thanks can make you happier according to a Harvard study published in August of 2021. Often the holidays are associated with negative emotions such as sadness and anxiety due to seasonal depression or added family pressures, and of course, serious cases of depression should be dealt with the help of mental health professionals. But what about people who feel more down than usual this time of year? Research suggests that a fundamental element of the Thanksgiving season can truly improve your mood and overall outlook— giving thanks.

No matter your situation – try to be thankful for the great things and people that you do have in your life every day – it will probably make you happier. Gratitude is an appreciation that an individual has for the goodness in their lives and in positive psychology research, gratitude is very consistently correlated with higher levels of happiness. It can be applied to the past, present and future in the form of optimism. Regardless of your current relationship with gratitude, it’s a practice that can be learned and cultivated.

What does the science say? Psychologists Dr. Robert Emmons from UC Davis and Dr. Michael McCullough from the University of Miami are responsible for much of this research. In one study, participants had to write down a few sentences each week. One group recorded the things they were grateful for that had happened that week and a second group wrote down all of the irritating or negative things that happened to them. The third group was told to write about events that affected them with no emphasis on the events being either negative or positive. 10 weeks later, the group that wrote more about gratitude were more optimistic and positive about their lives. Interestingly, they were also more physically active and had fewer doctors visits than the other groups.

There are many social studies that have examined how thankfulness can improve an individual’s relationships. In one couples study, individuals who made it a point to express gratitude for their partners felt more positive toward the other person and were more secure in expressing concerns. In another social study at the University of Pennsylvania, two groups of fund-raisers were randomly divided into two groups. The first group made phone calls to ask for donations from alumni in the same way they usually did. But the second group received a pep talk from a director who told the fund-raisers how grateful she was for their hard work. After the fundraiser, it was found that employees who received the message of gratitude made 50% more calls than the other group.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier

Gratitude helps people deeply appreciate what they already have, as opposed to constantly looking for new things, people or achievements to stimulate short term positive emotions. Being thankful is a way to focus on what you have, not what you lack, and it’s a mental state that grows stronger with use.

Show some gratitude to YOUR body and mind. Treat yourself to an acupuncture treatment. Give us a call today!

Auricular Acupuncture…With or Without Needles

acupuncture points on the ear
Are you interested in the benefits of Acupuncture but have a fear of needles?

Auricular Acupuncture may be just what the doctor ordered!  Auricular acupuncture is acupuncture that focuses on acupuncture points in your ears.
It involves either the use of small hair thin needles or the use of vaccaria ear seeds (no needles) at specific points along the pathways of energy in the body called meridians.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a blocked or disrupted flow of energy (qi) can have a negative effect on your physical and mental health.  Acupuncture aims to restore the flow of qi by resolving any blockages or disruption thus resolving the symptom or negative effect to you physical or mental health.
There are more than 200 acupuncture points in the ear.  Auricular Acupuncture can be used for a wide range of conditions, and it is especially useful to relieve pain, calm the mind and treat withdrawal symptoms from addictions.  But that’s not all…. Auricular acupuncture can treat literally hundreds of conditions.  All types of physical pain (headaches, neck pain, back pain, sciatica, arthritis, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, abdominal pain), Mood and Emotions (Anxiety, stress, depression, PTSD, insomnia, ADD, ADHD).  Even More (Weight loss, PMS, tinnitus, TMJ, Vertigo, Circulation, Allergies ….

Some conditions most commonly treated with auricular acupuncture include:

  • Stress and anxiety
  • Chronic and acute pain
  • Nausea
  • Insomnia/fatigue
  • Digestive disorders
  • Motion Sickness, Dizziness, vertigo
  • Smoking cessation
  • Weight loss
  • Headaches, including migraines
  • Focus and memory problems
  • Symptoms of menopause/ postpartum depression
  • Infertility, low libido, sexual dysfunction
  • Addiction withdrawal symptoms
  • Mood swings
  • Acne

An Auricular acupuncture session is generally shorter than a traditional acupuncture session, lasting only 20-30 minutes.  Auricular acupuncture is performed while the patient is seated in a quiet room.  Your acupuncturist may ask you questions about your health, sleep, appetite, digestion, and mood.  The needles or seeds are inserted and remain in place for 10-20 minutes.  It is usually very relaxing and some patients even take a nap!
The needles or seeds are removed and your acupuncturist may ask how you are feeling.  Most people feel refreshed and calm.

Auricular acupuncture is a form of acupuncture that focuses on the energy of the body in the ears and can be helpful for numerous health issues from chronic pain and stress to headaches, mood disorders and addictions.  It may be beneficial for those who have a fear or dislike of needles but who still would like the benefits acupuncture can provide.  Auricular Acupuncture is available by request at Jean Donati Acupuncture, LLC.  Call today for an appointment 410-984-3700 or schedule online at Https://www.appointfix.com/East2WestMedicine

 

Feeling Stressed and Anxious? Try Acupuncture

Feeling Stressed and Anxious? Try Acupuncture

We all know that stress is just a part of life. We all have moments of feeling anxious or depressed, but when those feelings become more of a permanent fixture in our lives, it is time to get some help. What many may not know is how effective acupuncture can be in providing relief to the mental and physical symptoms associated with anxiety and depression. continue reading »

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