Cupping, GuaSha, TuiNa Massage, & E-Stim

Cupping — We use cups under suction to release muscular tension and pain, move stagnant fluids, improve circulation and encourage healing, or to relieve flu symptoms.

GuaSha — A Chinese medicine technique that relieves musculoskeletal pain and releases tension anywhere there is restriction, it improves circulation and reduces inflammation.

TuiNa — A Chinese massage style, TuiNa utilizes the acupuncture channels and is characterized by techniques like pressing, rolling and rubbing muscles. Acupuncture often begins with a bit of TuiNa to help settle into presence and to prepare the acupuncture points. 

E-Stim — An electrical current is run through acupuncture needles causing increased stimulation. It’s most commonly used in sports medicine acupuncture, E-Stim improves circulation and aids recovery and healing to an area.

Cupping

Cupping is a practice of using glass or plastic cups on the skin to draw out and release internal harmful pathogens or excessive energy through the skin. We use various techniques with the cups to release muscular tension and pain, move stagnant blood and fluids, improve circulation and encourage healing, or to help with cold and flu symptoms.

Cupping is only appropriate in certain situations, so you may not receive cupping if it isn’t supportive to your health concern. It is a unique therapy that pulls outwards, whereas all massage techniques push inwards. The area of the skin that has been cupped may have a red or purple mark left after the therapy for up to a week, but it isn’t harmful and will fully resolve. These marks are from blood being moved to the surface of the skin. Cupping is thus also used diagnostically, the darker colors showing where there is more stagnation needing to be moved. We achieve suction in the cups by using fire to create negative pressure, it is a unique and curious sensation, and most people really enjoy it. 

GuaSha

GuaSha is an ancient Chinese medicine technique that can be used to remedy musculoskeletal pain and release tension where there is restricted movement, it improves circulation and reduce inflammation, it can even support the immune system and help resolve upper respiratory illnesses.

GuaSha involves scraping the skin with a specialized tool. This technique usually involves minor bruising of the capillaries which flushes the region with fresh blood. This helps to clear away old lingering fluids and stagnant energy, also known as qi or blood stagnation. It can be really helping in resolving injuries and musculoskeletal pain. The skin may appear purple for a brief time or red spots may appear, again this is diagnostic and the discoloration will resolve usually within a few days.

Tui Na Massage

A traditional Chinese massage style, Tui Na involves the stimulation of acupuncture points and utilizes the acupuncture channels. It is characterized by using various techniques such as pressing, rolling and rubbing muscles. It’s not quite like massages we are used to, rather it employs different techniques to enable freedom of movement.

While not a primary focus of treatment, we often begin an acupuncture treatment with a bit of Tui Na to help the body settle, soften into presence, and prepare the acupuncture channels. However at times we may provide more intensive manual therapies such as TuiNa, Cupping, or GuaSha when it is indicated.

E-Stim

Electro acupuncture is a form of acupuncture where an electrical current is run from an adjustable machine through wires attached to needles, this greatly amplifies the stimulation at the two needles as well as through the connected tissues. Most commonly it is used in sports medicine acupuncture, E-Stim can improve circulation and speed up recovery and healing to an area.

Different types of electrical currents can be used for specific purposes, but it’s most commonly used in the treatment and recovery of muscular strain, or tendon and ligament damage which have poor blood flow, it can also be very beneficial to help reset stuck muscular tension patterns such as spasmed or under active muscles. It can also help increase qi stimulation in more traditional applications of acupuncture.