CUPPING THERAPY
The benefits of cupping?
Cupping can help reduce pain, improve blood and lymphatic flow, and facilitate the body’s natural healing process.
Cupping therapy benefits work great in conjunction with, you guessed it, movement! I perform light soft tissue massage following the cupping treatment as well as have you perform some active movements.
What type of cupping do you do?
R3 Mobile PT uses plastic and silicone cups. There are a lot of techniques that can be used during cupping therapy, but the specific technique Dr. Kristin chooses for the treatment session will be dependent on your needs. The cups can be applied in one spot and left in place, can be applied and slid across a scar or large area, or can be paired with an movement like a cat-cow or squat.
This treatment usually takes 15-20 minutes as the cups depending on how they are responding on the tissue.
Expect local redness and local swelling after treatment which usually disappears over the next 3-5 days, depending on how your skin reacts. A coconut butter lotion is also used in the session so please let me know if you have allergies to that before the session.
Where do I commonly use the cups?
Really, anywhere! I have many sizes that are as small as being able to fit behind the neck, to larger ones that can cover the larger muscles of the back. I place up to 16 cups on during one treatment session at a time.
Cupping is very beneficial to csection scars and helping with scar mobility, as well as fascia or muscle tissue that feels like it lacks mobility! This helps with that stubborn csection scar shelf/ hangover that can form postpartum. YES we can help that!
Cupping on the scar **at the appropriate time, can be an amazing treatment to help with your scar concerns!
Whether that’s dog ears that have formed at the ends of your scar, one sided puffiness, or you have the “shelf” that bothers you, or any pain throughout the scar.
Did you know tightness or ropey spots are linked with having the shelf to begin with, back pain, hip pain, pain with insertion, and overactive bladder?!
Cupping therapy is included in your csection birth rehab plan of care.
Cupping During Pregnancy
Pregnant mamas LOVE cupping! The relief it immediately has given my patients is so good! It has them back up and functioning on their feet immediately after.
Here’s so fun stories⬇️
Case 1: RIB PAIN: I had a patient with unbearable rib pain because of baby’s positioning, we cupped her side ribs and she felt relief immediately for the first time, even after trying chiro, massage, all the things- this allowed her to sleep comfortably for the first time in what felt like forever.
Case 2: HEADACHES: patient had a headache and neck tension not allowing her to move her neck well, cupped the upper traps and back of neck- BOOM. Headache gone, stayed away, and upper spine feeling good after some joint work and exercise.
Case 3: LOW BACK PAIN/ SCIATICA: Back tightness and/ or low back pain may creep in during your pregnancy. One common reason may be because your back body is working so hard as you grow baby, to keep your body upright against gravity! It’s hard work! If you’re dealing with sciatica and/ or low back pain cupping can give you that instant relief needed to then be able to tolerate movement and exercises- so you can SOLIDIFY the gains you just made! 👏🏼
Cupping therapy is included in your pregnancy treatment plan with R3 Mobile PT!