Cupping and Gua Sha Aftercare

Aftercare Instructions - 24 hours following your treatment

  1. Soreness

    • A common side effect of Cupping and Gua Sha is soreness. If this happens, a warm compress or gentle massage can help ease discomfort. Soreness should not be bothersome or impact your daily routine. If this happens let your practitioner know.

  2. Bruising

    • Cupping and Gua Sha improve blood circulation by bringing old and stagnant blood to the surface to help release toxins and renew healthy blood flow. This process leaves behind bruising that can range from light pink to dark purple, depending on your level of stagnation. These marks can last anywhere between 1-10 days and can change colors and fade as they heal. It is also common for markings to get darker immediately following your treatment, especially overnight, as the body continues to release deeply held stagnation.

  3. Avoid cold exposure

    • Cold is constricting and it can cause your pores to snap shut and lead to more tension than you started with. In extreme cases it can lead to cold or flu. Try to avoid cold showers, standing in front of an air conditioning vent, or running outside with a t-shirt in the middle of winter. Keep the back of your neck covered by a hood or scarf if the temperature outside is below 65 degrees. After about 24 hours you can go back to your normal routine, but keep in mind that Chinese Medicine advises against cold exposure in general.

  4. Drink water

    • Cupping and Gua Sha bring toxins to the surface and detox the body. Drinking water helps the body flush these toxins out of the system. More water helps encourage proper flow and eases the detoxing process.

  5. Avoid greasy, heavy meals.

    • Properly detoxing and healing tension takes up a lot of energy, and so does eating a big meal. Eating light ensures that all of your resources are used to heal the body and it isn’t weighed down by challenging digestion.

 

What does Cupping and Gua Sha treat?

Cupping and Gua Sha are most commonly used to treat pain, specifically pain that feels sharp and stabbing. Blood circulation is connected to well-being and working to improve circulation can improve various areas of health. The following are some lesser known symptoms that can, in some cases, be addressed by improving blood circulation.

  • Chronic Muscle Tension

  • Stubborn Knots

  • Cold and Flu Prevention

  • Sluggish Digestion

  • Migraines and Headaches

  • Chest Congestion

  • Menstrual Pain

  • Work out Recovery

 

How does Cupping and Gua Sha work?

Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that transport blood, nutrients, and oxygen to all the cells in your skin, muscles, and organs. When the body holds tension over an extended period of time these capillaries become restricted and squeezed shut, making it difficult for blood to flow freely in these areas. As a result, healing is reduced and tension becomes a normal state for the body.

Cupping and Gua Sha work in different ways to break up these capillaries and bring old stagnant blood to the surface through the skin. This forces the body to create new capillaries and this process rushes new blood, nutrients, and oxygen to the area and speeds up healing. Cupping facilitates this process through suction and Gua Sha works like a deep massage through pressure that also breaks up knots and muscle tension.