There's an ancient Chinese therapy that could help loosen that stiff neck and relieve your aching back. It's an alternative treatment that many New Englanders and even Hollywood celebrities are enthusiastically embracing.
At first glance it appears actress Gwyneth Paltrow and singer Britney Spears took a nasty beating on the red carpet. Before you speculate Dr. John zahng an acupuncture specialist in Needham solves the mystery. “It can date back to about 2,400 years ago,” says Dr. John Zahng of AcuHealing in Needham, MA. It turns out these celebrities are fans of cupping therapy, a Chinese treatment commonly used with acupuncture.
“The cupping can be mostly used in the back upper back lower back neck and also used to your leg,” says Dr. Zahng. Dr. john applies plastic cups to the skin, to help relieve pain, flush out toxins, soften stiff muscles and restore healthy blood flow to the body. one session can run anywhere between $50 and $100. “When you do the cupping you see it is getting red so there is more blood coming to the area. Which is good. It can also help to reduce the swelling,” says Dr. Zahng. He demonstrates cupping therapy on one of his patients, Linda Sheppard, who uses the technique to treat her scoliosis.
“It increases the circulation to the area, it reduces the tension I have from all the stress in my life,” Linda Sheppard says. It can also be used to relieve cold, cough and asthmatic symptoms. Cupping can aid aching shoulders and backs, as well. Richard Bedard is a patient who uses it to treat his frozen shoulder syndrome. “When I came in here, my arm I could lift it about this high, and now I can bring it up here it is still a little stiff,” Bedard says.
Here's how it works, this suction device, creates a vacuum inside of each cup. these cups are then placed on various acupuncture points on the body and either left still or moved around the skin in a massage-like motion. “After my first visit that was the first night I slept pain free then pain started to come back after my 3rd visit now I have no pain,” says Bedard.
Though it may look strange, but I can tell you, cupping, really does feel like a deep tissue massage. The drawback? After my session, it took about a week for those circles to disappear. For some patients, that's not much of a concern. “If you try anything, PT, chiropractor, anything, if you go 2-3 times 4 times and you are not going anywhere, in life you need to step to the left and adjust,” Bedard says.
After many patients adjust to cupping they find the Chinese technique is one they can't do without. Be aware -- cupping is not intended for everyone. Doctors say women who are pregnant and people with skin problems should stay away from the treatment. Always consult a doctor or physician before trying any new treatment.
