| 4 | TAO SIGNATURE Cupping Therapy

Cupping Therapy has been used by health practitioners since ancient times. The Greeks, Egyptians and Chinese all practiced forms of cupping 3000 years ago. It was believed that cupping could suck ill “tumors” or spirits from the body and was practiced alongside blood-letting and the use of leeches in the medieval period and in Colonial America.

There are many types of cupping (wet, fire and dry cupping), but at TAO Center we only use dry cupping. Dry Cupping is done by applying plastic suction cups to the skin that is either dry or to which lotion has been applied. The lotion allows the therapist glide the suction cup over the affected area providing a form of deep tissue massage. The therapist can control the amount of suction used. Multiple cups can be applied at one time to a painful or stiff area and are left on the skin anywhere from 5-20 minutes.

The benefits: • pain and inflammation reduction • sedation of the nervous system • increase of circulation • softening of adhesions and stiff connective tissue • drainage of toxins and waste from the lymphatic system • and the ability to impact deeper, more hard-to-reach muscles and other soft tissues.