My ishias was not getting any better (even absinthe supreme did not save me, sorry Josser;)), so I had to look for a professional help today. It was a very very interesting session and I must say I can now almost straighten up my back. Which I couldn't do for 2 days now, I was a bit of a Quasimodo, heheh.
So what can you expect when you go for a cupping session? In this day and age, glass cups are used. Three thousand years ago, bamboo, animal horn or brass - if you could afford it - were the order of the day. In fact, the old Chinese name for cupping was 'horning'. Traditionally, the cups are heated with alcohol and flame on the inside to reduce the pressure, then placed over the skin. As the cup cools down, the skin is sucked up inside. The newest innovation in cupping does away with the dangerous flame and uses a pump action instead. This is also a much more accurate way of gauging the degree of suction and, of course, eliminates the risk of burning. Doctors of traditional Chinese medicine and practitioners of Japanese shiatsu therapy, place the cups at various positions along the meridian lines. These are the same lines used in acupuncture. There are five meridians on the back and these are usually targeted, particularly the bladder meridian. It is possible to cup the hands, legs and ankles too. By cupping these meridian lines, specific organs in the body can be targeted. Cupping is generally used by practitioners if there is cold energy in the patient's meridians. The warm air from the cupping stimulates the skin, and the suction coaxes blood to the area which promotes localised healing. The chi is warmed and starts to flow freely down the meridians.
While I was waiting for the vacuum cups to work their way across my meridians, I also received moxa stick treatment.
The Moxa Stick is lit at one end and held about 1 inch from the skin, the distance varying with the tolerance of the patient and the degree of stimulation required. Normally the stick is burned for up to 15 minutes or until the skin around the area is bright red. This method is used for pain due to obstruction (Arthritic type pain).
I was told I need to let the heath enter my body again through this procedure (I got into all this trouble because I sat outside a few days ago, while having coffee- obviously for too long)
I need to rest now but I will give you a detailed report on how I feel in 3 to 4 days, when I am suppose to burst with my Chi.
