Services

Cupping

In a typical cupping session, glass cups are warmed using a cotton ball soaked in alcohol then placed inside the cup. Burning a substance inside the cup removes all the oxygen, which creates a vacuum. As the substance burns, the cup is turned upside-down so that the practitioner can place the cup over a specific area on the patient's body. The vacuum anchors the cup to the skin and pulls it upward on the inside of the glass as the air inside the jar cools. Drawing up the skin is believed to open up the skin’s pores, which helps to stimulate the flow of blood, balance and realign the flow of qi, break up obstructions, and create an avenue for toxins to be drawn out of the body. It is a very relaxing experience and is effective for back pain and general stiffness in the body.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is a form of heat treatment which involves burning the Chinese herb Moxa (otherwise known as Mugwort or artemesia vulgaris), on or above the skin at acupuncture points. The burning of moxa expels cold and warms the meridians which activates the Qi and Blood of the body. It is effective for the treatment of disease or general health maintenance. Moxibustion is very useful if the patient is a typically cold person or if cold has invaded the body. It is effective for a wide variety of conditions such as: pain, menstrual cramps, turning a breech baby, colds and the flu, asthma, diarrhea and vomiting.

There are two types of moxibustion: direct and indirect. In direct moxibustion, a small cone-shaped amount of moxa is placed directly on the skin at an acupoint and burned. Indirect moxibustion often involves the practitioner lighting one end of a moxa a stick and holding it over an acupoint until the skin is warm. Another form of indirect moxibustion involves inserting a needle into an acupoint, wrapping the needle with moxa, and then burning the moxa to allow the heat to transfer to the acupoint and the surrounding area.