Guide to Modern Cupping Therapy
The Guide to Modern Cupping Therapy: Your Step-by-Step Source for Vacuum Therapy
by Shannon Gilmartin, CMT
Shannon Gilmartin is a licensed and Nationally Certified Massage Therapist and Certified Vacuum Therapy Practitioner and Educator. She has almost 20 years of experience in therapeutic bodywork. After apprenticing for several years, Shannon created her own unique version of therapeutic cupping. Putting her own spin on cupping therapy (aka vacuum therapy) has produced many positive outcomes for patients. In this book, Shannon shares all of her professional and hands-on experience, so that everyone can participate in the positive benefits of cupping. This book contains nearly 200 step-by-step photos and full color pages, making it easy to follow her expert instruction. The book is broken into three parts for ease of understanding.
Part One provides an in depth, yet understandable, history of cupping. Shannon brings cupping from the ancient times into today’s world. Then she describes how cupping affects the human body. The human body and individual body systems are broken down into smaller sections where the therapeutic benefits are described in detail.
Part Two is all about using cupping methods in bodywork therapy. Using proper equipment, actual use of cups, safe cupping and assessing skin after treatment are covered in this section. There are many safety points listed throughout. It is very important to read all of these points to prevent injuries. Improper use of cupping sets can be very painful and could cause problems if used the wrong way. That definitely can be avoided by paying attention to each step, using the photos as guidelines, correctly following along and heeding the safety points.
Part Three reviews treating common conditions, for both therapist and novice, with cupping therapy. Specific body areas are reviewed in detail. This section even includes lymphatic drainage and advanced applications for therapeutic cupping.
The best thing about this book, are the clear images of every part of the body and where to place each cup. There are so many different purposes for these cups, such as helping to relieve pain and even reducing stress during the process. I really enjoy these visuals and being able to easily learn and understand each step of the process.
I have seen cupping therapy performed by a nationally certified massage therapist. It looked painful but the person receiving the therapy assured me it was not. The cupping left a large purple, circle shaped welt on her body when therapy was completed. Despite the purple mark, she reported that her neck pain had decreased significantly. This really sparked my interest in cupping.
I have had my own cupping set for years now, the same one shown in this book. I did use it a few times in the past, but not recently. Although I am a registered nurse and understand human anatomy, I have always been a bit scared to use the cups. I did not want to injure myself or anyone else. This book has changed all of that for me. With clear explanations and safety guidelines, I feel that I can confidently perform vacuum therapy on myself or others and produce a therapeutic benefit. This book makes it easy for anyone to perform cupping therapy with the right tools.
In order to perform therapeutic cupping therapy, practice is very important. This book makes it simple to learn the process and obtain excellent results. After reviewing the different body areas that I could treat in this book, I pulled out my cupping set and tested her methods out. The cupping was easy and successful.
Overall, this book is a great reference guide on cupping therapy. Anyone can learn to do cupping at home, as long as the safety guidelines are followed. When in doubt, please contact a professional for guidance.
About the author:
Shannon Gilmartin, CMT, is a licensed and nationally certified massage therapist, certified vacutherapies practitioner and educator. In addition to her focus in massage cupping, she has over 15 years of experience in therapeutic bodywork, including: medical massage, myofascial release, neuromuscular, craniosacral, soft tissue injury rehabilitation, Thai massage and visceral manipulation. She has taught all over the United States and abroad and practices in Virginia Beach.
About the book:
- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Robert Rose; 1 edition (October 31, 2017)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0778805832
- ISBN-13: 978-0778805830
About the reviewer:
Leigh Ann Tatnall is a retired RN who specialized in geriatrics, hospice and wellness. She has completed a Doctorates in Naturopathy and is a Certified Wellness Counselor. When not reviewing books, you can find Leigh Ann cooking, exercising, teaching wellness or crafting therapeutic essential oils. For more info, you can visit her on her website: http://www.purfumeessentials.com/
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