TUINA ANMO: Cupping, Gua Sha, moxibustion, taping, and laser acupuncture increase the success of therapy
Cupping
In cupping (Ba Guan), the tissue is lifted using the vacuum effect to quickly and reliably stimulate blood circulation and detoxification. “Ba” means to pull or suck and “Guan” means vessel or pot. The therapeutic effect of cupping is based on the elimination of stagnation (cold, heat, waste products, adhesions) via the lymphatic system and the skin. Our soft tissues are patient and, like a buffer, can store trauma, cold or heat for a long time.
All kinds of vessels have always been used for cupping: bamboo vessels, copper vessels, preserving jars or jam jars for fire cupping, or modern plastic cupping vessels with valves or cupping pumps. The treatment is applied over a large area and non-specifically in the form of a cupping massage (moving cupping), remaining in specific areas or intermittently around and on joints or at certain acupuncture points.
Typical are the visible signs of cupping, round cupping marks on the skin, reminiscent of love bites. The discoloration provides diagnostic information about how long the stagnation (spotty skin) has been present and what caused it: the longer it has been present, the darker the discoloration, with color variations ranging from light red to dark red to black, and whether cold (bluish, livid) or heat (dark red) and toxins (petechiae) are involved. The cupping marks can therefore feel both cool and warm!
Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps caused a sensation in the international press at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio with his round cupping marks, making cupping, this ancient, globally used traditional manual procedure, popular again.
You can find more information about my TCM Basics workshops here: WORKSHOP
Gua Sha
Scraping (Gua Sha) supports the therapeutic effect of Tuina Anmo and is usually performed at the end of a massage. Gua Sha is an intensive stimulation treatment of the skin and connective tissue with the aim of removing external pathogenic factors as well as stubborn adhesions and toxins.
Mechanically speaking, Gua Sha initiates sweating by opening the pores and has a strong circulation-promoting effect due to the pressure. In this way, a cold in its early stages, which is still on the surface of the body, but also deeply penetrated pathogens from the soft tissue area, can be easily and efficiently transported to the outside via the lymphatic system and the skin. This is done with the help of porcelain spoons, comb-like tools made of plastic, horn, and jade, or simple lids from jam jars or other containers.
“Gua” literally means to scrape, and “Sha” is the visible effect achieved by scraping. From a TCM perspective, any form of stagnation resulting from a slowing down or contraction of qi also generates heat after a while. This phenomenon is comparable to blocked pipes in which slag accumulates. This creates excess pressure and frictional heat. The result is, for example, tension in the shoulders. Scraping is therefore a local, immediately noticeable detoxification method. And thanks to social media, “facial gua sha” has become the star of facial care in recent years because it beautifies the complexion without any chemicals.
You can find more information about my TCM Basics workshops here: WORKSHOP
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a combined heat and herbal treatment using Chinese or Japanese mugwort. TCM uses moxibustion to strengthen the immune system (Yang Qi), to dissolve blood stasis and to expel cold stagnation. This means it is helpful for chronically cold feet, abdominal and menstrual pain (PMS, cysts, endometriosis) or cold-related rheumatic complaints (Chinese Bi syndrome).
Mugwort burns slowly, creating an intense heat that can be used to dispel deep-seated cold. From a TCM perspective, it takes a long time to compensate for a genuine yang deficiency (treatment time approx. 40 minutes per session). The essential oils of mugwort are also therapeutically important, as they spread along the meridians via the arterial blood flow and remain in the body for a long time. Moxibustion is performed a few centimeters above the skin, over a large area or locally at acupuncture points.
Mugwort received new worldwide attention thanks to Chinese pharmacologist Tu Youyou, Nobel Prize winner for Physiology or Medicine in 2015. Her research focuses on the ingredient artemisinin in the annual medicinal herb (Artemisiae annuae, Qīnghāo), which is an effective therapeutic agent against malaria.
You can find more information about my TCM Basics workshops here: WORKSHOP
Laser acupuncture
The therapeutic effect of light in the soft laser range (intensity between 5 and 500 mW) is based on the local stimulation of cell functions, whereby electromagnetic energy is converted into biochemical energy. From a TCM perspective, laser treatment is considered a tonic procedure. The term “laser” is an abbreviation for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The tissue to be treated or the acupuncture points benefit in several ways, as laser light activates the body's self-healing powers: it has anti-inflammatory, decongestant, circulation-boosting, pain-relieving, and immune-strengthening effects. Similar to needle acupuncture, laser acupuncture can be used to treat a wide range of complaints. The decisive advantage is the short and painless application – ideal for children, sensitive individuals, and those with a phobia of needles.
Taping
Kinesiology tape is a textile adhesive tape that is elastic in both the longitudinal and diagonal directions and has a wavy acrylic adhesive coating. The word “kinesio” is derived from the Greek word “kínēsis,” meaning movement. The Japanese chiropractor Dr. Kenzo Kase is considered to be its inventor. The tapes, which often come in a variety of colors, are breathable and water-resistant and, when applied correctly, can remain on the skin for up to one week. Due to their material properties, they ensure a largely normal range of motion for the joints. The tape supports manual therapy and promotes regeneration by relieving the musculoskeletal system. Areas of application: Helps with tension, discomfort in the knee, ankle, and shoulder joints, or back pain. If you would like to know more about taping, please take a look at my TCM Taping WORKSHOPS.
