CHINESE MEDICINE IS LIFE: CUPPING AND ACUPUNCTURE

Um, so basically, my back is worse than my grandma's?

LITERALLY though. I don't know how the woman is just killing life in her 70's while I'm waking up to my spine feeling like it's going to break in half.

THANK YOU SCOLIOSIS. It is seriously the worst. Do any of you guys have it??? It is driving me absolutely insane. I got diagnosed with it in the 7th grade but over the last three years it's become more of an issue. Like...to the point that I notice it all day, everyday.

I've tried chiropractors but they were just SO AGGRESSIVE that I just couldn't anymore. One time this doctor took what felt like a sander (you know, the things you shave against wood to like get rid of paint and make the wood smooth..?) so he takes something similar to that, and starts "sanding" my bat wing and I just left after that.

Never paid him either because seriously, WTF.

Anyways - it's clearly been a kind of problem I'D SAY. So to be honest this whole cupping and acupuncture thing is new to me but so far, I'M LOVING IT. 

More recently I realized that I LOVE Chinese everything which made me a little more inclined to do some research on their cupping and acupuncture practices.

I mean I love Chinese food, I love 'The China Book', I love their ways of holistic care...you know? So I figured why not. 

Okay so if you've ever seen people walking around with massive dark red circles all over their backs, it's either hives, or it's a result from cupping. 

Basically what they do is they take these glass or plastic bulbs approximately the size of a closed fist. They have you lie down on a table in a little open back robe thing ( I TOTALLY put mine on wrong last time because I was so tired and slightly hungover sooo my ass was just hanging out and it was awkward to say the least.)

Any who, they make the room comfortable, kinda like you're about to get a massage. They play some music, get you all comfyyy, and then they ask where you're having pain and start putting the suction cups on tight in those areas. 

People always ask me if it hurts.

So it doesn't hurt, but it is an interesting feeling to enjoy, if that makes sense.

You lie there for about 15 minutes so I'd say the most irritating part would be that you feel like you can't take a big breath in because if you do, it feels like the bulbs are just going to pop off of your back. 

That's really my only complaint though. I left sort of feeling good and then 10 minutes after I had left, I FELT AMAAAAZING. 

I had energy and a feeling of relief in my back, and I also felt something else... haha but you'll have to read this blog in the girl section to find out what it was.

The idea is that cupping uses a negative pressure to loosen the muscles which then improves blood flow. This is why you can kinda tell where your muscles are the tightest by the darkness of the circle. 

The first time I got it, the darkest spots were in my biggest problem areas which are my lower back and underneath my left shoulder blade. 

The second time I went was after 2 grueling months of working non stop, being dehydrated and a little hungover (DON'T GO HUNGOVER, IT WAS HELL)...so all my circles were dark. THANK YOU STRESS AND LACK OF WATER.

Cupping's other main purpose it to remove toxins from the body. When you get a massage, the toxins  get pushed around WITHIN your body, which is why they always tell you to drink a lot of water for the rest of the day so that you can flush them out.

Cupping on the other hand, pulls the toxins out through your skin, making it a little more effective. 

If you have back or neck problems I would DEFINITELY recommend giving cupping a chance. The first one I ever did was through a groupon I found, naturally. 

& guess what.

SURPRISE SURPRISE.

That's also how I found acupuncture. WHICH I LOVED.

Also, first question is always: DID IT HURT? Honestly, I was just so excited to do it and I'm one of those people where if I see someone else do something, then I tell myself there's no reason why I can't. So I was excited for it but he did prick my palm with one of the needles first to test my sensitivity. It just felt like a little prick and he said that is the worst it would get so I told him to carry onnnn.

Again, he asked me where I was feeling pain, checked my blood pressure...checked my tongue? (Apparently the color of your tongue could easily tell a doctor if you have cancer soo that was aggressive but we're in the clear).

Then I had to put the weird backless robe on again which I was more nervous about than the actual acupuncture but I managed to get it right this time. 

NO ASS FOR DR WU.

Since I was signed up for a one hour session (through Groupon), He went ahead an placed the needles on the front side of my body while I laid on my back which to be honest, I wasn't really expecting. 

I didn't watch him put in any of the needles and I SURE AS SHIT didn't look to see what I looked like covered in needles once he told me I'd be laying there for 30 minutes.

'NO THANK YOU. I'LL NAP'.

Then he came in, removed the needles which didn't even feel like anything, and then had me lie on my stomach. At this point I was STOKED. He put A TON in my lower back and some in my feet and just let me be for another 30 minute nap.

SOOOO YOU'RE PROBABLY STILL WONDERING WHY, RIGHT?

Basically, we are made of energy right? Also known as "qi" (pronounced CHEE). But sometimes, even though our energy is supposed to travel through our body evenly and balanced, sometimes there's something that stops it. 

When the energy or 'qi' is blocked it can lead to illness, pain, and sometimes even lack of a certain function. Through a whole bunch of physiological systems, acupuncture can release the qi and stimulate proper functions again.

The amazing part though is that since the energy IS going through various physiological systems, acupuncture can help with more than just physical pain...it can assist with your overall sense of well-being, sleep, and your digestion! HALLELUJAH!

When I walked out of that office I felt like my hips were jello, in the best possible way.

I didn't realize HOW stuck they felt up until I got a taste of how they're supposed to move.

SO BASIC BUT I'M GUNNA SAY IT: Hips really don't lie. 

I felt like I just wanted to walk everywhere. Even when I sat in my car to drive for an hour to go like 2 miles in LA, I felt like I had SPACE in my lower back rather than it feeling all crammed, ESPECIALLY when I'm sitting down.

I have 4 more one hour sessions so I'm really excited to see how that goes. They also have traditional Chinese herbs that they put together into an 11 day cleanse for you depending on what problem you're trying to resolve whether it's illness, acne, poor digestion or eczema SO, I think I'll look into that next time I go and of course, always keep you guys updated. 

Have any comments about cupping or acupuncture?! Leave them below! I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!