Cupping

On Monday I went to see a "cupping doctor". He is an acupuncturist who has added this technique to his repertoire. Basically, he pricks you with needles to release blood, then he lights a match and creates a vacuum within a glass jar that he sets on your back over the pricks creating a suction. Wow, that was a horrible explanation. Can you tell I haven`t been writing lately?! Here is a much better explanation taken from Wikipedia:

"Fire cupping is a method of applying acupressure by creating a vacuum next to the patient's skin. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) it involves placing glass, plastic, or bamboo cups on the skin with a vacuum. The therapy is used to relieve what is called "stagnation" in TCM terms, and is used in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as the common cold, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Cupping is also used to treat back, neck, shoulder, and other musculoskeletal pain. Its advocates claim it has other applications as well. This technique, in varying forms, has also been found in the folk medicine of Vietnam, the Balkans, modern Greece, Mexico, and Russia, among other places, including Iran where it is called 'bod-kesh' meaning literally 'pull with air'"

The reason I got it done was that I am tired of getting migranes and the friend who recomended this doctor has referred 3 or 4 other people with headaches and they have all raved about the results. We shall see.

The experience was odd but not too painful (the pricks hurt a bit) and the doctor was wonderful. He had a great personality and was very knowledgable about "Natural Health". I found it interesting that he could tell by looking at me that I rarely cry. He told me I need to cry more, by watching sad movies or something. Or........perhaps I could start thinking about my impending move away from all of my good friends here on Okinawa. :( :( :( IT`S WORKING! Waaaaa!


This is a bad picture but it`s really hard to take a picture of one`s own back!

I had nine cups, so there are nine round bruises on my back at this time. An unexpected bonus of the bruises was that I got to use the one near my neck to get one of my kindergarten English classes to pay attention. I was teaching halloween vocabulary and came upon the card "vampire". Well, the kids were out of control, screaming and not paying attention so I casually pulled the neck of my shirt down and said, "See what can happen if a vampire gets you!". The class was speechless (a first for this particular group) and the looks on their faces was priceless. The Japanese teacher and I could not stop laughing. Don`t worry, I explained it was just a joke!!!

Bye for now!