Cupping with Jessica Lusk Massage Therapy

I had heard of cupping before, but I knew virtually nothing about this ancient Chinese practice prior to my appointment with Jessica Lusk Massage Therapy. I was under the assumption that it involved fire, which sounds a little scary. However, I was more intrigued than scared and was excited to experience this practice for myself.

While Jessica works out of Hotelito los Sueños, she also offers the convenience of home visits in Sayulita. So last week, Jessica met Hanne Baert, business manager of SayulitaLife.com, and me at Hanne’s home for cupping treatments.

Jessica is a nationally certified massage therapist and also has a certification for cupping therapy from the International Cupping Therapy Association. I was immediately impressed with Jessica’s knowledge of this practice as she explained the benefits, the various techniques used and the large number of issues that can be treated.

She explained that different cups are used based on the treatment that is being sought. For instance, glass cups are used in combination with fire to lift the tissues, draw toxins out and increase the circulation of blood and lymph. This is done by using fire to create a vacuum seal.

Jessica demonstrated this traditional technique on both Hanne and me. A cotton ball was soaked in alcohol, lit on fire and held in the belly of the cup for a few seconds. The cup was then placed on the skin, which creates a vacuum. I felt slight warmth when the cup was placed on my back, but there was absolutely no discomfort. I was amazed as I watched Hanne’s skin be sucked into the cup, rise up and turn bright red in color. While it looked like it would be painful, Hanne joked that Jessica’s massage table needed an attached drool cup because she was so relaxed.

It is also common for plastic cups and silicone cups to be used in cupping treatments. Some of the cups use a manual hand pump, while others are squeezed to release air from the inside of the cup which creates suction on the skin. Cupping can be used to treat chronic pain, arthritis, fine lines and wrinkles, asthma, insomnia, cellulite, brighten tattoos and so much more.

I broke my back in a car accident when I was 16 years old and regularly feel discomfort in my mid-back and an urge to pop it. Due to this, Jessica determined that a magnetic blanket was the best treatment for me. This treatment uses plastic cups with alternating positive and negative magnets, over the entire back. The combination of the suction and magnets help to release tension and pain in the back, realign energy flow and release toxins.

At first it was an extremely strange sensation as Jessica secured 16 cups over my back. It felt as if a heavy x-ray protective blanket was placed over me.  There was also an initial itching, which Jessica assured me was normal. As the cups sat on my back, Jessica gave me a foot massage and used a silicone cup to massage my legs. The pressure in the cups lessened and the heaviness dissipated to a wonderful, relaxing sensation. When the treatment was over, I felt so incredibly relaxed that I did not want to move.

The next day my mid-back did not ache as usual, nor did I have the urge to pop it. There were a few dark marks across my mid-back and shoulders, which many people mistake for a bruise, though it’s not. It’s actually discoloration due to toxins coming out of the skin. These spots faded away over the next few days as I continued to have less pain in my back.

If you’d like to experience cupping therapy for yourself or would like a massage in Sayulita, contact Jessica.