A Filipina massage therapist massages another woman’s back with a glass cup. The massage therapy office is owned by a Southeast Asian couple, two women, who are immigrants to the U.S.

Massage cupping is the combination of massage movements (positive pressure) with the use of a suction device on the skin (negative pressure). A cup is positioned at the area to be treated and, depending on the type of cups being used; a vacuum is created within the cup to draw the skin and underlying tissue into the cup. The produced vacuum creates a suction effect that increases blood and lymphatic circulation systemically and to the local area, relaxes muscle tissue and support, draws stagnation, pathogenic factors and toxins out of the body and releases a myriad of pain causing factors.

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