WHAT IS CUPPING THERAPY?

 

Many of you have heard me talk about cupping therapy (or cupping) here and on my Instagram, but I've learned that most people don't know what it is. I was first introduced to cupping when Michael Phelps made it popular by putting his circular bruises on display at the Olympics. 

Cupping is a form of alternative medicine that has become popular over the last few years. I started using this method in pelvic floor physical therapy over the winter to help with inflammation and pain management in my back and tailbone. Still, people use it for many different reasons. So you can get a better understanding of cupping, and why it's helpful, I'm going to bring you through the basics.

WHAT IS CUPPING THERAPY?

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine that originated in China.

HOW DOES CUPPING WORK?

A therapist will put special cups on specified spots and create a suction to the skin and leave them there for however long they deem necessary. 

WHY DO PEOPLE USE CUPPING THERAPY?

There are many different reasons why people use cupping therapy, including:

• Pain
• Inflammation
• Blood flow
• Relaxation and well-being
• Muscle tightness

It has been compared to a deep tissue massage.

DOES IT HURT?

I decided to include this question because looking at pictures of cupping can be pretty offputting, so I wanted to share my experience. There are many different suction levels, so you must communicate with your therapist about what is too much, too little, and just right suction for you. However, if you are really trying to get the full effects of the cups, you can put them on a little tighter, and it will hurt at first, but after 30-60 seconds, the pain will go away. I haven't gotten up to the level of bruising you see on Michael Phelps; in fact, I've only ever had bruising one time because everybody is different and can only tolerate so much. But the goal is to add a little more suction each time so you can make progress.

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SHOW?

While there needs to be more and better research done on cupping, it has been known to help those with:

• Blood disorders 
• Rheumatic diseases
• Fertility
• Skin problems 
• High blood pressure
• Migraines
• Anxiety and depression
• Bronchial congestion
• Varicose veins 
• Overall muscle relaxation

Cupping therapy definitely isn't for everybody, but if you are looking for another method of pain management, I certainly recommend it! I always leave my appointments feeling so relaxed and in a lot less pain. But remember to always drink a lot of water after because it's sucking a lot of toxins out of your body. 

Source: https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/cupping-therapy

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Things You Should NEVER Say to Someone with Endo

 Sometimes it's hard to know what to say to someone struggling with a chronic illness, so today I'm going to give you some insight into what NOT to say to someone with endometriosis. 

1. Anything related to pregnancy: You never know what someone might be struggling with or if they even want kids, so it's best to avoid the subject unless they bring it up. 
2. You don't look sick: People with invisible illnesses often have to hide what they're feeling, so just because we don't look sick, doesn't mean we're not. 
3. Just get a hysterectomy: A hysterectomy, or removing the uterus, is actually not a cure for endometriosis. 
4. Shouldn't you be cured since you got surgery?: While the surgery can make us feel a lot better, there is still no cure.
5. At least it's not [insert more severe illness here]: Even though there are diseases worse than endo, you do not want to invalidate or lessen what anyone is feeling. 
6. Just take Advil: Endo pain is often a lot worse than what Advil can fix and saying this can once again invalidate how we are feeling. 
7. I get bad period cramps too: Endometriosis is a lot more than bad period cramps. It is a whole-body disease that causes excruciating pain throughout the entire month. 
8. Someone I know tried this and now they are cured: Once again, there is no cure for endo so bringing up stuff like this is not helpful at all. 
9. Have you tried this diet?: While some diets can be helpful for some people, they are not helpful for everybody. Whenever I talk about the diets I try to stick to, I try to make it clear that this is what has worked for me and I know that it won't work for everyone. 
10. Isn't period pain normal?: While light period cramping is normal, excruciating pain during your period and pain throughout the entire month is not normal. One of the major reasons why it takes people so long to get diagnosed with endo is because we are taught that really bad period cramping is normal when in reality, it's not. 

I hope this post was able to give you some insight into how to talk to someone with endometriosis about their illness. If you think something you say could be taken the wrong way in any situation, it's best not to say it. 

How to Study with Chronic Pain

Since school is starting back up again after winter break, I thought I'd share some of my favorite strategies I use when studying/doing school with endometriosis/chronic pain. Studying seems like such a simple thing, but it's just another thing made harder by endo and the pain that comes with it. Comfort is always my top priority because it is something I can control to make myself feel my best, so I hope these strategies help you!

1.  Find a comfortable seat- I find that a seat cushion helps me a lot and it's okay to sit in your bed if you have to
2. Take breaks when you need them
3. Sit with your heating pad on (this is something I do all the time)
4. Get up and walk around to loosen things up
5. Start studying several days before the test in case you have a flare the day before
6. Wear comfortable clothes (leggings are seriously my best friend)
7. Drink plenty of water
8. Prop your laptop/books up so you're not hunching over your desk
9. Make a comfortable study space in your room if you're not feeling well enough to make it to the library or another building 
10. If you think it's necessary, talk to your teachers and/or the accommodations office if you need extra time or any another accommodations because of your chronic pain 
11. Try all your favorite pain coping strategies while studying 
12. Finally, don't be too hard on yourself!