Cupping guides
Acupuncture, acupressure or cupping: what they are, what research says about each, what suits which problem, what you can do yourself at home and when to see a practitioner
Acupuncture, acupressure and cupping share roots in traditional Chinese medicine and are often used for the same things: pain, tension, headache, stress, nausea. They differ in what is done (needles, finger pressure, suction), in the state of the evidence (acupuncture best studied, with moderate support for chronic pain, tension headache, migraine and nausea; acupressure weaker but promising for nausea and sleep; cupping moderate support for neck and low back pain), in what you can do yourself (acupressure and cupping at home, acupuncture only with a practitioner), and in risks. Here is a sober comparison, a table of what suits which problem, the acupressure points with the best evidence and how to press them, how cupping and acupressure are combined at home, and when to see a licensed practitioner instead.
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Foot massage and reflexology: how to give a foot massage at home (on yourself and on someone else), what reflexology is and what research actually says, and cupping of the sole and calf
Foot massage is one of the most relaxing and most underrated forms of self-care: the feet have thousands of nerve endings, carry the body all day and respond immediately to pressure, heat and movement. Here is a ten-minute foot massage step by step (on yourself with hands, ball and cup, and on someone else), what reflexology is and what research actually shows (a clear effect on relaxation, stress and perceived pain; no support for zones mirroring organs or being able to diagnose), when foot massage isn't suitable (wounds, infection, blood clot, diabetic foot without sensation), and how cupping of the sole and calf is used for tired feet, heel spur and swelling.
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Tinnitus: the causes, when it comes from the neck, jaw and stress (somatic tinnitus), what helps according to research, when to seek care, and cupping of the neck and jaw
Tinnitus is sound in the ears or head without an external source: ringing, hissing, buzzing or pulsing. About one in seven adults has it sometimes and one in twenty is bothered by it. The cause is usually a hearing injury or age-related hearing loss that the brain compensates for, but in many the sound is worsened or controlled by the neck, jaw and stress (somatosensory tinnitus), and that is the part you can influence yourself. Here are the causes, a simple test for whether your tinnitus is affected by jaw and neck, what helps according to research (sound enrichment, CBT and tinnitus therapy, sleep, stress, hearing aids), what doesn't help, when to seek care (sudden, one-sided, pulsing), and how cupping of the neck, jaw and shoulders is used to reduce the tension that drives tinnitus in many.
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Anxiety and panic attacks: what happens in the body, the symptoms, what to do during a panic attack, what helps long term, and when to seek care
Anxiety is the body's alarm system going off without real danger: palpitations, breathlessness, chest tightness, dizziness, numbness, nausea, a sense of unreality and a strong feeling that something terrible is about to happen. Here is what happens in the body, the difference between worry, anxiety, a panic attack and panic disorder, what to do during an attack (and what makes it worse), what helps long term with research support (CBT, exposure, breathing training, exercise, sleep, less caffeine and alcohol), how calm cupping and breathing are used to help the nervous system shift down, and when and where to seek care.
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Relaxation and breathing exercises: 8 exercises for stress, tense muscles and poor sleep, and how cupping enhances them
Stress, tight shoulders and difficulty falling asleep are linked to a nervous system stuck in high gear. Here are eight relaxation and breathing exercises that lower the revs in minutes, how to structure them, when they are not enough and how static cupping enhances the relaxation.
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