Why You Should Go Cup Yourself
By @jenacovello @simpleorganix
Preface: I have stage IV endometriosis that I've been working on healing for 17 years. In 2014 I was diagnosed with advanced adenomyosis. The pain was something I never experienced. I was bedridden up to 14 days a month and advised to get a hysterectomy. From 2014 through most of 2018 the pain was getting increasingly worse. I had four surgeries prior to 2010, then this past year a specialist in St Louis was going to perform the Osada procedure to remove the adenomyosis. He made two incisions and woke me up to tell me that he was unable to operate due to all of the scar tissue and adhesions. He advised me to get a radical hysterectomy. I was losing hope. Sometimes the surgery severe pain because adhesions form wherever they make an incision and the fascia begins to clump together. This is known as scar tissue, which causes nerve pain and the radiating pain you can feel in your lower back, ovaries, uterus, hips, buttocks and legs. If you have endo I'm sure you are aware of this debilitating pain!. My sister began cupping me and using myofascial release in May. Since August, I have been virtually pain free for the first time in almost five years. I invested in a cupping kit and I cupped whenever/wherever I had pain. Each week the pain diminished. Now I cup once or twice a week. The cups have changed my life! Watch my instagram highlights titled "endo relief" to learn more. I wish I had known about this 17 years ago...
Wishing you all good health and wellness. - Jena Covello
One of my favorite things as a little girl was watching my Grandma's healing techniques using cupping. She was a little old lady who was known to help women heal most all of their uterine & fertility issues. I didn’t fully understand at the time, but women came in sad and left happy. I was fascinated with the entire process and would run inside to watch her in hopes of doing the same one day! When I saw Jena's Instagram story about the success cupping had on her road to recovery with endometriosis, it brought me back to watching grandma use the same techniques helping women recover from symptoms. She also used things like frankincense, ovary adjustments, herbs & positive affirmations through prayer.
Cupping therapy is an ancient form of medicine in which special cups are put on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. After the suctioned cup is removed, the skin reaction is a telltale sign of problems depending on color and marks. Cupping is also revered for drawing toxins in the blood to skin surface to detox. Prior to modern techniques, fire, alcohol and a swift hand was used to create the suction. Still today, Cupping is used to help heal inflammation, pain, colds, scars, fertility and uterine issues, congestion, muscles, migraines and many forms of detox & blood stagnation.
Not only has the cupping helped women find relief with scar tissue from C-section scarring, but also with pelvic pain associated with endometriosis, ovarian cystic disease, menstruation and infertility. A study done in 2015 in Egypt by The Department of Internal Medicine at Helena Hospital showed success in a combined therapy of cupping & cleaning the colon with herbs such as senna. This also assisted in eradication of H Pylori as 90% of women tested positive who had uterine associated pain in the study. Out of the 50 patients, 7/10 infertility patients, 9/10 endometriosis patients & 7/10 PCOS All 10/10 patients each with pelvic pain and scanty menstruation were relieved of mostly ALL symptoms.
In Chinese medicine, the uterus and the liver are closely related. The liver maintains free flow of the qi & vital energy of the body. The liver, spleen, and kidney channels run through the pelvis and all can effect the uterus. If any of these channels are blocked, congested or deficient, this will usually manifest in women as some sort of menstrual and uterine problem. It also suggests that the emotions associated with this stagnation in the uterus especially having to do with Endometriosis are fear and anger. Cupping used as a form of therapy addresses all forms of this stagnation and inflammation. The reduction of stress plays a big role as well.
Cupping along with acupuncture therapy can help facilitate healing for both men and women alike when it comes to fertility issues. Studies done for the last 10 years in Chinese medicine showed that a combination of both therapies assisted in:
- Regulating menstruation
- Reducing inflammation and blockages in all reproductive organs
- Removing defects in luteal phase
- Balancing hormones
- Balancing thyroid gland
- Inducing ovulation
- Endometriosis recovery
- Genital infections
- Assisting in all scrotum functions
- Quality of sperm production
- Prostate health
- Blood circulation in uterus
- Inducing healthy egg production
Whilst cupping has shown promise in many symptoms involving pain and inflammation, randomized clinical trials all over the world are being done to figure out how cupping is communicating with blood, brain and the spinal nervous system in such positive ways. So much so that it has provoked the world of alternative medicine to get involved in figuring out the ways it’s helped in the areas of:
- Reduction of LDL levels
- Removal of heavy metals and toxins from blood.
- Helping fibromyalgia
- Activating an immune response product such as interferon.
- Improving COPD
- Increasing red blood cells
- Draining the lymph system
Today, cupping marks are being worn proudly by celebrities and athletes, proving that this centuries old tradition really is making a positive impact on healing. It’s no wonder all of these older generations find these techniques so precious. As they continue to work and be passed down, getting cupped is easier now more than ever. This is a therapy everyone should try so make sure to find a professional in your area or research how to safely self administer in the comfort of your own home. Remember, healing is available to all those who seek it and if anyone ever tells you different.....tell them to go cup themselves.
