Cupping is a therapy in which a jar (cup) is attached to the surface of the skin using suction. This suction is caused by the introduction of a negative pressure using an ignited material to heat the air within the jar. As the air cools suction is created within the the cup, causing the patient’s skin to be pulled into it. This vacuum causes local congestion to be moved to the surface of the body. Moving blood and/or energy that may be stuck in a particular area of the body allows healing to occur. By moving what is stuck new energy and blood can flow in and heal. The jars can be stationary on a particular point, or slid in order to cover a larger area using a small amount of herbal oil. Most oils used also have healing qualities of their own. Stationary cups can be placed on the skin alone or over an acupuncture needle. Cups can be placed distally as well as on a local area with good results. Generally a cup is left on the skin for 10 min. and can cause a purple bruise like mark to remain, if the stagnation was caused by blood. These marks last a few days and leave no remaining signs afterwards. A quick cupping technique is used with elderly or deficient patients in order to achieve benefit without depleting the client of needed energy.

Pain in a particular area of the body and/or tight muscles is what cupping is used for most often. It can help with many other ailments as well. Varicose veins, boils, low back pain, shoulder or leg pain, stomachache, vomiting, diarrhea, and chronic coughs are just a few additional reasons for using cups. Chest congestion, from an acute situation like colds and flues to chronic asthma, gets great relief using this method.

Cupping is written about in ancient texts throughout the world. It is believed to have come from the orient originally. Cattle horn was the first cups written about and were used over much of cupping history. Cupping has been used as a folk remedy throughout Europe, North and South America, as well Africa and during recent history in most rural areas. This safe and effective adjunctive therapy is used when needed in our Coral Gables alternative medical practice.

Our office was featured on NBC 6’s health beat, with Diana Gonzalez interviewing Dr. Nirenberg on July 26th, 2004. The news interview and demonstration discussed cupping and it’s uses. As our local cupping expert Dr. Nirenberg was featured on CBS Channel 4 with Joy Perdy November 19, 2004 and in February 2005 on Univision channel 23.

Percutaneous electrical stimulation, where very mild stimulation is added to acupuncture needles, is what is used at our Coral Gables office. Electroacupuncture has been prooven to be effective in relieving pain. It is also employed in treating nerve dysfunction, paralysis, and withdrawal symptoms. Adding electrical stimulation to acupuncture greatly enhances the effectiveness of the treatment. This will increase the level of pain relief and significantly extend the period of other benefits from the treatment. This method is also known for reactivating neural centers habituated by drug and substance abuse, and enhancing cervical dilation and uterine contractions to induce labor. This stimulation also promotes tissue repair and healing essential to treating many chronic disorders. When cell bodies of nerve fibers are still vital, electrical stimulation can promote regeneration of these fibers. Leads or wires are attached to the needle handle using small clips. This stimulation depolarizes and repolarizes the tissue during each pulse cycle with no energy being imparted to the body, thus causing no damage to the local site of application. The current is kept to a negligible value, with the amplitude only adjusted to the point that the patient can just begin to feel the sensation, or the practitioner observes slight movement. Some paralysis and pain patients may have impaired ability to feel the stimulating signal themselves. Point selection relies on neural and neuromuscular organization of the body. For this treatment distal and proximal acupuncture points are selected for pain, musculoskelotal, tendinomuscular, spinal trauma, neurological impairment problems, herpes zoster, incontinence, and impotence.

Moxibustion treats and prevents diseases by applying heat to points or certain locations on the body. The material used is moxa in the form of a cone or stick. Moxa is the herb Artemisia and can be found pure or mixed with other ingredients. When used it warms the body and adds energy to it as well. It can open energy flow in the body as well as penetrate the energy pathways eliminating many diseases. As this herb is ignited, the burning moxa creates warmth that can move deeply into muscles. Moxibustion helps with both acute problems as well as chronic ones: including diarrhea, asthma, muscle pain and/or injury, indigestion, abdominal pain, painful joints, tuberculosis, skin ulcers & boils, vomiting, hernia pain, impotence, and paralysis. This can be in conjunction with acupuncture or alone in certain situations. When used with acupuncture the moxa can be used on points that have needles or other locations on the body. Warming the needle helps the herb penetrate. There are direct and indirect methods of use. The moxa can be placed directly on the skin, or held nearby. Direct moxa is used by placing small cones of the herb directly on the skin. Indirect moxibustion is used by having a small piece of cardboard or other material between the patient and the moxa in order to prevent the patient from being burnt. There are points on the body where moxibustion is used to keep one healthy and add years to ones life.

A TDP Electromagnetic Health Lamp is also used in our facility. This lamp functions to aid in promoting metabolism, regulating physiological deficiency, diminishing inflammation and easing pain. This lamp is indicated for skin disease, surgical, medical, gynecologic, pediatric, upper respiratory, and neurological use. The TDP lamp has been proven to be effective in treating numerous ailments such as muscular soreness and pain, soft tissue injuries, arthritis, bedsores, chronic skin ulcers, some secondary male dysfunction, vasculities, wound infections, diarrhea, bronchitis, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, otitis media, sinusitis, bell’s facial paralysis, eczema, dermatitis, herpes, and alopecia. This lamp features a round plate with a mineral coating consisting of 33 elements essential to the human body. The heating element allows the mineral plate to emit a special band of electromagnetic waves that coincide with the wavelengths and intensity released and absorbed by the body. The absorbed electromagnetic energy has been found to yield therapeutic effects by helping to generate beneficial biochemical stimuli that the body may lack due to illness or injury; accelerating the decomposition of dead cells; and enhancing the body’s immune function.