In addition to acupuncture and massage therapy, Chill Acupuncture and Wellness offers other, less well-known treatment services.
Among these are Cupping, Gua Sha, Reiki Treatment, Tui Na (Chinese Medical Massage) and Auricular Acupuncture.
Cupping
Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine where a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. The idea is to draw blood to or away from parts of your body. People get it for many reasons, such as pain and relief of inflammation, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.
Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus from 1550 B.C., describes how the ancient Egyptians used cupping therapy for treating fever, pain, vertigo, menstrual problems, and other ailments.
Dry cupping is simple and is the preferred method in the West because it's easy to do and doesn't involve blood. The therapist just applies the cups to your skin, compressing them with their hands, a pump, or a flame if using glass cups. (They may apply lotion first). They leave the cups in place for 5-10 minutes. You can have this therapy done as often as once or twice a week. A modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump instead of fire to create a vacuum inside the cup.
Many Americans first became aware of it after seeing purplish circles on the body of swimmer Michael Phelps during the 2016 Olympics.
Gua Sha
Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves using a smooth-edged tool to gently scrape the skin, creating temporary redness and bruising. The aim of Gua Sha is to promote relaxation, improve circulation, and reduce pain and inflammation.
The benefits of Gua Sha have been long known in alternative medicine and have been researched in clinical trials in Western medicine. These trials showed positive initial results for patients with neck and lower back pain.
Gua sha is primarily used as a complimentary treatment to other therapies. including acupuncture, massage and physical therapy. Your Gua Sha practitioner will work with you to determine how many sessions you need.
Reiki Treatment
A Reiki treatment is a holistic therapy practice that involves a practitioner gently placing their hands on or above a person's body to channel "universal life force energy" with the aim of promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and encouraging the body's natural healing abilities by balancing energy flow within the body, often focusing on key energy centers called chakras; it is considered a non-invasive and gentle form of alternative medicine originating from Japan.
Tui Na
Tui Na massage is an ancient form of massage that focuses on balancing a person’s energy. Practitioners use various techniques, including kneading, pressing, rolling, and stretching.
Archaeologists have found evidence of Tui Na massage dating back to about 2700 B.C.E. The practice includes a range of massage and manipulation techniques. During the session, a practitioner may use their hands and arms to massage, knead, press, and stretch the body.
Individuals may use it to focus on specific health concerns, such as joint, muscle, or bone pain in the neck and shoulders, hips, back, arms and legs, and ankles.
Auricular Acupuncture
Auricular acupuncture, also known as ear acupuncture, is a form of alternative medicine that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the outer ear. For this procedure, there is also an option that is non-invasive, replacing acupuncture needles with seeds that are stuck into the surface of the ear. This procedure, besides being non-invasive, allows for the seeds to remain in place once the session is over, allowing the patient to re-activate the seeds periodically until they fall off the ear.
Auricular acupuncture is used to treat a wide range of conditions, including pain (e.g. chronic pain, migraines), addiction (e.g. smoking cessation, alcohol or drug addiction), anxiety and stress, insomnia, nausea, obesity and depression.
TriWest and Blue Cross Blue Shield are currently accepted at Chill Acupuncture. Please be aware that insurance verification generally takes between 1 and 3 business days.
Chill Acupuncture is open Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 7 PM, with last appointments scheduled at 6 PM.
Chill Acupuncture and Wellness is located at 6502 East Carondelet Drive, Tucson, AZ 85710. We are in the San Rafael Medical Center due south of the Saint Joseph’s Hospital main building. You can contact Chill Acupuncture by phone at (520) 505-1990, or via email at chilltucson@gmail.com.
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