Ventosa or (how to look like a bludgeoning victim)

It was after the last 5k run. I only had 4 hours of sleep because we had attended a high school reunion dinner the night before. So, we decided to go have a ventosa massage.

We went to chinatown. My husband assured me this is the best therapy for our aching muscles. The masseuse gently massaged my back and then POURED a whole lot of oil on it.  I was thinking....okay.....  it turned out you needed the oil for the cups to take a good hold.

(this is not me)

Ventosa cupping massage is performed by placing a small flame inside a cup and letting the fumes accumulate inside a cup. this cup is then placed on specific points on your back to create a vaccum.  I have seen pictures before but I have never tried it myself. As the girl placed the cup on my back, I could feel the suction pulling my skin. It felt like being pinched by HULK HOGAN. ouch.! She placed several more cups. ouch again.... after a few minutes, the skin where the first cup was placed was getting numb. That's when she moved it.

It felt like my skin was being pulled. I was imagining that this what it felt like to be hung by your skin. It was THAT painful. She kept moving the cups to certain points in my back. I guess it was to release the tension in the "Chi" points in my back. My worst part of it was when she placed it near the base of my armpit. I think she hit my lymph node. It hurt like I was giving birth again-- I gritted my teeth a lot.

I came home looking like this---

The top picture is a closeup of my shoulder... you can see the lines from my bra strap crossing the circles.  
Overall, it was not so bad. My muscles loosened from the cupping and maybe, after the red spots are gone, I can go back for another session.

FYI- a lot of people reacted to my back when they saw it. Those who didn't know about ventosa was a bit shocked.. (i joked that my husband beat me up)-- hahahaha