ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- At Greater Rochester Chiropractic on Allens Creek Road, it's light, heat, and "cupping."
"Traditionally, it's understood to clear out the old blood and remove blood stasis and make way for new blood," Christine DeLozier said. "So how we can understand that is, it promotes circulation and tissue repair. It also helps release mild fascial adhesions."
Cupping is a form of Chinese medicine that dates back 2,000 years. It's also what caused the noticeable marks on Team USA swimming megastar Michael Phelps.
"Athletes who have muscle tension and particularly when they are overworking their muscles, like the athletes do at the Olympics, it's a real great way to regenerate those tissues and recover from over exertion," DeLozier said.
Heat is applied to a glass dome, and in some cases, suction is used. The dome is rubbed or placed on the skin, creating a vacuum. That in turn sucks the blood and fluid to the area easing tension and pain.
Leslie Lange has been using the form of acupuncture for the about six months now. He sees the positive of cupping in two lights; as a chiropractor and a competitive swimmer.
"It feels kind of nice and relaxed right now," Lange said when asked how his back felt. "Even in the area where she did the Gua Sha, I know it looks like something brutal happened there."
Lange said he was pleasantly surprised to see Phelps sporting more than red, white and blue, adding it's a game changer for acupuncture.
"Kind of like the NASA program brought us many things we use in our daily lives, I think that those elite athletes bring to us some of the alternatives to some of the traditional approaches," Lange said.
As for if this form of medicine may become even more popular in her massage room, DeLozier said yes, probably, with a laugh.