Massage Cupping: What It Is, Who It Helps & Why You’ll Love It

Massage cupping has become one of our most-requested add-ons at Oak City Massage and for good reason. It’s a powerful, therapeutic technique that combines traditional massage with gentle suction to decompress muscles, increase circulation, and promote faster recovery.

What Is Massage Cupping?

Massage cupping uses specialized silicone or plastic cups that create suction on the skin. Instead of pressing down like traditional massage, cupping lifts the tissue. This creates space for better blood flow, reduces tension, and helps flush out stagnation in the muscles.

The result? A deeper release without the need for deep pressure.

Benefits of Massage Cupping

Cupping can offer a wide range of benefits, including:

• Relieves chronic muscle tension and tightness

• Improves circulation and lymphatic drainage

• Reduces inflammation and supports recovery

• Enhances range of motion

• Breaks up adhesions and fascia restrictions

• Promotes relaxation and stress relief

Many clients say cupping gives them the same results as deep-tissue massage but with less discomfort.

Who Is Cupping Best For?

Massage cupping is especially helpful for:

• Athletes needing faster recovery and improved mobility

• Individuals with chronic pain, especially in the neck, back, or shoulders

• People with limited range of motion or muscle stiffness

• Desk workers dealing with posture-related tension

• Anyone who prefers a gentler approach compared to intense deep tissue pressure

It’s also a great option for those looking to enhance their regular massage routine with deeper, longer-lasting relief.

Does Cupping Leave Marks?

Sometimes, yes but they are not bruises. They’re simply signs of increased circulation and typically fade within a few days. Most clients find the relief well worth it.

Experience Cupping at Oak City Massage

Whether you’re seeking pain relief, improved athletic performance, or simply deeper relaxation, massage cupping is a powerful addition to your wellness routine. Our trained therapists tailor each session to your needs, ensuring a safe, effective, and rejuvenating experience.

Ready to try cupping?

Book your session at Oak City Massage and feel the difference.

Christmas Gift Cards

It’s that time of year again! This year, give the gift of relaxation. We are now selling Christmas gift cards, any regularly priced massage gift card is 10% off! Gift cards can be sent via email or picked up in person. Please call or email to schedule your gift card pick-up. 919-322-8382

Mother's Day

Some how Mother’s Day is next week!! As usual, the year is flying by. If you are still looking for a gift for the Mom or Mom-to-be in your life, consider giving her the gift of relaxation! We sell 60 minute, 75 minute and 90 minute massage gift cards. To purchase a gift card, send an email or call to schedule a pick-up or to get your gift card emailed to you! 919.322.8382

Raleigh Location

We are excited to now offer massage therapy in Raleigh! Our therapist, Alicia, is now seeing clients on select days in Raleigh from 9am-5pm. The space is located inside of the Soma Wellness Collective at: 

920 Paverstone Dr.

Suite B

Raleigh, NC 

 

Please let us know if this location is more convenient for you when scheduling! We are looking forward to working with you soon!

Earthley Product Update part 2: Postpartum

Here is the list of our new postpartum products, these are products I have been personally using myself and getting some great benefits from them! If you buy 3 at the same time, get a 10% discount! 

 Teeth Tamer 2oz: 

Teeth Tamer naturally soothes pain, drooling, and irritability due to tooth pain. Instead of using harmful medications or synthetic gels with unsafe ingredients and potential side-effects, experience the relieving power of herbs. Whether you’ve got a toothache or a teething baby, Teeth Tamer is the best natural solution!  Made with whole organic cloves, absolutely no essential oils.

Key Herbs:

• Whole Cloves — Anti-inflammatory, pain relieving

• Catnip — Calming, rich in B vitamins

Teeth Tamer is also great for molars, losing teeth, and general toothaches — not just for babies!

Baby balm Herbal Salve .5oz:

Baby Balm is our natural diaper cream that shields your baby’s skin from irritation while nourishing the skin to soothe away diaper rashes. Safe for cloth diapers, this salve is made to help those diaper rashes as well as minor burns, cuts, and scrapes.

This is a great all-natural alternative to those mainstream rash creams that are full of chemicals and unwanted ingredients. Baby Balm is made with soothing lavender, chamomile, and calendula in a base of olive oil, castor oil, and candelilla wax. Throw out those conventional diaper creams for our all-natural Baby Balm!

Key Ingredients:

• Lavender Buds – promotes wound repair, anti-inflammatory

• Chamomile – soothing, may ease pain, anti-inflammatory

• Calendula – anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal, soothes skin

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – softens and nourishes skin

• Castor Oil – softens and nourishes skin

• Candelilla Wax – softens skin

Breast Balm Herbal Salve .5oz:

Breast Balm is an all-natural, herbal salve created to help soothe sore nipples to relieve pain associated with breastfeeding. It also contains anti-fungal properties to help fight symptoms of yeast. Since it’s edible and safe for babies, there’s no need to wipe it off before nursing!

Our Breast Balm can also be used as lip balm, for diaper rash, and to help any skin rash or irritation you have!

Key Ingredients:

Apricot Oil – soothes skin, anti-inflammatory

Candelilla Wax – softens skin

Calendula – soothes chapped and broken skin, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal

Milk Flowin’ Salve .5oz: 

Milk Flowin’ Salve is an all-natural, herbal salve created to help relieve clogged milk ducts. This salve helps keep lymphatic fluids and milk moving to work out any existing clogs. Since it’s edible and safe for babies, there’s no need to wipe it off before nursing.

Massage our Milk Flowin’ Salve into the breast and nipple area to help release clogged breast milk and find relief!

Key Ingredients:

• Castor Oil – Promotes milk flow, promotes lymphatic flow

• Rosemary Leaf – anti-inflammatory, antibacterial

• Lavender Buds – promotes wound repair

• Candelilla Wax – softens skin

Mama’s Magic Milk Boost 1oz:

Mama’s Magic Milk Boost is an herbal tincture created to help increase milk supply with all-natural ingredients. Not only is this product high in vitamins and minerals to nourish the body, but it also contains herbs to soothe baby’s tummy. Made with the highest-quality ingredients, this tincture supports both mom and baby on their breastfeeding journey. 

Key Herbs:

• Fennel Seed – promotes breast milk supply, decrease colic in infants

• Red Raspberry Leaf – antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

• Marshmallow Root – soothes the digestive tract

• Alfalfa – high vitamin and mineral content

• Blessed Thistle – milk boosting properties

Postpartum Balance 1oz:

There’s nothing quite like the major hormone surge you get right after having a baby. You’re flooded with oxytocin and you are so happy to have this baby, but it can be overwhelming! Postpartum Balance is formulated to help mamas break down no-longer-needed pregnancy hormones, balance your hormones, and to help lessen bleeding for an easier fourth trimester.

It is a must have for every new mom!

Key Herbs:

• Turmeric – antioxidant, anti-inflammatory

• Black Pepper – promotes nutrient absorption, promotes gut health

• Dandelion Root – supports liver health, promotes detox

• Alfalfa Leaf – rich in vitamins and minerals

• Catnip Leaf– antibacterial properties

Summer Massage

The weather has been PERFECT this week! Nothing makes you want to get outside and be active like low humidity and sunshine! With the warm weather comes all the fun summer activities we love. However, sometimes we forget that we haven’t done these activities since last summer so our bodies are a little rusty. Make sure you are ready for your summer sports and activities by doing some regular cross training in the off season, warming up very well before the events (even yard work/gardening!) and keeping your muscles healthy with regular massage! Massage is beneficial in many ways. It helps you keep track of how your body is feeling and if there are any tension spots you weren’t aware of. It helps to keep your muscles loose by increasing circulation. It can help you to recover as you get back to doing what you love and have sore muscles. Massage is not benign. It absolutely feels great just generally, but it can also be a great tool to keep you doing the things you love!

Email or call today to schedule your next appointment!! 919-322-8382!

Package Pricing

At Oak City Massage, we understand the benefit of receiving regular massage, of course. We also understand that this can be a financial burden on some folks! While getting regular massage can help you to avoid injuries, lower other health costs and keep you in the activities you love, it can still be hard to justify. With this in mind Oak City offers some great package pricing to help lower your overall cost of massage therapy. Our packages do not expire and you are welcome to use them as frequently as you would like. We also allow you to share your package. 

Check out our package pricing before your next session! 

A package of 3 massages is 5% off (60 minutes are $95/session, 90 minutes are $137.75/session)

A  package of 6 massages or more is 10% off (60 minutes are $90/session, 90 minutes are $130.50/session)

Email or call to schedule today!! 919.322.8382

Last Week for Gift Cards!

I can hardly believe Christmas Eve is a week away!!

Just a reminder that this is the last week for Christmas gift cards, 10% off any regularly priced massage! If you are still looking for the perfect gift, look no further! Give the gift of relaxation with a massage gift card! Please call or email the office to schedule a time to come in and pick up your gift cards. We are also able to email gift cards if that is more convenient for you! 919-322-8382

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

Announcement!

Hey Everyone, I hope you are all getting into the holiday spirit, but also taking time to relax this season! 

Many of you already know, but I wanted to officially share that my husband and I are expecting our second child! We are so excited to be adding to our family and are so looking forward to meeting our new baby girl at the end of January! 

I am hoping to work until delivery, unfortunately it’s just an estimate so we’ll see when that actually happens. As of right now I am stopping scheduling the week of January 22nd and may pick up some same day appointments that week if I’m still not delivered and feeling well. If anything happens before that time all of my scheduled clients have contact info easily accessible and myself, Amanda or Alanna will reach out to you and help you get rescheduled. I will be returning to work sometime in late spring.

We are so excited and look forward to this next chapter of our lives. Thank you for all your support and congratulations!

Now Selling Christmas Gift Cards!

 Having trouble deciding what to get someone for Christmas? What about the gift of relaxation? All Christmas Gift Cards will be 10% off! There is no limit and you can buy a gift card(s) for yourself. Christmas gift cards can not be used before Christmas. Cannot be combined with other discounts.

You may purchase a gift card over the phone and have it emailed. You may also schedule a time to come into the office and pick up a physical gift card. 

Email or call today to get your Christmas Gift Cards! 919.322.8382