Office workers sit for long periods of time, which not only leads to back pain but also makes them prone to "Yin heat" in the summer. What are the symptoms of "Yin heat"? How can you use guasha at home to relieve the heat?
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners point out that the large temperature difference between indoors and outdoors in summer can cause difficulty in adjusting when entering or leaving air-conditioned rooms, resulting in symptoms of "Yin heat" such as dizziness, chest tightness, fatigue, and darkening of urine color. At this time, moderate guasha can be used to promote the discharge of heat and stagnant qi accumulated on the body surface.
"Yin heat" often occurs in office workers who stay up late and lack exercise. Due to their poor pore opening and closing function and poor blood circulation, they often work in air-conditioned rooms. Guasha can promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, expel wind from the body's surface, and clear heat. However, it is not suitable for the elderly, children, and pregnant women. In addition, before guasha, the tools should be disinfected with alcohol, then the skin should be cleaned and moisturized with lotion to facilitate lubrication. The number of guasha strokes on the same area should not exceed 20. After guasha, it is advisable to drink warm water to help improve blood circulation.
Guasha should not be performed every day and should be done at least every 2-3 days. It should not be performed if there are still visible sha marks. In addition, areas such as the eye area, the front of the neck, the triangular area from the nose to the mouth, and bony areas like the back of the hand should not be guashaed. The buttocks and abdomen have little effect, so guasha should mainly be performed on the meridian convergence areas, such as the back, shoulders, and limbs.
The most effective guasha techniques are as follows:
Guasha the brow center to treat headaches: Apply a thin layer of medium on the forehead, then use the guasha board to scrape from the hairline down to the middle of the brow center, repeating 20 times.
Benefits: Helps to clear heat and dispel wind, relieving dizziness and head fullness in the summer.
Guasha the shoulders to relieve stiffness: Apply a thin layer of medium on the shoulders, then use the guasha board to scrape from the junction of the neck and shoulder to the left shoulder, repeating 20 times, then switch to the right side and repeat 20 times.
Benefits: Relieves dizziness and shoulder stiffness, refreshes the mind.
Guasha the arms to alleviate heat: Apply a thin layer of medium on the elbows, bend the arms, and the transverse lines at the farthest end are the Quchi acupoints. Scrape 20 times downward from 3 fingers above this point, then switch hands and repeat 20 times.
Benefits: Relieves heat and dizziness in the summer.
