Scraping, as a popular method of health and wellness, has been around for many years and is a commonly used technique in traditional Chinese medicine. There are many precautions to consider when scraping, so it is not recommended to do it yourself but rather to seek professional help. What are the benefits of scraping? People who have not experienced it are curious about how to do it. Let's find out in this article!
What are the benefits of scraping?
Promotes metabolism and detoxification
During the scraping process, our skin is stimulated, which affects our blood vessels, accelerating our metabolism and blood circulation. This allows toxins in our body to be transported and eliminated through the bloodstream, purifying our cells and making our body feel lighter. It also helps boost our immune system.
Relieves pain by relaxing muscles and improving blood circulation
There is a saying that "when there is flow, there is no pain; when there is pain, there is no flow." This applies to scraping as well. If a certain part of your body is affected by a disease, such as shoulder periarthritis, there may be muscle tension and blood stasis around the shoulder. Scraping may cause some pain initially, but with correct technique and consistent practice, it can help relieve the pain.
This applies to common conditions such as cervical spondylosis and lumbar muscle strain as well. Patients can use scraping techniques to alleviate discomfort. Although scraping cannot fundamentally cure these diseases, it can help unclog meridians, effectively relieve local pain, and accelerate recovery.
Regulates the balance of yin and yang in the body
In traditional Chinese medicine, maintaining the balance of yin and yang in the body is crucial. Scraping can regulate bodily functions in both directions and has a significant impact on the balance of organs. For example, for people with excessive intestinal peristalsis, scraping the abdomen and back can help suppress the excessive peristalsis and restore balance to the intestines.
How to scrape?
1. Scraping hands and feet to improve blood circulation
Women often experience cold hands and feet, which is mainly related to insufficient body yang or poor blood circulation according to traditional Chinese medicine. It is recommended to use the flat side of the scraping board to scrape the palms of the hands until they feel warm, and then use the grooves on the scraping board to scrape all sides of the fingers from the base to the fingertips in each direction, repeating 5 to 10 times. This helps improve blood circulation. The same technique can be applied to scrape the feet.
2. Scraping the abdomen to promote bowel movements
Long-term constipation not only affects digestion and absorption functions but also allows the body to absorb toxins. Use the flat side of the scraping board to scrape the abdomen from top to bottom, moving from left to right. It is important to note that if there is visceral ptosis, scraping should be done from bottom to top.
3. Scraping around the eyes to improve vision
We are all familiar with eye exercises and the acupoints involved. Scraping can provide more effective stimulation on these acupoints compared to using fingers to massage. Start by using a scraping comb to stimulate the Jingming acupoint, then scrape from the Jingming acupoint to the outer corner of the eye, in both directions along the upper and lower eyelids. This can improve the circulation of qi and blood around the eyes, relieve eye fatigue and dryness.
