Colds? Try Tui Na!
Colds are common in autumn and winter. So how do you treat a cold? Can traditional Chinese Tui Na massage help? How does it work? Let's find out about the Tui Na massage treatment for colds.
Common colds usually have the following symptoms: nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, headache, and fever.
Generally speaking, common colds are mainly caused by the invasion of wind evil into the body. The course of the disease is short and easy to recover from. In winter and spring, cold evil is the main factor, leading to symptoms such as no sweating, headache, clear runny nose, itchy throat, cough, thin white phlegm, and feeling cold even when wearing warm clothes. Some cases are caused by the failure to treat wind and cold, and the pathogenic factors change from cold to heat, resulting in symptoms such as severe fever, sweating, headache, swollen throat, turbid runny nose, cough, and thick yellow phlegm. This is called heat-transforming type common cold.
Acupoint selection:
For wind-cold type, select acupoints from the bladder meridian of the foot taiyang, lung meridian of the hand taiyin, large intestine meridian of the hand yangming, governor vessel, and conception vessel, and combine with relevant acupoints. The acupoints selected include Zhongfu, Fengmen, Fengchi, Fengfu, Feishu, Hegu, Taiyang, Yingxiang, Jianjing, and Yintang.
For heat-transforming type, dispel wind, scatter heat, resolve exterior, and clear the lungs. In addition, include acupoints such as Dazhui, Quchi, Tiantu, and Shanzhong.
Basic massage techniques:
For wind-cold type, massage Yintang, Taiyang, and Yingxiang, gently stroke the forehead, press and knead Hegu and Waiguan, use force to pinch Fengchi and Jianjing, and then massage Zhongfu, Fengmen, Fengchi, and Feishu (each acupoint for 1-2 minutes). Next, massage the upper back for 1-2 minutes, and finally pinch the lung meridian of the hand taiyin and the large intestine meridian of the hand yangming 1-2 times.
For heat-transforming type, massage Yintang, Taiyang, and Yingxiang, gently stroke the forehead, then from the shoulder, massage along the large intestine meridian of the hand yangming and the lung meridian of the hand taiyin to the fingertips 1-2 times, focus on massaging Quchi, Chize, Waiguan, Hegu, and Yujie, massage Fengchi, then apply pressure to Zhongfu, Tiantu, and Shanzhong, pinch Jianjing, massage the upper back for 1-2 minutes, tap the upper back to the shoulders 5 times, and tap along the governor vessel and bladder meridian from the upper back to the waist 5 times.
Principle of treatment:
For wind-cold type, massaging Yintang and Yingxiang, gently stroking the forehead can alleviate headache and clear nasal passages. Massaging Feishu and Zhongfu (the meeting points of the lung meridian of the hand taiyin and foot taiyin meridian) can promote lung function, relieve cough, and relieve nasal congestion. Massaging Fengmen (the meeting point of the bladder meridian of the foot taiyang and governor vessel) can dispel wind, relieve cough, relieve heat, and alleviate headache and neck stiffness. Massaging Fengchi, Fengmen, and Jianjing (the meeting points of the bladder meridian of the foot shaoyang and yangwei) can promote the release of exterior and dispel cold, relieve headache and neck pain. Massaging Hegu (the original acupoint of the large intestine meridian of the hand yangming) and Waiguan (the meeting point of the eight meridians) can promote the release of exterior and strengthen the effect of resolving the exterior.
For heat-transforming type, pressing Dazhui (the meeting point of the yang meridians) can promote the flow of qi in the three yang meridians and have a good antipyretic effect. Pressing Fengchi can dispel wind, scatter heat, and relieve the exterior. Pressing Quchi (the meeting point of the large intestine meridian of the hand yangming) and Hegu can relieve lung heat, relieve cough, and alleviate throat pain. Pressing Shanzhong (the meeting point of the large intestine meridian of the hand yangming and the stomach meridian of the foot yangming) and Tiantu (the meeting point of the yinwei and conception vessel) can relieve cough and alleviate throat pain.
Tui Na massage in traditional Chinese medicine can cure the above common cold symptoms with 3-4 treatments. When performing the massage, avoid wind and cold. At the same time, patients should pay attention to cold prevention and keep warm in diet and daily life. Drink plenty of boiled water and avoid excessive fatigue. Since massage treatment generally has no adverse reactions, it is especially suitable for children, the elderly, and those planning to conceive. For pregnant women, acupoints such as Hegu can be excluded under the guidance of a doctor.
