According to traditional Chinese medicine, the period from 3am to 5am is known as the "Yin time" and is when the Lung meridian is most active. If an elderly person catches a cold and their Lung function is compromised, they are more likely to experience persistent coughing during this time. In such cases, massaging the Lung meridian can be beneficial in treating the cough and balancing the Lung meridian. Below, we recommend several massage techniques that are effective in treating coughs caused by catching a cold and regulating the Lung meridian.
[Specific Techniques]
1. Massage the Shaoshang acupoint, Yuji acupoint, Taiyuan acupoint, Jingqu acupoint, Kongzui acupoint, and Chize acupoint for 5 minutes each before going to bed every night.
The Lung meridian passes through the Shaoshang acupoint, which extends along the outer side of the arm. One inch below the point where the thumb connects to the palm, you will find the Yuji acupoint. The Taiyuan acupoint is located at the crease of the wrist (above the wrist lines and below the base of the thumb, where you can feel the pulse). The Jingqu acupoint is located on the palm side of the forearm, between the tendon of the flexor carpi ulnaris and the radial artery. The Kongzui acupoint is located in the middle of the upper arm, 7 inches above the wrist lines, on the line connecting the Chize acupoint and the Taiyuan acupoint. The Chize acupoint is located on the inside of the elbow, in the hollow area on the side of the brachioradialis tendon.
2. Rub the Baihui acupoint and Bailing acupoint 50-100 times each. Rub the Yingxiang acupoint and Xinhui acupoint 30-50 times each, with moderate pressure.
3. Rub the Shenshu acupoint, Pishu acupoint, and Feishu acupoint 50-100 times each.
4. Use a massage stick to stimulate the trachea and the reflex area of the adrenal glands. For internal cough caused by stagnation, apply gentle pressure for 3 minutes at a frequency of 90 times per minute. For external cough caused by invasion, apply moderate pressure for 5 minutes at a frequency of 120 times per minute.
5. Rub the abdomen with the palms, using a back-and-forth motion in front of the earlobe for 3 minutes at a frequency of 120 times per minute, with moderate pressure.
If the cough persists at night, you can massage these acupoints to nourish the lungs, stop the cough, and invigorate qi and nourish blood, which has a good therapeutic effect.
If you find it difficult to adhere to these techniques, you can purchase Yin-nourishing and Lung-clearing pills from a pharmacy. Press down on one-quarter of a pill to make it the size of a coin and apply it to the Taiyuan acupoint before going to bed. Secure it with adhesive tape and remove it the next morning. If the symptoms of qi deficiency are severe, you can apply a piece of dried and sun-dried ginseng, the size of the patient's thumbnail, to the Taiyuan acupoint before going to bed. Fix it in place and sun-dried ginseng is excellent for nourishing lung qi and spleen and stomach qi, and it can help regulate the lungs without the patient even realizing it.
