Stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA), is a general term in traditional Chinese medicine for acute cerebrovascular diseases. It is characterized by sudden fainting, loss of consciousness, accompanied by facial asymmetry, speech difficulties, hemiparesis, or without loss of consciousness, with only facial asymmetry, speech difficulties, and hemiparesis as the main symptoms. Stroke is especially common in middle-aged and elderly people during autumn. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that this is due to the dry climate in autumn, lack of moisture in the air, making people more susceptible to dry pathogens, leading to obstruction of cerebral blood vessels, blocked meridians, and impaired mental faculties, thus causing stroke. Data shows that more than 70% of stroke cases in the elderly occur in autumn, and medical experts also refer to stroke as the "autumn neurological epidemic." Stroke is highly dangerous, and if not treated promptly, it can be life-threatening. So, how can middle-aged and elderly people effectively prevent stroke?
Clearing Meridians is the Key to Effective Stroke Prevention
Professor Zhou Guoping, Deputy Director of the Traditional Therapy and Rehabilitation Center at South Medical University Integrative Medicine Hospital, believes that modern medicine focuses on actively intervening in hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, arteriosclerosis, smoking cessation, alcohol restriction, and weight control for stroke prevention. However, why do some people still have a stroke despite taking these preventive measures? Professor Zhou Guoping points out that in addition to factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease, patients also have problems with meridian obstruction. Therefore, clearing the meridians is the key to effective stroke prevention.
How to Perform Daily Massages for Stroke Patients
Acupoint Massage
Gently massage Hegu acupoint, Quchi acupoint, Zusanli acupoint, and Sanyinjiao acupoint with the tip of your thumb. Each acupoint should be massaged for 1 minute. This has the effect of nourishing qi and blood, and promoting meridian circulation.
Joint Movements
Joint movements are a very important part and must be practiced daily. Starting from the extremities of the patient's hands and feet, move each joint upwards in sequence. When moving the joints, be careful to gently flex them upwards, avoiding excessive inward bending. The force should not be too strong to avoid joint injuries, and should be based on the patient's comfort. After moving the joints of the fingers, palms, and wrists, move on to the elbows and shoulders, focusing on gently extending them outwards. After moving the toes and ankles, move on to the knee joints and thighs, with more emphasis on lifting the thighs upwards and extending them outwards.
Kneading and Rubbing Fingers and Toes
Family members should knead and rub each finger (toe) of the patient's paralyzed hand or foot, starting from the index finger (toe) to the little finger (toe), with gentle force. Each surface of the finger (toe) should be massaged, totaling 20 minutes. The goal is to promote peripheral blood circulation, prevent muscle atrophy, and promote neural function recovery.
Massaging Limbs
Gently massage the paralyzed limbs of the patient, focusing on the outer muscles of the arms and the front muscles of the calves. After a stroke, patients often exhibit significant atrophy in the outer muscles of the arms and the front muscles of the legs. Massaging these muscles can effectively prevent atrophy.
Self-assisted Joint Movements
After the patient completes joint movements with the help of family members, they can use their "good hand" to move the paralyzed "bad hand." For example, they can lie on the bed and grab the paralyzed hand by the wrist, lifting it upwards with gentle force.
