Traditional Chinese medicine cupping is a common health practice that uses cups to create negative pressure on the skin, causing local blood congestion. It has the effects of relieving muscle tension, promoting blood circulation, dispelling dampness, and relieving pain. So what are the precautions for cupping in winter?
【Precautions for Cupping in Winter】
Traditional Chinese medicine cupping can be done in all seasons, but different seasons require different precautions. Cupping can be done in winter, which also has many health benefits. In winter, the temperature is low and dry, so it is important to choose a warm room for cupping and pay attention to insulation.
For patients who need cupping on the back, abdomen, and other areas, the cupping time should be appropriately reduced to avoid prolonged exposure of the body. After cupping, it is important to dress warmly and drink some hot water to warm the body. Due to dry skin in this season, it is necessary to lubricate the cupping mouth to protect the skin from injury.
In addition, because the weather is cold, it is important to keep the indoor environment warm during cupping to prevent cold air from invading the body being treated. When cupping, it is advisable to choose parts of the body that are relatively plump and have muscles. Cupping is not suitable for areas with skin allergies, ulcers, edema, etc. It is crucial to prevent skin burns or scalds during cupping.
Cupping in winter is also suitable for people with weak immune systems and prone to illness. Cupping is beneficial for the body regardless of the season. In winter, the body is more susceptible to illness. Going for cupping for a period of time can also benefit the body. In winter, the cold air tends to accumulate in the body and cannot be released. Regular cupping can help remove the excess cold air from the body, making it healthier. Although cupping is suitable for winter, precautions should still be taken.
【Benefits of Cupping】
There are many benefits of cupping, also known as "qi" cupping or "angle" cupping therapy. It is a method that uses cups to create negative pressure on the skin, causing blockage.
1. As the meridians, acupoints, five viscera, and six organs in the human body are interconnected, cupping stimulates the surface acupoints and regulates the internal organs through the meridians of bones and muscles. Thus, blood and qi flow smoothly, and the body becomes stronger.
2. Decompression function: in the self-regulation of the body, cupping promotes blood circulation, relieves muscle tension, reduces swelling and pain, dispels wind and dampness, and promotes the recovery of normal functions through benign stimulation.
3. Balancing the body's yin and yang: after cupping, hemolysis occurs, and histamine substances are immediately produced, circulating throughout the body, stimulating various organs and enhancing their functional vitality, which helps to restore function in the body.
【Colors After Cupping】
Black indicates toxins, green indicates phlegm, purple indicates blood stasis, red indicates heat, and flush indicates normal.
If there is obvious black color, it means that there is a problem in the corresponding area. However, there is no need to worry, cupping is a therapy for dispelling diseases. As long as you persist in cupping the problematic area every 2-3 days, the color will gradually become lighter until it becomes flush, indicating complete recovery after cupping.
Of course, each cupping session should be done after the color has returned to normal after the previous session, otherwise, the skin burden may be too heavy and may cause side effects.
