Acupuncture is a popular health regimen for many people. The hottest days of the year are a good time to take care of your body. So, how do you do acupuncture in the hottest days of the year? Let's take a look!
The Effects and Benefits of Acupuncture
Personal cultivation and nourishment
During the summer, the body is in a state of dispersal. The pure yang energy of acupuncture, combined with the yang energy of the season, enters the body. As a result, all the evil energies such as wind, cold, dampness, heat, dryness, and fire are expelled from the body. Thus, the blood becomes purer, the body becomes relaxed, the mind becomes more open, and diseases and pain gradually disappear while wisdom increases.
Therefore, acupuncture in the hottest days of the year can not only treat diseases but also strengthen the body and mind. It is truly a way to cultivate oneself.
Replenishment of vital energy
The sign of sufficient vital energy is that one does not mind the heat in summer and does not enjoy cold wind or cold drinks. In winter, one does not fear the cold, has abundant energy, strong endurance, high pain tolerance, and strong resistance to stress and pressure. This is the true sign of good health. This feeling cannot be achieved through any other treatment, conditioning, health care, or supplement.
Acupuncture in the hottest days of the year can rapidly treat and cure diseases. The pure yang energy of acupuncture, combined with the double yang energy of the season, acts on the body's lesions, eliminating all cold and dampness and unblocking the meridians.
Relief from heat and dampness
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the root of excessive and evil fire is cold and dampness. Where there is cold, there is fire; where there is fire, there is cold. This is the fundamental cause of easily getting angry and inflammation. The fundamental method of treating various inflammations in traditional Chinese medicine is to expel cold and eliminate dampness. If the cold evil is not expelled, the inflammation will not heal.
During acupuncture in the hottest days of the year, when the yang energy of acupuncture and the yang energy of the season are at their peak, the double yang energy is injected into the body, expelling cold and dampness. In a hot environment, people will not feel stuffy or restless.
Regulation of meridians
Drugs with warm and hot properties have effects similar to acupuncture, with the ability to warm the meridians, promote Qi and blood circulation, and eliminate dampness and cold. Through the adjustment of meridians, the balance of Yin and Yang can be promoted, and the role of preventing diseases and health care can be achieved.
Prevention and treatment of diseases
The local stimulation of drugs through nerve reflexes stimulates the body's regulatory functions and promotes the formation of certain antibodies, thereby enhancing the body's immune function and preventing and treating allergic diseases.
Health maintenance
The drug itself has an effect. The drug penetrates through the skin into the subcutaneous tissue, producing a relatively high concentration of the drug, exerting a strong pharmacological effect. At the same time, through the stimulation of the drug on local acupoints, the Qi of the whole body is stimulated and absorbed through the absorption and transportation of small blood vessels, achieving the maximum pharmacological effect.
Balance of Yin and Yang
During the hottest period of the year, when the body's yang energy is at its peak, acupuncture can stimulate acupoints and, through the action of drugs, have a positive effect on enhancing the body's resistance and balancing Yin and Yang.
Acupuncture in the Hottest Days of the Year for Beauty and Nourishment
It can improve problems such as eye bags, dark circles, sagging eyelids, wrinkles, and relaxation.
Acupoints: Hegu, Taixi, Shuifen, Sanyinjiao, Xuehai, Qihai, Guanyuan, Zusanli.
Effects: Accelerate blood circulation, beauty and nourishment.
Acupuncture in the Hottest Days of the Year for Treating Air Conditioning Syndrome
Long-term stay in air-conditioned rooms with large temperature differences between indoors and outdoors can easily lead to cervical spondylosis. The middle of the neck belongs to the Yangming bladder meridian and the Du meridian. The Yangming meridian governs the surface of the body, and the cold evil first affects the Yangming. The Du meridian governs the body's Yang.
Acupoint: Dazhui.
Effect: Warm Yang and dispel cold.
Acupuncture in the Hottest Days of the Year for Treating Skin Problems
During summer, the humidity increases, and the activity of bacteria, fungi, mosquitoes, and mites increases, leading to an increase in skin diseases. Acupuncture can be used to treat tongue coating, aversion to cold, or even urticaria and eczema caused by internal dampness and external wind and cold. In addition, it is necessary to sunbathe bedding frequently, maintain room and personal hygiene, eat a light diet, and avoid alcohol and foods that can induce allergies, such as beef and mutton.
Acupoints: Quchi, Hegu, Xuehai, Weizhong.
Effect: Expel wind and relieve itching, warm Yang and eliminate dampness.
Acupuncture in the Hottest Days of the Year for Treating Heat and Dampness Syndrome
The so-called heat and dampness syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine generally does not cause high fever, only low fever, often accompanied by symptoms such as headache, body fatigue, and weakness. Sweating does not relieve the heat, and there is a dry mouth but no desire to drink water. Some may also experience vomiting or diarrhea.
Acupoints: Zusanli, Yinlingquan, Zhongwan, Shenque.
Effect: Warm the middle, dispel cold, invigorate the spleen, and eliminate dampness, relieve vomiting and pain.
How to Do Acupuncture in the Hottest Days of the Year
Guanyuan acupoint
This acupoint is located 3 inches below the navel and is an important acupoint for health and strengthening the body. Long-term acupuncture at this point can make a person's vital energy abundant and have the effects of regulating Qi and blood, nourishing the kidneys, and treating various diseases of the urinary and reproductive systems. Acupuncture with moxa stick for 10-15 minutes or moxibustion with a moxibustion jar for 20-30 minutes.
Zhongwan acupoint
This acupoint is located on the midline of the abdomen, 4 inches above the navel, equivalent to the width of five fingers. It has good effects on all symptoms of stomach diseases. Acupuncture with moxa stick for 10-15 minutes or moxibustion with a moxibustion jar for 20-30 minutes.
Zusanli acupoint
This acupoint is located 3 inches below the kneecap, one horizontal finger from the front edge of the tibia. For easy acupoint location, sit with your knees bent and use your hand to feel the tibial tuberosity from the middle of the knee. Go down 1 inch from the lower edge of the tibial tuberosity. Frequent moxibustion at Zusanli acupoint has a tonic effect.
Who Should Avoid Acupuncture in the Hottest Days of the Year
1. Pregnant women should not use acupuncture.
2. Patients with tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, acute pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis, cold and fever, and other conditions should not use acupuncture.
3. Diabetics (those with poor blood sugar control) and those with skin allergies should use acupuncture with caution.
Precautions for Acupuncture in the Hottest Days of the Year
Before acupuncture
1. Because the wind should not blow during acupuncture, please close the doors and windows before acupuncture. The room should not be ventilated. The same applies to summer; ventilation and air conditioning should not be used.
2. Acupuncture should not be done immediately after a meal. Wait for 1 hour after a meal before acupuncture because acupuncture should not be done on a full stomach.
During acupuncture
1. Do not acupuncture on a full or empty stomach. Do not acupuncture when experiencing extreme emotions such as extreme sadness, joy, or anger. Maintain a calm and relaxed state of mind.
2. Drink plenty of warm water during acupuncture to facilitate detoxification. The water temperature can be slightly higher. Do not drink cold water, even in the summer.
3. If dampness appears on the surface of the acupoint during acupuncture, it means that the internal cold energy is being expelled through the acupoint. If the internal cold energy is heavy, acupuncture is effective.
After acupuncture
1. Within half an hour after acupuncture, do not wash your hands or face with cold water. After acupuncture, the pores of the whole body are open and easily affected by cold air.
2. Do not bathe immediately after acupuncture. The reason is the same as above. In general, I take a bath before acupuncture or wait for a few hours after acupuncture before bathing.
3. If you feel tired, fatigued, or mentally exhausted after acupuncture, it is a normal phenomenon. At this time, the body is undergoing adjustment and it is best to rest and avoid exertion.
Guidelines for Acupuncture in the Hottest Days of the Year
1. Be focused and patient
When performing acupuncture, pay attention to concentration and do not distract your attention, so as not to move the acupuncture needle off the acupoint, which can cause harm to the skin and waste time. For health acupuncture, it is necessary to adhere to it for a long time. Occasional acupuncture will not achieve the desired effect.
2. Pay attention to the accuracy of body position and acupoints
The body position should meet the needs of acupuncture and be comfortable and natural. The acupoint and location should be accurately found according to the prescription to ensure the effectiveness of acupuncture.
3. Fire prevention
Be sure to prevent fire during acupuncture, especially when using moxa sticks. Be careful to prevent the moxa stick from rolling and falling off. After using a moxa stick, you can put the burning end into a bottle slightly larger than the moxa stick to extinguish it.
4. Stay warm and prevent heatstroke
During acupuncture, certain body parts are exposed. In winter, keep warm, and in hot weather, prevent heatstroke. Also, pay attention to adjusting the room temperature and using a fan for fresh air exchange.
5. Prevent infection
Pus formation or ulceration may occur due to purulent moxibustion or improper acupuncture, which can cause moxibustion sores. Do not break the sore. If it has already become infected, use anti-inflammatory drugs in a timely manner.
6. Master the procedure of acupuncture
If there are multiple and scattered acupoints, they should be treated in the order of back, chest, abdomen, head, and limbs.
7. Pay attention to the timing of acupuncture
Some conditions require attention to the timing of acupuncture. For example, acupuncture for insomnia should be done just before going to bed. Acupuncture should not be done on an empty stomach before a meal or immediately after a meal.
8. Gradual progression
When using acupuncture for the first time, pay attention to the correct level of stimulation. Start with a small amount and small dosage, such as using a small moxa stick or shorter time for moxibustion. Increase the dosage in the future. Do not start with a large dosage.
9. Prevent fainting during acupuncture
Although fainting is rare, once it occurs, symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, pale complexion, palpitations, and sweating will occur, and even fainting may occur. If fainting occurs, immediately stop the acupuncture, lie down and rest, and moxibustion at Zusanli acupoint gently for about 10 minutes.
10. Adjust the temperature during acupuncture
For those who have a delayed sense of temperature or children, place the index and middle fingers on both sides of the acupuncture site to perceive the temperature of the acupuncture site, so as not to burn the skin while achieving good results.
