Mumps is an acute infectious disease caused by external pathogenic wind-heat toxins, which block the Shaoyang meridian and accumulate in the cheeks. Its clinical features include fever and diffuse swelling of the parotid glands. It is more common in children aged 3-5 years and can occur throughout the year. Let's take a look at the massage techniques for mumps.
Clinical Manifestations of Mumps
1. In the early stage, there is aversion to cold, fever, headache, nausea, and sore throat. After 1-2 days, there is diffuse swelling and pain centered around the earlobe, with unclear margins, local hardness, no redness of the skin, tenderness upon pressure, and increased pain when opening the mouth or chewing. It usually starts on one side and then spreads to the other side.
2. Redness and swelling can be seen at the opening of the parotid duct. The swelling of the parotid glands begins to subside after 4-5 days, with the whole course of the disease lasting 1-2 weeks.
3. There is a history of contact with mumps 2-3 weeks before the onset of the disease.
Common Massage Techniques for Mumps
1. Clearing the Stomach Meridian: The child lies supine, and the massage therapist stands on the child's side. One hand supports the child's forearm, and the other hand uses the thumb to push straight towards the fingertips of the child's thumb palm, repeating the motion 300 times.
2. Massaging the Kidney Meridian: The child lies supine, and the massage therapist stands on the child's side. One hand supports the child's forearm, and the other hand uses the thumb to push straight from the child's little finger tip towards its root, repeating the motion 200 times.
3. Rubbing Er Ma: Er Ma is located at the depression behind the metacarpophalangeal joint of the ring finger and little finger on the back of the child's hand. The child lies supine, and the massage therapist stands on the child's side. One hand supports the child's forearm, and the other hand uses the thumb to rub Er Ma 100-300 times.
4. Rubbing Ban Men: The child lies supine, and the massage therapist stands on the child's side. One hand supports the child's forearm, and the other hand uses the thumb to rub the junction of the thenar eminence and the palm of the child's hand, back and forth, 300 times.
5. Rubbing Xiao Tian Xin: The child lies supine, and the massage therapist stands on the child's side. One hand supports the child's forearm, making their palm face up. The other hand uses the thumb to rub the depression at the junction of the child's thenar eminence and hypothenar eminence, repeating the motion 300 times. Pay attention to exerting even force with moderate intensity that the child can tolerate.
6. Pushing San Guan: The child lies supine, and the massage therapist stands on the child's side. One hand supports the child's forearm, and the other hand uses the thumb or index and middle fingers to push straight along the child's radial side of the forearm from the wrist to the elbow, repeating the motion 200 times.
7. Clearing Tian He Shui: The child lies supine, and the massage therapist stands on the child's side. One hand supports the child's forearm, and the other hand uses the index and middle fingers to push straight along the child's forearm's midline from the wrist to the elbow, repeating the motion 100 times.
8. Retreating Liu Fu: The child lies supine, and the massage therapist stands on the child's side. One hand supports the child's forearm, and the other hand uses the thumb or index and middle fingers to push straight along the child's ulnar side of the forearm from the elbow to the wrist, repeating the motion 300 times.
9. Rubbing Yong Quan: The child lies supine, and the massage therapist stands on the child's side. One hand supports the child's heel, and the other hand uses the thumb to rub Yong Quan acupoint on the child's foot 50-100 times.
Differentiation and Treatment of Mumps through Massage
Due to differences in the severity and depth of external pathogenic factors, there are different manifestations of warm toxins on the surface and heat toxins internally.
Warm Toxins on the Surface
Main Symptoms: Slight fever with chills, diffuse swelling and pain in one or both sides of the ear and cheek, difficulty in chewing, sore throat, thin or pale yellow tongue coating, red tongue body, rapid pulse, and purple fingerprints.
Treatment: Disperse wind, clear heat, dissolve stagnation, and reduce swelling.
Massage Prescription: Pushing San Guan, Retreating Liu Fu, Clearing Tian He Shui, Rubbing Xiao Tian Xin, Yi Wo Feng, Zhong Zhu, Jian Jing, separate yin and yang, clear the Lung meridian, perform inner Bagua, clear Ban Men, rub Lie Que, He Gu, and Zu San Li.
Heat Toxins Internally
Main Symptoms: High fever, restlessness, headache, thirst with desire to drink, poor appetite, accompanied by vomiting, diffuse swelling of the cheeks, firm and resistant to pressure, difficulty in chewing, red and swollen throat, red tongue with yellow coating, rapid pulse, and dark purple fingerprints.
Treatment: Clear heat, eliminate toxins, soften hardness, and dissolve stagnation.
Massage Prescription: Clear Tian He Shui, retreat more Liu Fu, push less San Guan, rub Yi Wo Feng, Xiao Tian Xin, Er Ren Shang Ma, separate yin and yang, clear the Lung meridian, Liver meridian, and rub Lie Que, He Gu, Zu San Li, Kun Lun, and Tai Xi.
Analysis of Massage Prescription for Mumps
Massage Prescription for Mumps with Warm Toxins on the Surface: Clear Tian He Shui, retreat Liu Fu, rub Xiao Tian Xin, Yi Wo Feng, Zhong Zhu, Jian Jing. This aims to clear heat and cool blood. Lie Que is a Luo point of the Hand Tai Yin meridian and one of the acupoints where the Eight Extra Meridians converge. It communicates with the Conception Vessel, helps the spread of lung qi, and promotes the smooth flow of large intestine fuqi. Pinching and rubbing Lie Que can clear heat from the Lung meridian. Rubbing Jian Jing and Zhong Zhu can alleviate Shaoyang heat toxins. By clearing the Lung meridian, separating yin and yang, performing inner Bagua, and clearing Ban Men, the chest can be expanded, phlegm can be resolved, and stagnation can be eliminated. Pushing San Guan, rubbing Zu San Li, and He Gu can promote blood circulation, disperse stasis, and relieve swelling and pain.
Massage Prescription for Mumps with Heat Toxins Internally: Clear Tian He Shui, retreat more Liu Fu, push less San Guan, rub Yi Wo Feng, Xiao Tian Xin, Er Ren Shang Ma, separate yin and yang, clear the Lung meridian, Liver meridian, and rub Lie Que, He Gu, Zu San Li, Kun Lun, and Tai Xi. This aims to clear heat from the Liver and Gallbladder, and reduce cheek swelling. Rubbing Yun Yang Chi, San Guan, Yin Chi, and Liu Fu can effectively clear and retreat heat toxins. Therefore, excessive heat and swelling can be resolved. Kun Lun is an acupoint of the Tai Yang meridian, which spreads the qi of the Tai Yang meridian and promotes the smooth flow of meridians and collaterals. Tai Xi is the original acupoint of the Foot Shaoyin Kidney meridian and has the effect of nourishing yin. Therefore, Kun Lun and Tai Xi are the corresponding acupoints of the superficial and deep layers, which can promote the flow of yang qi, spread essence and body fluids, and achieve the effects of nourishing qi, nourishing blood, and promoting meridians, thus reducing swelling and dissipating stagnation.
