Use Gua Sha to Solve Daily Ailments
It is too troublesome to go to the hospital for some daily ailments, but people really suffer without resorting to medical treatment. Scraping is the best way of dealing with such problems. With areas chosen and techniques applied correctly, one can get rid of ailments while smoothing main and collateral channels and the circulation of vital energy and blood so as to enhance physical resistance.
Cold
Cold is mostly related to the inflammation of the respiratory tract caused by virus or bacterial infection. There are several kinds of cold due to different causes, such as wind-cold, wind-heat and summer-heat and damp. Methods of treatment vary for different kinds of cold. Therefore, scraping therapy should be applied based on the identification of different symptoms.
Cold Caused by Wind-Cold
It often occurs in cold seasons, manifested by the fear of the cold, moderate fever, headache, feeling of heaviness in the body, no sweat, stuffy nose or running nose.
Scraping just once can reduce the symptom of a person with mild symptoms. Scraping can be conducted once every day or once every other day for a person with a little sha or without any sha after the treatment. Scraping should be conducted after sha disappears for a person with lots of sha after the treatment.
Recommended Procedures
1. Fengchi Point and Feishu Point
Method: Apply scraping oil. Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Fengchi point from up to down and then use the surface-scraping to scrape Feishu point from up to down and scrape the scapular area downward and outward, until Sha appears.
2. Zhongfu Point
Method: Apply scraping oil. Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Zhongfu point from up to down until Sha appears.
Method: Apply scraping oil. Scrape Shaoshang point toward the end of the thumb, until sha appears.
It often occurs in spring or at the turn between summer and autumn, which are marked by lots of wind and increasing warmth. Therefore, malignant elements of wind and warmth would cooperate to cause illness, which is generally featured by heavy fever, slight fear of cold, with or without sweat, headache and body pain, stuffy nose, running nose with yellow and turbid discharge, cough, dry and swelling throat, thirst and thick and yellow sputa. Scraping should be marked by the expulsion of the wind, clearing of heat and relief of exterior syndrome.
The symptom of the patient can be turned to wind-heat cold if lots of sha appears after the scraping is done, cupping can be adopted as auxiliary treatment. It is likely to be virus infection if the temperature of the patient remains the same or the patient suffers from fever again after the temperature is reduced. In this case, the patient should go to the hospital as soon as possible for check and diagnosis.
Recommended Procedures
1. Dazhui Point
Method: Apply scraping oil. Use the surface-scraping to scrape Dazhui point from up to down, until sha appears.
2. Quchi Point and Chize Point
Method: Apply scraping oil. Use the surface-scraping to scrape Quchi point and Chize point from up to down, until sha appears.
3. Hegu Point
Method: Apply scraping oil, and use the single-angle scraping to scrape Hegu point 30 times, until sha appears.
Cold Caused by Summer-Heat and Damp
It is caused by the intrusion of heat and damp in summer as well as the patient’s preference for enjoying the cool and eating cold food. Consequently, summer-heat and damp is contained by the wind-cold, resulting in illness. The symptom is featured by sweating, lingering fever after sweating, dizziness and headache, a sense of oppression in the chest, nausea, yellow and sticky tongue-coating and weak pulse. There will also be such symptoms as cough, sticky sputa and turbid nasal discharge if lungs are intruded by the summer-heat and damp.
Cold caused by summer-heat and damp and cold caused by summer-heat both result from the intrusion of pathogenic heat. However, the difference of the cause and pathogenesis of these two kinds of illness mainly lies in whether or not there is damp. Chinese medicine chiefly resorts to methods of expelling heat and damp to deal with cold caused by summer-heat and damp.
If the patient suffers from fever due to the the combination of the cold and germs or virus infection, medical treatment should be applied as the case may be under the guidance of the doctor when the scraping therapy goes on.
1. Danzhong Point and Zhongwan Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Danzhong point on the chest from up to down and then Zhongwan point on the abdomen.
2. Kongzui Point, Zhigou Point and Hegu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Kongzui point on the inside of the upper limb, Zhigou point on the outside of the forearm and Hegu point from up to down.
Therapies to Increase the Curative Effect
The following method of scraping can be applied to any kind of the cold:
• Use the sharp-edge scraping to scrape the mid-frontal belt and the first lateral-frontal belt (see Page 44 for the reflection areas on the head).
• Use the surface-scraping and dual-angle scraping to scrape the corresponding area of head on the spine and the corresponding area of lungs on the spine (see Page 34 for the corresponding areas).
• Use the single-angle scraping to scrape the projection area of throat in front of the neck from up to down and the projection area of weasand at the center of the frontal chest (see Page 33 for the projection areas).
The mid-frontal belt on the head is the corresponding area of the head (including the throat), while the first lateral-frontal belt is the corresponding area of the heart and the lungs. Scraping projection areas of the throat and the weasand is conducive to curing sore throat.
Cough is one of the main symptoms of lung illness. The acute cough is caused by exterior malignant elements while the chronic one is due to interior factors. The acute cough, if not dealt with properly, will turn into chronic cough which will last long. Chronic cough of old and weak people with inner organs harmed seriously will develop into asthma. In the period of paracmasis, scraping therapy can be used to cure and prevent these two kinds of cough.
If sha looks very obvious in the process of the scraping therapy, scraping can be done once every three days. If not obvious, it can be done once a day. A course of scraping treatment is one week in succession. Generally, there will be curative effect within one course.
1. Dazhu Point and Feishu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Dazhu point to Feishu point on both sides from up to down.
2. Yunmen Point and Zhongfu Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape from Yunmen point to Zhongfu point from up to down.
3. Chize Point and Lieque Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Chize poin to Lieque point from up to down on both of the upper limbs.
Therapies to Increase the Curative Effect
It will produce much better effect for the prevention and cure of cough if the scraping goes together with diet therapy.
• The diet therapy for the cough caused by wind-cold: Sliced ginger of ten grams. Immerse it in the boiling water in a pot with a cover for about five minutes, and then add in brown sugar of 15 grams. With this done, drink it while it is hot once every day and then sleep under the quilt for sweating.
• The diet therapy for the cough caused by wind-heat: The almond, mulberry leaves and fructus arctii of 9 grams respectively as well as radix platycodi and peppermint leaves of 5 grams respectively are boiled for oral use, twice a day.
• The diet therapy for chronic cough: The pear, rock candy, tremella and dried lily are boiled together for oral use. This has a very good curative effect on moistening lungs to relieve cough.
It means the body temperature is higher than the normal state. According to Chinese medicine, fever can be caused by either exterior elements or interior elements. Fever caused by exterior elements often goes together with the cold, typhia and plague. Fever caused by interior elements is marked by excessive yang, excessive yin, blood deficiency or vital energy deficiency. A number of other diseases such as inflammation and cancer can also lead to fever.
The patient with high fever must lie in bed for rest and move less to reduce the exhaustion of energy and the generation of heat. Paying attention to drinking more water and enjoying nice ventilation to reduce temperature are conducive to lowering down the body temperature.
1. Dazhui Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Dazhui point.
2. Dazhu Point and Feishu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Dazhu point to Feishu point.
3. Quchi Point
Method: Use the corner-edge of the scraping plate to scrape Quchi point from up to down until the skin turns red and sha appears.
It means red swelling and pain in the throat. It is mostly seen in exogenous diseases in the throat, with amygdalitis being the most common. It attacks very quickly, usually lasting for 4 to 6 days. It is apt to become chronic after a number of attacks. Chronic swollen sore throat is likely to induce rheumatic fever and nephritis, requiring more attention.
Acute and chronic amygdalitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis can all be treated with reference to the methods illustrated as follows.
1. Fengchi Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Fengchi points on both sides in the rear of the head.
2. Fengmen Point and Feishu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Fengmen points to Feishu points on both sides of the Bladder Meridian.
3. Dazhui Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Dazhui point on the back.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Tremella (water-immersed) of 30 grams is boiled under soft fire for 30 minutes. Add chrysanthemum of 5 grams and a little rock candy to be drunk as tea. This serves to deal with deficiency of lung-yin, dry mouth, thick phlegm and swollen sore throat.
It is chiefly manifested in the pain on one side or two sides of ribs. According to Chinese medicine, it is mainly due to problems with the liver and gallbladder. Hypochondriac pain can be caused by depression, irregular diet, exhaustion due to long-term illness, excessive fatigue or damp and heat owing to exterior malignant elements.
Scraping therapy can be applied to smooth the vital energy and meridians of liver and gallbladder. Frequent scraping of related areas in daily life can also effectively prevent the occurrence of hypochondriac pain.
Timely medical checkup is required for treatment if hypochondriac pain can not be eased. Hypochondriac pain can be caused by acute and chronic hepatitis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, pleurisy and their after-effects.
1. Projection Area of the Liver on Body Surface
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape the projection area of the liver on the right-side of the chest and ribs from inside to outside.
2. Qimen Point and A’shi Point
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape Qimen point and A’shi point on the affected area with pain on the chest.
3. Ganshu Point, Danshu Point and Pishu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Ganshu point, Danshu point to Pishu point on the back from up to down.
4. Taichong Point and Jianshi Point
Method: Use the angle-scraping to scrape from Taichong point to Jianshi point, until soreness and distension are felt.
According to Chinese medicine, it is called “pavor” and “trance,” taking place in patients with coronary disease, high blood pressure, rheumatic heart disease, pulmonary heart disease, cardiac insufficiency, various kinds of cardiac arrhythmia, anaemia and hyperthyroidism.
Excessive fatigue or excitement can lead to the excitement of supportive nerves, making heart beat fast and raising blood pressure. In a long-term state of excitement or under great pressure, these hormones will continue to secrete, affecting the heart and blood vessels first, resulting in palpitation and short breath.
Palpitation and short breath may be associated with the mood and age or with cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, these warning signals emitted by the body should not be overlooked since they are the pre-warnings of cardiovascular diseases. Timely check-up and treatment can effectively prevent cardiovascular diseases.
1. Jueyinshu Point, Xinshu Point, Gaohuang Point and Shentang Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping and dual-angle scraping to scrape the corresponding area of the heart on the spine and then use the surface-scraping to scrape Jueyinshu point, Xinshu point, Gaohuang point and Shentang point.
2. Danzhong Point and Juque Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape slowly from Danzhong point to Juque point along the central line on the chest, and then use the flat-scraping to scrape the projection area of the heart on the left chest from inside to outside.
3. Taiyuan Point and Neiguan Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Taiyuan point and Neiguan point. The flat-pressing and kneading can also be applied to press and knead Neiguan point.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
When tachycardia and palpitation attack, use the vertical-pressing and kneading to press and knead the reflection area of the heart between the fourth metacarpal bone and the fifth metacarpal bone to ease the symptom.
It is chiefly manifested by dizziness and dazzle. The patient of minor case can stop it with eyes closed, whereas the patient with serious case feel whirled like sitting in a car or a boat, being unable to stand up in addition to nausea, vomit, sweating and pale face. He/she may even fall down all of a sudden when it becomes serious.
Auditory vertigo (also called meniere’s disease), kinesia, acute labyrinthitis, high blood pressure, hyperlipemia, cerebral arteriosclerosis, anaemia and neurasthenia can also be coupled with dizziness. Therefore, those who often suffer from dizziness should receive timely check-up and treatment in terms of primary diseases.
1. The Corresponding Area of the Head on the Spine
Method: Use the surface-scraping and dual-angle scraping to scrape the corresponding area of the head on the spine.
2. Taiyang Point, Touwei Point and Fengchi Point
Method: Use the flat-pressing and kneading to press and knead Taiyang points on both sides and use the single-angle scraping to scrape Touwei point and Fengchi point in the rear of the head.
3. Baihui Point and Sishenchong Points
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Baihui point towards Sishencong points.
Health-Care in Daily Life
• People suffering from dizziness should pay attention to the rest and routine life, excessive fatigue and insufficient sleep are among the inductive factors of dizziness.
• Irritation of the sound and light can also make dizziness worse. Therefore, the bedroom should be quiet without strong light.
• In terms of the diet, eat more light food instead of food of high fat, too salty, sweet or very oily food. Do not smoke, and drink less liquor.
• Such spiritual irritation as depression and anger can lead to excessive rise of liver-yang or endogenous liver-wind, resulting in dizziness. People suffering from dizziness should keep being optimistic and light-hearted in a stable mood, which is very important in preventing the attack of dizziness and reducing the number of attacks of dizziness.
Some people often feel certain special sounds in ears, but they cannot find the source of these sound nearby. This is called tinnitus. This is a symptom, but not a disease. However, continuous pain in ears and tinnitus are very likely to be symptoms of ear diseases.
According to the Chinese medicine, tinnitus is mainly due to the weakness of kidney energy. Kidneys take charge of bones and generate marrow. Generally speaking, tinnitus is caused by insufficient marrow. Therefore, the treatment of tinnitus through Chinese medicine should be coordinated with tonifying kidneys and benefiting marrow.
Scraping therapy is only applicable to the treatment of tinnitus caused by non-disease factors such as fatigue and deficiency of kidney energy. Tinnitus caused by trauma requires timely medical treatment.
1. Ermen Point, Tinggong Point and Tinghui Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Ermen point, Tinggong point and Tinghui point on the head. Since sha on the face does not look nice, the techniques applied should be gentle without bringing about sha. The scraping should proceed from inside to outside along the direction of muscles, once every day.
2. Sanyinjiao Point and Taixi Point
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape Sanyinjiao point on the inside of the lower limb from up to down without any stop until the skin appears red with the formation of purplish sha speckles. Then, use the corner of the scraping plate to scrape Taixi point heavily 30 times, until sha appears.
3. Ganshu Point and Shenshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Ganshu point to Shenshu point on the back from up to down without any stop, until sha appears, once every day.
There are many reasons for headache. Sometimes, it is due to too much psychological pressure or too much tension. Sometimes, it is owing to certain diseases. Headache with the running nose, nasal obstruction or fever is generally caused by the cold. Splitting headache with dizziness and nausea is mostly caused by high blood pressure. Headache with nausea, vomit, difficulty of swallow, murmur and disorder of consciousness is possibly caused by cerebral bleeding or aneurysm. Timely medical check-up is needed if headache fails to be eased and attacks abnormally after the rest and massage. Whatever the reasons are for headache, they are all related to the imbalance and the stasis of vital energy and blood in the head. Therefore, finding out and smoothing the painful region in the head and in the corresponding area of the head through the scraping can quickly ease headache. Headache is mainly caused by the cold and the excessive rising of liver-yang, requiring the scraping of related acupoints and meridians to address both the symptoms and root causes.
1. Touwei Point
Method: Starting from the side of the head with the scraping comb placed vertically on the area between Touwei point at the hair line and the upper part of the ear. Then, scrape from the front to the rear until the edge of the lower hair line of the head side.
2. Baihui Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape the head top and the rear of the head, starting from Baihui point to the hair line at the forehead and then from Baihui point to the hair line at the rear of the head. Pay attention to finding the area with pain in the course of the scraping and scrape the painful area emphatically. Scrape each area 20 to 30 times until the scalp feels heat.
3. Taiyang Point
Method: Use the flat-pressing and kneading to press and knead Taiyang point on both sides, which is suitable for the treatment of various kinds of headache.
4. Hegu Point and Lieque Point
Method: Use the flat-pressing and kneading to press and knead Hegu point on both sides of the hand back as well as Lieque point on the wrist, which is suitable for the treatment of headache caused by the cold.
5. Taichong Point
Method: Use the vertical-pressing and kneading to press and knead Taichong point on Liver Meridian behind the big toe and the second toe seam with heavy force. Relax once every 15 seconds of pressing until headache is eased. It is suitable for migraine and pain on the top of the head.
Points of Attention
• The scraping oil is not needed if the head is covered with hair. An appropriate amount of the scraping oil can be applied for the head with a little hair or the head without any hair.
• The side of the head should be emphatically scraped if it is migraine and the pain point should be found.
• Furuncle on the scalp should be avoided.
As an ailment of teeth and surrounding tissues, it is the most common symptom among problems in the mouth. Toothache can be caused by the pain in the nearby tissues and illness all over the body. Toothache due to tooth decay, toothache due to deficiency fire and toothache due to excess fire are commonly seen, with toothache due to excess fire frequently caused by stomach fire. Scraping therapy can be applied to both toothache due to deficiency fire and toothache due to excess fire.
Toothache Due to Deficiency Fire
This refers to the toothache due to the flaring up of deficient heat, with such symptoms as chronic and dull pain in teeth from time to time, which aggravates often at night and with loosened teeth and weakness in chewing.
Xiaguan Point, Jiache Point, Hegu Point, Taixi Point and Xingjian Point
Apply an appropriate amount of the scraping oil to the area to be scraped. First press and knead Xiaguan point and Jiache point with heavy force. Then, use the flat-pressing and kneading to press and knead Hegu point on the hand until the skin appears red and purplish sha speckles appear. Finally, scrape Taixi point and Xingjian point on the feet with the corner of the scraping plate to scrape 30 times with heavy force, until sha appears.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Soup boiled with green beans and liquorice:100-gram green beans and 15-gram liquorice are boiled for oral use, with residues taken away, twice every day, serving to expel deficiency fire, prevent and cure toothache due to deficiency fire.
It is marked by fierce attack of pain, along with the distension of gums (mostly pain in the lower teeth), bad breath, thirst and constipation, mostly due to accumulated inner heat in intestines and stomach.
Recommended Procedures
Xiaguan Point, Jiache Point, Hegu Point, Erjian Point and Neiting Point
Apply an appropriate amount of scraping oil to the area to be scraped. First use the corner of the scraping plate to press and knead Xiaguan point and Jiache point with heavy force. Then, use the flat-pressing and kneading to press and knead Hegu point and Erjian point until the skin appears red and purplish sha speckles appear. Finally, scrape Neiting point with the corner of the scraping plate 30 times with heavy force until sha appears.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Generally, heat-clearing and fire-clearing drugs are used to reduce inner heat, but it is not effective for the toothache due to excess fire, because fire cannot be dispersed if stasis cannot be expelled. Raw ginger can be used to distribute the inner fire all over main and collateral channels again, eliminating toothache automatically. Generally, chewing a piece of raw ginger of the thumb-size can produce an curative effect in 2 to 3 minutes.
This refers to bad smell from the mouth. According to Chinese medicine, bad breath originates from too much internal fire in the heart and the spleen, with heat accumulated in pericardium meridian for a long time, doing harm to the blood channel. Bad breath can also be caused by rising dampness due to spleen weakness, resulting in heating up the mouth, the tongue and throat. Scraping therapy can help to reduce internal heat in the heart and the stomach, fundamentally expelling bad breath.
People with bad breath had better eat less garlic and onion and some other kinds of irritating food, not smoke and drink alcohol, eat more vegetables, fruit and food of coarse fibers. In daily life, drink an appropriate amount of tea water, which can not only reduce internal heat, but also clean the mouth and improve bad breath.
Recommended Procedures
1. Daling Point and Laogong Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to scrape, press and knead Daling point and Laogong point, until soreness and distenion are felt.
2. Zusanli Point and Neiting Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to press and knead Zusanli point and Neiting point of Stomach Meridian on both sides, until soreness and distension are felt.
Therapies to Increase the Curative Effect
Tea Therapy
1. Sweet Osmanthus Black Tea
3-gram osmanthus flowers are boiled first and such boiling water is used to brew 5-gram black tea, one dose every day with such water held in the mouth frequently (fig. 53).
2. Sweet Osmanthus and Chrysanthemum Tea
6-gram sweet-scented osmanthus and 6-gram chrysanthemums are boiled together 2 to 3 times, drink one dose every day, which can fresh breath and clear stomach.
3. Green Tea
25-gram green tea is boiled for drinking with tea-leaves chewed, serving to reduce stomach heat.
Fig. 53 Sweet osmanthus black tea.
Getting Rid of Other Factors Leading to Bad Breath
1. Avoiding eating certain food:
Avoid eating spicy food. The smell of such spicy food as onion and garlic is apt to stay in the mouth after the meal. Eating too much of these foods will keep the smell longer in the mouth, which cannot be easily done away through tooth-brushing. Smoked sausage, smoked beef and garlic sausage not only have strong smell, but are difficult to be digested, resulting in unpleasant gas in the stomach followed by bad breath.
2. Dealing with decayed tooth timely:
Food residues are apt to be attached to areas of pathological changes such as decayed teeth, residual crowns and roots. Due to the functions of germs in the mouth, food residues would be fermented, leading to bad breath. Bad breath will disappear once the decayed teeth, residual crowns and roots are cured.
3. Treating periodontal diseases:
Bad breath can be caused by periodontal diseases. Particularly, chronic periodontal diseases will lead to blind pouches and produce chronic pyorrhea. Bad breath cannot be expelled unless periodontal disease and blind pouches are done away with. Acute inflammation in the mouth, such as acute peridental abscess and the third molar pericoronitis, etc., will generate some secretion of acute inflammation, resulting in bad breath. With these ailments cured and inflammation expelled, bad breath will disappear.
4. Brushing teeth and rinsing the mouth frequently:
There are crevices amid the teeth of some people. After the meal, some food residues would stay in these crevices and generate bad breath due to the fermentation of germs in the mouth. It is more obvious for old people whose crevices are larger amid the teeth due to physiological atrophy of their periodontal tissues. Therefore, attention should be paid to hygiene in the mouth, i.e., brushing teeth and rinsing the mouth after getting up in the morning and before going to bed to eliminate food residues in the mouth to prevent the occurrence of bad breath.
5. Treating diseases in the digestive tract:
Diseases in the digestive tract and intestines, such as indigestion or the reflux disease of the digestive tract, can bring the smell of food residues in stomach out, leading to bad breath in mouth. Once diseases in the digestive tract are cured, bad breath will disappear.
6. Expelling stomach fire:
The time between 5:00 and 7:00 in the morning is for intestines and stomach to expel toxin. Scraping around the navel during this period can help to expel inner heat in stomach. With stomach fire expelled, gastric distention, constipation, bad breath, oral ulcer, swelling and aching of gum, acne along lips and freckles on the face can all be improved.
Lack of Appetite
As a symptom of frequent occurrence, it is different from food refusal in anorexia, but the lack of desire for food. The spleen is in charge of digestive transformation, adjusting gastric and intestinal functions. The weakness of the spleen and stomach is apt to result in the lack of appetite. Scraping the projection areas of spleen and stomach on the body surface is conducive to adjusting the functions of the spleen and stomach and enhancing appetite.
Apart from the weakness of the spleen and stomach, too much mental stress and fatigue as well as certain diseases can also lead to the lack of appetite. Therefore, the treatment will not be effective until the reason for the lack of appetite is found out.
1. Corresponding Area of the Spleen and the Stomach on the Spine
Method: Use the surface-scraping and dual-angle scraping to scrape the corresponding area of the spleen and the stomach on the spine from up to down.
2. Projection Area of the Spleen and the Stomach on the Body Surface
Method: Use the long edge of the scraper to slowly scrape the area with the plate tilting at an angle smaller than 15 degrees from up to down.
3. Pishu Point and Weishu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Pishu point and Weishu point on both sides of the back until sha appears or the pores open slightly.
This is an acute pathological change because of work or activities under scorching sun or under high temperature, which leads to the intrusion of summer-heat, pathogenic heat accumulation in the body and abnormality of the function for adjusting temperature. Scraping therapy can reduce lung heat, invigorate the head and eyes to prevent heat stroke, and ease the symptoms of heat stroke.
The patient suffering from heat stroke should be quickly moved to a cool and well-ventilated place, given cold drink or light salt brine of 300 to 500 milliliters, along with the medicine of expelling heat. The operator should quickly press and knead Shuigou point (philtrum) of the patient if he/she faints or collapses, until he/she comes round.
Recommended Procedures
1. Fengfu Point, Yamen Point and Dazhui Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Fengfu point to Yamen point on the rear of the head, and scrape Dazhui point from up to down until sha appears. This serves to expel inner heat, refresh the mind and the body.
2. Neiguan Point and Hegu Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to scrape Neiguan point and Hegu point on the forearm, which serves to expel agitation, ease stomach, calm the adverse-rising energy and stop vomiting.
It is caused by the obstacle of gastric motility, falling into the category of “gastric fullness” and “stomachache.” This is due to the in-take of too much fat and sweet food as well as alcoholics, which harmed and overburdened the spleen and stomach for a long time as well as slowed down metabolism. Such illness lies in the stomach, liver and spleen. Therefore, it is advisable to treat the illness by strengthening the spleen and stomach, relieving the depressed liver, promoting digestion and purgation.
People with indigestion should eat less at each meal but eat more frequently, and avoid too much hunger or too much in-take so as to prevent the stomach and intestines from being overburdened. Don’t eat cold, hard or spicy food. Don’t drink liquor and pay attention to keeping the stomach warm. Eating more coarse grain is conducive to digestion. However, don’t eat excessive coarse grain a time or eat too frequently, generally three times a week will be proper. Otherwise, intestines and stomach will feel unbearable and upset.
1. Dazhui Point, Xuanshu Point, Pishu Point and Sanjiaoshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Dazhui point to Xuanshu point along Du Meridian on the back from up to down and then scrape both sides of the spine from Pishu point to Sanjiaoshu point along the bladder meridian.
2. Zhongwan Point, Qihai Point, Tianshu Point and Zhangmen Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Zhongwan point to Qihai point along Ren Meridian from up to down, as well as Tianshu points on both sides of the Stomach Meridian and Zhangmen points on both sides of the Liver Meridian.
3. Zusanli Point and Gongsun Point
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape Zusanli point, or use the corner of the scraper to press and knead Zusanli point and Gongsun point.
This is caused by imbalance of gastric and intestinal nerves, or diaphragmatic spasm caused by gastritis or dilatation of the stomach. It can take place all by itself or go together with other kinds of illness. Sudden hiccup occurring in some acute and chronic diseases or in the final phase of some kinds of serious illness mostly foretells the aggravation of the illness.
Frequent hiccup or continuous hiccup are mostly marked by the blockage of vital energy circulation. Scraping from Qihai point to Guanyuan point and pressing Taixi point can help vital energy circulation within the body. Pressing Neiguan point can also relax the spasm of diaphragm and ease acute hiccup.
Recommended Procedures
1. Reflection Area of Thoracic Diaphragm on the Hand Back and the Reflection Area of the Stomach in the Palm
Method: Use the vertical-pressing and kneading to press and knead the reflection area of thoracic diaphragm on the hand back and use the single-angle scraping to scrape the reflection area of the stomach in the palm.
2. E’ni Point
Method: Use the single corner of the scraping plate to scrape E’ni point on both sides of the chest.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Thirty grams of fresh ginger is mashed into juice to be mixed with honey and boiled water for oral use, serving to get rid of hiccups.
This is mostly caused by the intrusion of the cold into stomach, irregular diet or stasis of liver energy. Scraping therapy can smooth the related meridians, relax the spasm of gastric parietal muscle and promote the blood and vital energy circulation in stomach, easing stomachache.
Scraping the projection area of the stomach on the abdomen and the corresponding area of the stomach on the spine serves to treat those patients who often suffer from gastric spasm. With gastric spasm eased, scraping these areas can adjust gastric functions, and prevent and reduce the occurrence of gastric spasm.
Timely medical treatment and diagnosis are needed if scraping therapy fails to produce any curative effect, the patient often suffers from gastric spasm or for those who suffer from gastric bleeding.
The scraping in stomach area should be conducted half an hour after meal.
Recommended Procedures
1. Reflection Area of the Stomach in the Palm
Method: Use the vertical-pressing and kneading to press and knead the reflection area of the stomach on the radial side of the second metacarpal bone. Look carefully for the point of sensitivity to pain within the area and emphatically press and knead this sensitivity point.
2. Geshu Point and Weishu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Geshu point to Weishu point from up to down.
It is the commonest symptom of abdominal discomfort due to abdominal fullness, which takes place in many kinds of illness. Here, it purely refers to illness of intestinal and gastric functions, excluding such diseases of internal and surgical departments as intestinal obstruction, tumor, liver cirrhosis ascites, intestinal tuberculosis or tuberculous peritonitis.
According to Chinese medicine, it is divided into abdominal distention due to vital energy stasis and abdominal distension due to dyspepsia. The former is mostly caused by depression and blockage of vital energy circulation, whereas the latter tends to be caused by too much drink and food and accumulation of food and indigestion in the stomach.
The patient should go to hospital immediately for diagnosis if abdominal distension exceeds for over three days. If it is due to improper diet, the patient can take some medicine for digestion under the guidance of a doctor.
1. Projection Area of the Stomach and the Small Intestine on the Body Surface
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape the areas from up to down.
2. Corresponding Area of the Stomach and the Small Intestine on the Spine
Method: Use the surface-scraping and the dual-angle scraping to scrape the area from up to down.
3. Shangwan Point, Xiawan Point, Qihai Point and Tianshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to respectively scrape from Shangwan point to Xiawan point and Qihai point on Ren Meridian. And scrape Tianshu point on Stomach Meridian.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Kneading the lower abdomen: The patient lies on his/her back and places his/her right palm on the abdomen overlapped with the left palm. Then, use the thenar eminence and the palm root to press against the abdomen, kneading around the navel 50 to100 times clockwise with a light force that the abdomen does not feel painful and uncomfortable from it. Kneading the abdomen can reinforce the functions of intestines and stomach as well as the muscle of abdominal walls, increase the secretion of digestive juice and the movement of stomach and intestines, promote blood circulation and the digestion and absorption of food.
It is divided into acute diarrhea and chronic diarrhea. The former is mostly caused by intestinal infection, whereas the latter is manifested by diarrhea repeatedly, or diarrhea lasting several months or even several years.
According to the Chinese medicine, diarrhea is caused by the intrusion of the wind-cold, wind-heat, overeating, insufficiency of the spleen, yang deficiency and imbalance between liver and spleen. Germ infection or toxin in food are also important causes. Scraping therapy can adjust gastric and intestinal functions and help to stop diarrhea.
Some patients of diarrhea are accustomed to taking antidiarrheal. In fact, some kinds of diarrhea cannot be stopped randomly, such as infectious diarrhea. Diarrhea caused by infection is a kind of manifestation of self-protection of the human body, through which some toxin can be expelled, which is beneficial to the human body. In this case, on the contrary, the application of the antidiarrheal will cover the state of an illness.
1. Projection Area of the Stomach and the Small Intestine on the Body Surface
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape the area from up to down.
2. Corresponding Area of the Stomach and the Small Intestine on the Spine
Method: Use the surface-scraping and the dual-angle scraping to scrape the area from up to down.
3. Pishu Point and Dachangshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Pishu point to Dachangshu point on the back from up to down.
4. Zhongwan Point, Qihai Point and Tianshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Zhongwan point to Qihai point, and Tianshu points on both sides of the abdomen from up to down.
5. Zusanli Point and Shangjuxu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Zusanli point to Shangjuxu point from up to down.
Therapies to Increase the Curative Effect
Use mild moxibustion, direct a burning moxa stick at Tianshu points on both sides (2 cun away from the navel) for 10 to 15 minutes respectively until warmth is felt, two times a day.
As for acute diarrhea, Diji point can be chosen (3 cun below Yinlingquan point), since it specially serves to cure abdominal pain and diarrhea. Direct a moxa stick at this acupoint for 3 to 5 minutes, which is of a particular effect on stopping diarrhea.
Constipation is often caused by insufficient in-take of water or dietary fiber, tension, abuse of laxative or some intestinal and endocrine diseases. It is a common disease of people in modern times. In particular, office workers often sitting in the chair and seldom moving around under work strain are apt to suffer from constipation. Constipation can also be caused by other kinds of diseases or due to weak spleen-stomach functions, weakness of intestinal movement or internal heat of the body. According to Chinese medicine, the fundamental reasons are attributed to the lack and weakness of essential liquid and deficiency of vital energy and blood as well as excess yang and deficiency of yin. Therefore, scraping to get rid of constipation bases itself chiefly on regenerating body fluid, nourishing blood, supplementing yin and dispersing yang.
The key to the prevention and treatment of constipation lies in changing the habits of life and diet, rather than medication. Eat more fresh vegetables, drink water frequently and have some coarse grain. Doing more exercise and keeping a pleasant mood are conducive to preventing and improving constipation. Long-term abuse of laxative will not improve constipation, but on the contrary irritate intestines and stomach, making such abuse indispensable and doing harm to the body.
1. The Projection Area of the Small and Large Intestines on the Body Surface
Methods: Use the surface-scraping daily to scrape the area around the navel either from left to right or vice versa. Exert large pressure with slow speed until mild heat is felt on the abdomen as the best effect.
2. Shousanli Point and Zhigou Point
Methods: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Shousanli point and Zhigou point on the back of arm from up to down.
3. Dachangshu Point and Tianshu Point
Methods: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Dachangshu point on the back from up to down and use the surface-scraping to scrape Tianshu point on the abdomen from up to down.
Therapies to Increase the Curative Effect
• Nut porridge: 10 grams of walnut kernels, pine nuts, sesame, almonds and semen boitae respectively, plus 50 grams of rice. Hard nuts are pounded to pieces to be boiled into porridge with rice to be eaten for breakfast and supper each day. This porridge serves to replenish vital energy, nourish blood and strengthen intestinal movement.
• Knock at belt channel: As Belt Channel surrounds the waist, one can knock at the left side and the right side of the waist. Before going to bed every evening, lie in bed and quickly knock at these two parts 100 to 300 times with hollow fists until soreness and numbness are felt. Then, use overlapped hands to move around the navel clockwise 30 times. In this way, constipation will soon be improved.
Other Methods of Expelling Intestinal Toxin
• Reasonable diet and frequent exercise, i.e., adjustment of diet, increase of the intake of dietary fiber and reinforcement of exercise at the same time, can promote intestinal tract movement and help the bowel movement.
• Good habits make bowel movement smoother. Discharging excrement at set time every day serves to form conditioned reflex. The establishment of desirable regularity can relax and smooth each bowel movement.
• Drinking more water serves to discharge accumulated excrement. Drinking pure boiled water of at least 1500 ml daily can effectively soften excrement and push excrement to the far-end of the colon. Drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach after getting up in the morning is the most effective.
• Kneading the abdomen can speed up bowel movement. Often kneading the abdomen is conducive to reinforcing abdominal muscles, promoting intestinal movement and accelerating the discharge of excrement while keeping germ-groups within intestines in a balance to prevent intestinal aging.
• Timely treatment of related diseases such as anal fissure, perianal infection and adnexitis can prevent or ease constipation.
According to Chinese medicine, spleen is in charge of muscles. People with nice functions of spleen and stomach can provide muscles with ample nutrition, making skin elastic and tight. These people can look younger than their peers. On the contrary, undesirable functions of spleen and stomach will lead to the reduction of skin elasticity and loosened skin at an early age. Scraping therapy should be concentrated on reinforcing the functions of spleen and stomach.
Recommended Procedures
1. Reflection Area of the Small and Large Intestines on the Face
Method: Use the flat-pressing and kneading to press and knead the area.
2. The Face
Method: With the face smeared evenly with the scraping cream for beautification, use the pulling method to scrape, i.e., place the scraping plate on the palm or use four fingers to clamp the scraping plate with fingers detached from skin, press while pushing the scraping plate down and up in slow and gentle whirling movements. The force of pressing should be greater than that of the pushing and moving. With one side of the cheek scraped, continue to scrape the other cheek.
3. Corresponding Area of the Spleen and the Stomach on the Spine
Method: Use the surface-scraping and the dual-angle scraping to scrape the area from up to down.
Expert Prompts
Excessive expelling of cutin will make skin thinner, resulting in the loss of natural protective screen of skin and making it more vulnerable to undesirable environment. At the same time, skin will become dry and sensitive, being apt to be loosened. Therefore, expelling the cutin once a week is enough. Oily and dusty face, or the face covered with cosmetics for a long time or cosmetics not fully done away with will lead to the blockage of pores, the imbalance of skin nutrition and even inflammation. If such a state remains for a long time, there will be the loss of skin tension and the phenomenon of loosened skin without elasticity. Therefore, it is very important to clean the face.
It is a subjective feeling of discomfort, resulting mainly from great pressure of life and work, over-exhaustion of energy and physique among people in modern times. Generally, fatigue is marked by a series of symptoms such as receding memory, dizziness, agitation, insomnia, soreness and pain of the waist and legs.
According to Chinese medicine, fatigue is associated with degeneration of inner organ functions and the imbalance of vital energy and blood. For instance, soreness and weakness of the waist and legs are mostly related to kidneys; short of breath and lacking strength are mostly concerned with lungs; spiritual fatigue is mostly linked with the heart while physical fatigue is mostly related to the spleen. Therefore, adjusting all inner organs is the key to easing fatigue.
Fatigue will occur whenever a disease develops into a certain stage, such as multiple sclerosis and cancer. Therefore, people of long-term fatigue failing to be relieved after rest should seek for timely check-up to see if it is caused by illness so as to receive timely treatment. Generally, pathological fatigue would arise without much physical power, which can cause a sense of inner weakness.
1. Baihui Point and Sishencong Points
Method: With Baihui point as the starting point, use the surface-scraping to scrape lightly toward Sishencong points, 10 to 20 times each time for one direction. The combing and scraping can also be used to scrape around with Baihui point as the center.
2. Fengfu Point, Dazhui Point and Shenzhu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape 10 to 20 times from Fengfu point, Dazhui point to Shenzhu point, with stress on Dazhui point.
3. Fengchi Point and Jianjing Point
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape from Fengchi point to Jianjing point, 20 to 30 times on each side.
4. Xinshu Point and Shenshu Point
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape Xinshu point and Shenshu point of the Bladder Meridian on both sides of the spine, 10 to 20 times on each side.
People enjoy the best memory around the age 20 and then cerebral functions would gradually decline. Memory would begin to go downhill around the age 25. The older the age, the worse the memory can be. Along with the acceleration of the rhythm in life, various kinds of pressure increase, so it is very common to see young and middle-aged people suffer from forgetfulness.
According to Chinese medicine, this is mostly due to weakness of the heart and spleen or the deficiency of essential vital energy, or the stasis of phlegm. Scraping therapy is conducive to improving forgetfulness.
Frequently using the brain is the most effective way of preventing and improving forgetfulness. Keeping a good mood and often taking part in physical exercise are also helpful to maintaining desirable memory and prolonging the aging of the brain.
1. Baihui Point and Sishenchong Points
Method: Use the flat-pressing and kneading to press and knead Baihui point and Sishenchong points on the head, until soreness and distention are felt. You can also use the multi-functional scraping comb to scrape and comb the top of the head and stimulate these acupoints at the same time.
2. Neiguan Point and Shenmen Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Neiguan point on the inside of the wrist from up to down, then use the angle-kneading to press and knead Shenmen point on the wrist.
3. Tianzhu Point, Shendao Point, Xinshu Point and Shenshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Tianzhu point on the neck, Shendao point, Xinshu point and Shenshu point on the back from up to down.
High pressure of work and life will set people in a state of high tension. Agitation, fidgety and depression will take place when people are under too much pressure for a long time beyond the tolerance of nerves, leading to the loss of emotional control. The state of undesirable moods for a long time without relief will result in the imbalance of endocrine and the nerve system as well as affect the physiological functions of other inner organs.
Agitation and fidgety will give rise to distending pain in lateral thorax, lack of appetite, the decline of immunity, sexual dysfunction among men, irregular menstruation, hyperplasia of mammary glands, aggravation of climacteric symptoms and chloasma on the face.
1. Projection Area of the Liver and the Gallbladder on the Body Surface and Qimen Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to slowly scrape the projection area of the liver and the gallbladder on the right side of the ribs from inside to outside, with stress on Qimen point. Heavy force and slow speed are needed when the projection area is scraped. Scraping is emphatically directed at areas of positive reactions such as pain and nodules.
2. Taichong Point
Method: Use the vertical-pressing and kneading to press and knead Taichong point until soreness and distension are felt.
3. Ganshu Point, Hunmen Point and Danshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping and dual-angle scraping to scrape parts of Du Meridian, Jiaji points and Bladder Meridian paralleled with the liver and the gallbladder on the back, with emphasis on Ganshu point, Hunmen point and Danshu point.
Therapies to Increase the Curative Effect
People with agitation are advised to eat more food that can disperse the liver and rectify vital energy, such as celery, tomatoes, turnips, oranges, grapefruits and tangerines, in addition to stopping smoking, setting a limit to alcoholic drinking and avoiding sweet, fatty or spicy food.
This is simple spasm of the neck muscle, mostly due to improper posture of sleep, fixed posture of the neck for a long time, sprain due to sudden turn, intrusion of the cold into the back of the neck, local damage or imbalance of vital energy regulation in related meridians. Scraping therapy can smooth related meridians and the circulation of blood and vital energy, so as to ease stiff muscles and relieve pain.
As for stiff neck, do not force to turn the neck around so as to avoid damage to the cervical vertebra. A hot-water bag, a hot towel or irradiation under the infrared ray bulb can all stop the pain, but attention must be paid to being scalded. Applying the pain-killing plaster to the painful area of the neck can also produce a quite ideal effect, but it is a taboo for pregnant women.
1. Reflection Areas of the Neck, the Shoulder and the Cervical Vertebra on the Back of the Hand
Method: Use the vertical-pressing and kneading to press and knead the areas. Try carefully to find the points of sensitivity to pain in the area of cervical vertebra, with emphasis on these points when kneading and pressing the areas.
2. Fengfu Point, Dazhui Point, Fengchi Point and Jianjing Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Fengfu point to Dazhui point on Du Meridian from up to down. Then, use the single-angle scraping to scrape Fengchi point and use the surface-scraping to scrape from Fengchi point to Jianjing point.
3. Laozhen Point, Zhongzhu Point and Houxi Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to vertically press and knead Laozhen point and Zhongzhu point on the back of the hand of the affected side and then scrape Houxi point.
This refers to the illness caused by the disorder of the functions of inner organs, weakness of vital energy and blood and imbalance between yin and yang, leading to abnormal sleep. The patient of the minor case finds it difficult to fall asleep and easy to wake up. The patient of the serious case fails to sleep all night, coupled with headache, dizziness, palpitation, forgetfulness and lots of dreams, etc.
According to Chinese medicine, insomnia is caused by the seven human emotions, including anger, sorrow, fear, worry, hate and desire, resulting in the heart-kidney imbalance and the pathogenic fire generated by depression of the liver.
Regular routine of daily life is the most effective way for avoiding insomnia, i.e. going to bed and getting up at a designated time so as to establish an internal clock. Sometimes, it is necessary to sleep late, but one should get up on time as usual the next morning. On the weekend, try not to get up late, because more sleep is useless since the amount of sleep cannot be stored.
1. Shenting Point, Yintang Point and Touwei Point
Method: Use the scraping plate to scrape gently from the middle of the forehead towards Touwei points on both sides of the hair line for 10 to 20 times. Then, use the corner of the scraping plate to press and knead Shenting point, Yintang point and Touwei point.
2. Taiyang Point and Fengchi Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to scrape from Taiyang point to the mastoid process and Fengchi point on the rear of the head via the upper part of the ear, 10 to 20 times on each side. And use the corner to press and knead Fengchi point.
3. Xinshu Point and Pishu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Xinshu point to Pishu point on the back from up to down.
4. The Sole and the Head
Method: Scrape the entire sole until the head and the sole feel heat before going to bed every evening. Use the surface-scraping to scrape the meridians of the entire head after getting up in the morning. Use the scraping comb made of buffalo horn to scrape in the order of the two sides, the top, and the rear of the head.
Therapies to Increase the Curative Effect
The diet-oriented prescription of helping sleep:
• 60-gram wheat without shells, 20-gram licorice and fifteen dates are boiled for oral use, once in the morning and once in the evening respectively.
• 15-gram lotus seeds with cores, 30-gram lily bulb and 12-gram lilyturf roots are boiled for oral use as drink.
It is also called “red-eye disease” marked by red and distended eyes, congestion, tears, secretion, the feeling of foreign bodies and heat. According to Chinese medicine, it is caused by pathogenic wind, heat and damp or internal heat in the liver and gallbladder. Therefore, scraping therapy chiefly serves to disperse pathogenic wind and expel heat.
Acute conjunctivitis is caused by germ-infection, being infectious to some extent. Therefore, the scraping plate should be used exclusively for a particular patient. With the scraping done each time, scraping instruments should be carefully washed and disinfected and that hands should also be washed, in order to avoid infection and cross infection.
1. Corresponding Area of the Head on the Spine
Method: Use the surface-scraping and the dual-angle scraping to scrape the area from up to down.
2. Taiyang Point, Cuanzhu Point and Fengchi Point
Method: Use the flat-pressing and kneading to press and knead Taiyang point on the affected side. Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Cuanzhu point on the affected side and Fengchi point on both sides of the head and neck.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
60-gram fresh chrysanthemum (or 15-gram dry chrysanthemum) is boiled for fumigating and washing the eyes before going to bed every evening, i.e., fumigating eyes from a distance and then washing the surrounding area of eyes with it.
Reading and writing for a long time, watching the screen with great attention and blinking eyes less will all result in the reduction of the secretion of aqueous humor, dry eyes and eye fatigue. Inadequate illumination at the places of work and study can also lead to the muscle tension of eyes and excessive use of the eye’s accommodation strength. Overloaded work of eyes is not only apt to result in eye fatigue, but also give rise to short-sightedness and other kinds of illness.
According to the Chinese medicine, the liver is closely associated with eyes. Therefore, dry eyes mostly reflects the lack of blood in the liver. Scraping the surrounding areas of eyes emphatically can smooth vital energy and blood, along with the scraping of Ganshu point and Danshu point, to tackle both symptoms and root causes of eye problems. The decline of eyesight can also be dealt with by this therapy.
So far, dry eyes cannot be fundamentally cured. In clinical practice, such a symptom is eased mostly by artificial tears and that the symptom will take place again once the application of artificial tears is stopped. An effective way to prevent dry eyes is to keep good habits of work and daily life. First of all, one should try to avoid watching TV and the mobile phone for a long time. Continuous watch for one hour requires a rest of 5 to 10 minutes. During the rest, one can look into the distance or do eye-exercise. It’s better not to wear contact lens when using the computer for a long time, so as to reduce the degree of eye dryness. One who uses the computer very often should pay attention to their diet, i.e., eating more bean products, fish, milk, walnuts, rape, Chinese cabbage, water spinach, tomatoes, and fresh fruits.
1. Cuanzhu Point, Yuyao Point, Tongziliao Point and Jingming Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate for beautification to press and knead Jingming point vertically. Then, use the flat-scraping to scrape from the inner eye-corner to Tongziliao point along the upper eye-rim, and then from the inner eye-corner to Tongziliao point along the lower eye-rim, with empahsis on pressing and kneading Cuanzhu point, Yuyao point and Tongziliao point. Gentle force is required for scraping the surrounding areas of eyes and that a little scraping cream can be applied to the scraping plate.
2. Ganshu Point and Danshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Ganshu point to Danshu point on the back from up to down repeatedly, until sha appears.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Porridge of Chinese wolfberries and mulberry fruit:
Ingredients: Five grams of Chinese wolfberries, mulberry fruit and Chinese yam respectively plus five dates and 100-gram rice.
The way of preparation: Washed rice is boiled together with other ingredients as porridge.
The effect: Chinese wolfberries and mulberry fruit in it serve to tonify the liver and kidneys, while Chinese yam and dates are beneficial to the spleen and stomach. Eating this porridge in the morning and in the evening every day for a long time can either eliminate eye fatigue or reinforce physique.
They are commonly called “whelk.” According to Chinese medicine, acne is caused by the accumulation of internal heat, stasis of liver energy and blood as well as imbalance between yin and yang. Too much psychological pressure will disturb the secretion of physiological hormones and lead to the imbalance of endocrine, making it possible for acne to appear. Therefore, people with acne should first learn to adjust work and life to eliminate tension.
Corresponding meridians and inner organs can be judged according to the area on which acne takes place. Instead of scraping the face, scraping therapy is only directed at adjusting the vital energy, blood, yin and yang of related meridians and organs so as to cure it fundamentally.
Expert Prompts
Acne is not supposed to be squeezed at random though they are annoying, because the squeeze is likely to result in such skin damage as the cavity, pigmentation and scars. Excessive force in squeezing the skin around acne will possibly damage related connective tissues and make inflammation worse, making it impossible to restore normal skin elasticity and forming acne-oriented cavities. Stasis of the tissues pressed will also be likely to form acne-oriented scars and pork marks.
1. The Area of Left Ribs and the Corresponding Area of the Spleen on the Spine
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape the area of left ribs from inside to outside, and scrape the corresponding area of the spleen on the spine on the left of the back from up to down.
2. Feishu Point, Pishu Point, Weishu Point and Dachangshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping and the dual-angle scraping to scrape Feishu point, Pishu point, Weishu point and Dachangshu point of Bladder Meridian from up to down.
This is due to often staying up late, unstable mood, excessive slow blood flow in the eye veins, the lack of oxygen supply in eye cells, too much accumulation of carbon dioxide and metabolized waste in veins, leading to chromatosis around eyes as the under-eye dark circle.
Scraping the surrounding areas of eyes and related acupoints can smooth vital energy and blood in related areas, stimulate cells around eyes, expel edema, decompose pigments around eyes and lighten the under-eye dark circle.
Having enough sleep is very important for preventing the under-eye dark circles. The best time for fast asleep and tonifying the liver is between 22:00 at night and 2:00 in small hours. The under eye dark circle will be very serious if people fail to sleep during this period for long. Drinking more water can promote metabolism, expel waste in the body and reduce under-eye dark circles.
Recommended Procedures
Cuanzhu Point, Chengqi Point and Tongziliao Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape the face in order (refer to Page 45), with emphasis on acupoints around eyes. Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Cuanzhu point, Chengqi point and Tongziliao point, and try to find, press and knead the point of pain and nodules.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Use a towel to wrap a boiled egg without shells when it is still hot. The patient, with eyes closed, turn the egg around his/her eyes over ten times, since heat and massage can promote blood circulation of eyes, disperse blood stasis and ease the under-eye dark circles.
This is caused by undesirable blood circulation and stranded water. It can be easily caused by drinking lots of water before going to bed, often sitting unmoved for a long time, preferring to eat salty food, staying up late at night and undesirably slow metabolism. According to Chinese medicine, puffiness of the eye socket chiefly results from spleen weakness so that spleen should be adjusted emphatically.
Acute and chronic nephritis can lead to puffiness of the eye socket. It is suggested that the patient go to the hospital to receive check-up on kidney functions if the puffiness cannot be eliminated for a long time. Those with eye bags for a long time should be mindful of hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis or coronary heart disease.
Recommended Procedures
1. Zusanli Point, Shangjuxu Point and Fenglong Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping or the flat-pressing and kneading to scrape Zusanli point, Shangjuxu point and Fenglong point from up to down on the Stomach Meridian.
2. Yinlingquan Point, Gongsun Point and Sanyinjiao Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping or the flat-pressing and kneading to scrape Yinlingquan point, Gongsun point and Sanyinjiao point on the Spleen Meridian.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
With the face washed, use a hot and wet towel to be applied to eyes since the heat can promote blood circulation of eyes. Ten minutes later, use a cold and wet towel on the eyes for about one minute as it serves to contract blood vessels. With this done, smear eye-cream to keep moisture.
According to Chinese medicine, it is caused by the weakness of vital energy and blood, blockage of energy circulation and obstruction of micro-circulation due to stasis. Exhaustion, too much psychological pressure, and natural aging of the human body are all the elements leading to chloasma due to the weakness of vital energy and blood. Scraping therapy can smooth vital energy and blood stasis on the face and improve the functions of inner organs, curing chloasma fundamentally.
Those with chloasma should stop drinking alcohol, avoid eating spicy and irritating food, drink more water, eat more vegetables and fruit with vitamins, take in a variety of vitamins, particularly vitamin C, E and B. Keeping a pleasant mood is also very important in preventing and eliminating chloasma.
1. The Areas with Chloasma
Method: With the face cleaned and the scraping cream smeared, push and scrape the forehead from inside to outside, with emphasis on scraping the areas with chloasma.
2. Corresponding Area of the Liver and the Gallbladder on the Spine
Method: Use the surface-scraping and the dual-angle scraping to scrape the area on the back.
3. Xiaohai Point, Zhizheng Point, Zusanli Point and Xuehai Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Xiaohai point and Zhizheng point of Small Intestine Meridian on upper limbs as well as Zusanli point of Stomach Meridian and Xuehai point of Spleen Meridian on lower limbs from up to down.
Expert Prompts
In the market, there is a wide variety of freckle-curing creams. Mind that the stronger the effect of the cream is, the greater the harm it is to the skin due to its chemical elements. It is very likely to impair the pigment cells of skin. More freckles will appear after they are expelled for a short period of time, even to the extent of impairing the face.
Freckles directly influence our facial beauty though they are not harmful to our health. According to Chinese medicine, freckles are associated with the weakness of kidneys and lungs. Kidneys are in charge of storing essential elements of the human body. Adequate essential elements and vigorous yang energy can speed up the decomposition of black pigment and obviously lighten freckles. Therefore, emphasis should be put on adjusting the functions of lungs and kidneys in the course of the scraping therapy.
The irradiation of ultraviolet will speed up the generation of lots of black pigment on the skin. Some stranded and precipitated black pigment in the skin lead to the formation and aggravation of freckles. Therefore, trying to avoid being exposed to the sunlight for a long time can effectively prevent and improve freckles.
Recommended Procedures
1. The Face
Method: With the face cleaned and the scraping cream smeared, use the flat-scraping to scrape the forehead, the surrounding areas of eyes, the cheeks, the surrounding areas of lips, the nose and the lower jaw from inside to outside in order (scraping on the nose should be done from up to down). Pressing and kneading should be emphatically done on the corresponding area of the lungs and the kidneys as well as areas with more freckles on the face, until the skin feels slightly hot and turns red.
2. Feishu Point, Ganshu Point and Shenshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Feishu point, Ganshu point to Shengshu point of Bladder Meridian on the back from up to down.
Women in modern times are generally marked by using cosmetics excessively, which will reduce the skin ability of secreting oil and lead to the lack of water in muscles. Climatic changes, insufficient sleep, fatigue, excessive reduction of weight and exclusive preference to a certain kind of food will also result in the imbalance of metabolism, the loss of skin vitality, being apt to result in dry and coarse skin.
Taking a bath in very hot water and using irritating soaps or cleaners can also give rise to dry skin. Dry skin is sometimes coupled with intolerable itching. Don’t scratch it, in order to prevent the skin from being harmed or causing inflammation.
Since the flesh of the palm and the sole is quite thick, the scraping oil does not have to be applied. Scraping serves to promote the blood circulation of the palm and the sole. However, with the application of the scraping oil, the effect of beautification will be better. So, scraping with the scraping oil once a week can be adopted. After the scraping, pay attention to eating more juicy food.
1. Chize Pioint, Shaoshang Point, Quchi Point and Shangyang Point
Method: With the method of smoothing the vital energy in the main and collateral channels, scrape the Lung Meridian and Large Intestine Meridian on the radial arm. Scrape from Chize point at the elbow joint downward to Shaoshang point at the thumb tip, and from Quchi point downward to Shangyang point at the index finger, once every day.
2. Reflection Area of the Lungs in the Palm
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to scrape the area until the skin in the area feels slightly hot. With one palm done, turn to the other palm.
3. Reflection Area of the Lungs in Sole
Method: With feet cleaned, use the single-angle scraping to scrape the area until the skin feels slightly hot. With one foot done, turn to the other foot.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
In dry season, eating some carrots can moisten skin. β-carotene rich in carrots can be converted into vitamin A in the human body, which can protect the skin surface and make the skin tender, moistened, glossy and elastic.
Points of attention: β-carotene is fat-soluble substance. It can be turned into vitamin A only when it is dissolved in oil. Therefore, carrots should be fried, or eaten together with other kinds of oily food.
The skin color is decided by liver functions. Liver is in charge of vital energy and blood all over the body. It is also an important organ of expelling toxin. Lots of metabolized substances in the inner environment of the human body are expelled and dealt with by the liver. Therefore, attention should be paid to expelling toxin in the liver when it comes to dull complexion. Scraping therapy focuses on soothing liver, benefiting gallbladder, eliminating stasis and expelling toxin.
Generally, scraping bladder meridian can bring about a little sha and that urine will be a bit more turbid than usual. These are manifestations of expelling accumulated toxin. With the scraping therapy done persistently for two months, skin will gradually become fair and light-complexioned. Thanks to smooth circulation of vital energy circulation, people will feel pleasant and that gray hair and the fall-off of hair can also be improved.
Recommended Procedures
1. Corresponding Area of the Liver and the Gallblader on the Spine on the Right Back
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape the area from up to down.
2. Ganshu Point, Hunmen Point, Danshu Point and Yanggang Point
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape Ganshu point, Hunmen point, Danshu point and Yanggang point of bladder meridian from up to down, i.e., from Ganshu point to Danshu point, and from Hunmen point to Yanggang point from up to down.
According to Chinese medicine, it is caused by the intrusion of wind into the weak physique and the wind struggles with blood and vital energy. Together with the application of medicine on the affected area, scraping therapy can produce a desirable effect on stopping the itch. The wound on the skin, if any, should not be scraped and should be carefully avoided.
Recommended Procedures
1. Fengchi Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Fengchi points on both sides of the neck from up to down.
2. Dazhui Point and Shenzhu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Dazhui point to Shenzhu point on the back.
3. Quchi Point and Shousanli Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape from Quchi point to Shousanli point of Large Intestine Meridian on both sides.
This is a kind of allergic disease. According to Chinese medicine, it is chiefly associated with the pathogenic damp which can contain heat in the form of damp-heat. Eczema is generally marked by erythema, blisters, erosion, itch and pimples. Generally, it attacks repeatedly due to pathogenic damp.
People with eczema must pay attention to the adjustment of diet, follow two points as below:
1. Eat light food of low sugar and low salt, avoid irritating and oily food.
2. Eat more food that can reduce internal heat and damp as well as more food rich in vitamins and minerals, more fruits and green vegetables.
Recommended Procedures
1. The Healthy Side
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape the healthy side corresponding to eczema.
2. Yinlingquan Point and Sanyinjiao Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Yinlingquan point to Sanyinjiao point on both sides of lower limbs.
3. Quchi Point and Shousanli point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Quchi point to Shousanli point on both sides of upper limbs.
This is a kind of limited and inflammatory illness at the end area manifested by congestive distention on the chilled area and itch of skin when it turns warm. Erosion and ulcer will take place on the affected area for serious cases. The course of this illness is quite long with repeated attacks in winter, making it difficult to be cured fundamentally.
The affected area is generally at the end of hands and feet. Scraping therapy mainly serves to smooth the circulation of vital energy and blood in related areas. Therefore, scraping is generally done near the affected area without considering concrete acupoints.
It is normal to have pain at the place with deformed and distended nodules during scraping. The area being scraped will gradually go through a process from being ice-cold to being warm, driving the cold to the end of fingers. The symptom will be obviously eased if the scraping is done persistently once or twice every day. With the scraping done, do not touch the cold water within three hours to prevent the intrusion of pathogenic cold.
Recommended Procedures
1. Chilblain on Hands
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from the wrist to fingers. The joints and both sides of each finger should be scraped. Scrape the palm before scraping the hand back for 20 times or so successively. Do not scrape the wound on the skin.
2. Chilblain on Feet
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from the heel to the toes for 20 to 30 times and then from the ankle to the toes for 20 to 30 times until related skin feels warm. You should not scrape the wound on the skin.
According to Chinese medicine, ice-cold hands and feet are associated with the deficiency of yang energy in inner organs and slow blood flow. Hands and feet often in an ice-cold state, if not dealt with timely, will lead to depression and serious fear of the cold for a long time. Scraping therapy can restore and smooth the circulation of vital energy and blood, easing the symptom of ice-cold hands and feet.
Doing physical exercise frequently is the best way for preventing and controlling the symptom of ice-cold hands and feet. Walking fast for 30 minutes after getting up every morning can promote the circulation of vital energy and blood as well as keeping hands and feet warm for a whole day. People can also try to climb stairs or jump up and down to sweat a little to reinforce the body’s ability of adjusting temperature. Walking around during the break of work and moving fingers and toes from time to time can all help to stimulate blood circulation.
Recommended Procedures
1. Hand
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape the palm from up to down, until the palm feels heat and turns red, or use the groove of the scraping plate to scrape from the finger roots to finger tips, until fingers feel heat and turn red.
2. Sole
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape the sole, until the sole feels heat and turns red. Use the corner of the scraping plate to emphatically press and knead Yongquan point, until the sole feels heat.
3. Sanyinjiao Point
Method: Use the flat-scraping to scrape Sanyinjiao point on both sides of lower limbs from up to down with light force, until the shins feel heat.
This is a kind of chronic skin inflammation manifested with paroxysmal itch and skin lichenification. It often takes place on the area subject to friction without a clear cause. However, according to general understanding, it is associated with long-time scraping, friction, mental factors and certain irritation from outside.
In principle, stopping itch is the main purpose for the patient with neurodermitis. The patient should avoid the irritation of thermal physics and mechanical contact such as sunlight, scraping and friction, in addition to avoiding over-tension and mental irritation plus the restriction over alcohol, coffee and spicy food.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
25-gram old tea leaves, 25-gram artemisia argyi, 50-gram old ginger and two pieces of purple garlic. The mashed garlic, sliced old ginger and tea leaves are boiled in water for five minutes with a little salt added. Such solution is used to wash the affected area (the up-mentioned dose is set for two days), which can expel inflammation and kill gems as an auxiliary method for curing neurodermitis.
1. Qihai Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Qihai point 30 times from up to down, with the force gradually increased until a sense of strong soreness and distention is felt in the related area.
2. Yanglingquan Point and Zusanli Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Yanglingquan point to Zusanli point on both sides of lower limbs 30 times with a little heavy force, until sha appears.
3. Hegu Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to scrape Hegu point 30 times from up to down, until the skin turns red.
4. Geshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Geshu point on the back 30 times from up to down with a little heavy force until purplish sha speckles appear.
Also called “wind measles,” it is marked by “wind patches” in different sizes and forms. The patient would feel burnt and extremely itching as well as abdominal pain and diarrhea, and even to the extent of laryngeal edema or shock. This disease attacks repeatedly and cannot be cured easily. According to Chinese medicine, it is mainly due to the imbalance of vital energy and blood. Scraping therapy can prevent and cure it through soothing the inner functions and expelling malignant elements.
1. Fengfu Point and Dazhui Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape from Fengfu point to Dazhui point on the rear of the neck.
2. Quchi Point and Shousanli Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape from Quchi point to Shousanli point of Large Intestine Meridian on both sides.
3. Geshu Point and Ganshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Geshu point to Ganshu point on the back.
4. Xuehai Point and Sanyinjiao Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Xuehai point to Sanyinjiao points of Spleen Meridian on both sides.
This is a virus-oriented disease marked by belt-like blisters in groups as painful as being burnt. It mostly goes around the waist. The pain often continues until measles completely disappear, sometimes lasting for several months.
The area with blisters and measles must not be scraped directly. Scraping can be done around the affected area with a little force. Blisters must not be scraped.
1. Ganshu Point and Danshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Ganshu point to Danshu point on the back for about 30 times, until sha appears.
2. Quchi Point, Waiguan Point and Hegu Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Quchi point, Waiguan point and Hegu point on both sides of lower limbs from up to down.
3. Xuehai Point, Yinlingquan Point, Sanyinjiao Point and Neiting point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Xuehai point to Yinlingquan point and Sanyinjiao point inside lower limbs from up to down, then use the single-angle scraping to scrape Neiting point on the back of the foot.
As neoplasm on the skin-surface, they are caused by human papilloma virus. Appearing flat and smooth without causing any discomfort to people, they often take place on the face and hand back of youngsters. The patient generally does not feel about it, but suffers from itch before they disappear. It is often marked by a slow pathological change as benign illness without serious harm generally. It can last for 3 to 4 years and disappear automatically in one or two years. It is better not to scrape the itching area and timely treatement at the specialized hospital is required so as to prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body.
1. Fengchi Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Fengchi point on both sides on the rear of the neck.
2. Dazhui Point and Taodao Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Dazhui point to Taodao point on the back from up to down.
3. Quchi Point and Shousanli Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape from Quchi point to Shousanli point on both sides from up to down.
4. Zhongdu Point, Yanglingquan Point and Fenglong Point
Method: Use the single-angle scraping to scrape Zhongdu point, Yanglingquan point and Fenglong point on both sides of the Gallbladder Meridian from up to down.
Also called “facial paralysis,” it attacks very quickly. Usually, it is marked by muscle paralysis on one side of the face and wry mouth and eyes. It occurs frequently in spring and autumn mostly with male patients aged from 20 to 40, and occasionally among children. Some patients will feel painful in the rear of and below the ears as well as on the face in the early stage. Sometimes, there will be the decline or disappearance of taste sense of tongue in the affected side. Scraping therapy can improve the illness to a certain extent. If it is central facioplegia (i.e., facial paralysis caused by the organic injury of cerebral nerves), scraping therapy can be coupled with the treatment of “sequela of apoplexy” mentioned in this chapter (Page 167).
1. Taiyang Point, Qianzheng Point, Yangbai Point, Yingxiang Point, Dicang Point and Jiache Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to press and knead Taiyang point and Qianzheng point on the affected side. Use the flat-pressing and kneading to press and knead Yangbai point, Yingxiang point and Dicang point on the affected side, and scrape from Dicang point to Jiache point.
2. Yanglao Point and Hegu Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to scrape Yanglao point on the healthy side of the upper limbs from up to down and use the flat-pressing and kneading to scrape Hegu point of Large Intestine Meridian on the healthy side of upper limbs.
3. Kunlun Point and Neiting Point
Method: Use the flat-pressing and kneading to scrape Kunlun point on the healthy side of lower limbs, and vertically press and knead Neiting point of Stomach Meridian on the healthy side of lower limbs.
Along with the increase of age, vital energy and blood in the human body begin to weaken. Hair turning gray is a natural phenomenon. But if hair turns gray at an early age, it prompts problems with health. According to Chinese medicine, gray hair at an early age is mainly due to the deficiency of liver and kidney functions and the weakness of vital energy and blood, requiring the tonification of the liver and kidneys to benefit vital energy and blood circulation. Together with diet adjustment, scraping therapy serves to smooth the circulation of vital energy and blood with a curative effect to a certain extent.
Recommended Procedures
1. Head
Method: Use the multi-functional scraping comb to scrape the entire head from the front to the rear 30 times, twice every day.
2. Xuehai Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Xuehai point on both sides of lower limbs 30 times, and use the corner of the scraping plate to scrape the point with force, until soreness and distension are felt. The appearance of sha is not necessary.
3. Ganshu Point and Shenshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Ganshu point and Shenshu point on both sides on the back for 30 times respectively with a little heavy force. The appearance of sha is not necessary.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
10-gram polygonum multiflorum, 20-gram Chinese wolfberry, 30-gram wild chrysanthemum, two dates,10-gram dried rehmannia roots and an appropriate amount of rock candy are boiled or brewed in boiling water for drink. Long-term drinking can moisten hair.
A healthy adult will see the fall-off of 50 to 100 hairs every day. If the number of hairs falling off increases obviously and the hair line changes obviously or the hair becomes obviously finer and softer, one should be mindful of the hair loss problem. The fall-off of hair can be caused by quick rhythm of life, great pressure of work and undesirable habits of diet.
Perming or dyeing hair are both detrimental to the hair quality, being apt to result in the fall-off of hair. Hair is not supposed to be washed every day. Washing hair once every two days is enough. With hair washed, it is better to let hair dry itself. Electric hair dryer should not be too hot. According to Chinese medicine, the inadequacy of vital energy and blood is the main reason for the loss of hair. Scraping related acupoints can help to smooth vital energy and blood circulation and tonify hair, so as to prevent and cure the loss of the hair. The hair root can be further firmed and hair will look healthy and glossy by often eating those food that can tonify kidneys and hair, such as black sesame, walnuts, bean products, kelp or laver.
Recommended Procedures
1. Head
Method: Use the multi-functional scraping comb to scrape the entire head from the front to the rear 30 times, twice every day.
2. Fengchi Point
Method: Use the corner of the scraping plate to forcefully scrape Fengchi point on both sides on the neck, until soreness and distension are felt.
3. Ganshu Point and Shenshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Ganshu point and Shenshu point on both sides on the back from up to down, until sha appears.
Aching and Stiff Shoulders and Neck
This happens frequently to white-collar workers. Many people believe that neck-shoulder soreness and pain are equivalent to cervical spondylosis. In fact, most of the neck-shoulder soreness, pain and stiffness are caused by siting for a long time, great pressure on shoulders, muscle trauma and stasis of vital energy and blood. Scraping the neck can smooth tendons, invigorate blood and quickly reduce or eliminate soreness and pain.
1. Fengfu Point and Dazhui Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Fengfu point to Dazhui point of Du Meridian from up to down, until sha appears.
2. Tianzhu Point and Fengmen Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Tianzhu point and Fengmen point of Bladder Meridian from up to down, 15 to 20 times on each side, until sha appears. With one side done, scrape the other side.
3. Fengchi Point and Jianjing Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Fengchi point to Jianjing point toward the shoulder-end, 15 to 20 times on each side, until sha appears. With one side done, scrape the other side.
4. Jianyu Point, Quchi Point and Hegu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Jianyu point, Quchi point and Hegu point along Large Intestine Meridian for 15 to 20 times while pressing and kneading Hegu point several times, until soreness and distension are felt. With one side done, scrape the other.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Stand or sit, chest out and looking up. Raise one shoulder to the highest level and circle with the shoulder top. Both shoulders can circle at the same time clockwise or counter clockwise, 15 times in one direction respectively. However, make sure to move slowly and gently. Often doing neck-shoulder exercise can effectively ease neck-shoulder soreness and pain. The above-mentioned movements can be done at any time and any place, since it is both convenient and effective.
This often happens to many people, particularly to middle-aged and old people, due to irregular life, lack of rest or physical exercise as well as intrusion of the cold. It can also be caused by the insufficiency of yang energy in kidneys resulting in the intrusion of the wind-cold and stasis of vital energy and blood. Scraping can smooth meridians and the circulation of vital energy and blood, expel wind and disperse the cold, invigorate blood, expel stasis, and stop pain.
The speed-up of the loss of calcium among middle-aged and old people will lead to osteoporosis as well as waist-back pain. Scraping therapy can only ease such symptom for the time-being, but cannot cure it, patients require timely medical check-up for treatment.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Sit with the arms clasped round knees and stretch the spine naturally to relax the spine joints and muscular ligaments. Before going to bed in the evening or getting up in the morning, keeping this position for 2 to 3 minutes can ease waist-back pain.
1. The Waist and the Back
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape the painful area of the waist and the back from up to down, until sha appears.
2. The Reflection Area of the Wrist on the Third Metacarpal Bone on the Hand Back and the Reflection Area of the Spine on the Inside of the Foot
Method: Use the pushing and scraping to gently scrape the reflection area of the wrist on the third metacarpal bone on hand back with possible points of pain. Use the single-angle scraping to scrape from back to front the reflection area of the spine on the inside of the foot.
3. Dazhui Point, Yaoyangguan Point and Jiaji Points
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Dazhui point to Yaoyangguan point on both sides on the back from up to down. Then, use the dual-angle scraping to scrape Jiaji points on both sides.
4. Mingmen Point and Shenshu Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Mingmen point and Shenshu point on the back from up to down.
Due to busy work, many people in modern times always take a bus or drive a car instead of taking a walk, lacking physical exercise. Consequently, they often feel sore, painful and weak in lower limbs. Middle-aged and old people often feel sore, painful and heavy in lower limbs due to weakened body functions, insufficient supply or blockage of vital energy and blood in addition to the lack of physical exercise. Scraping can smooth meridians, vital energy and blood, and promote blood circulation and fluid metabolism, producing a very good effect on easing soreness and pain in lower limbs.
Varicose veins will also lead to soreness and pain in lower limbs, which is not suitable for the scraping. If the symptom of varicose veins is not serious, it is acceptable if the patient pays attention to the rest and does not stand for a long time. If it is serious, surgical operation can be adopted. However, after the operation, attention should be paid to protection, and standing and sitting for a long time are not allowed.
1. Weizhong Point and Chengshan Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Weizhong point on the rear of the knee and Chengshan point on the rear of the shin from up to down, or use the single-angle pressing and kneading to press and knead these two acupoints 15 to 20 times respectively, until soreness and distension are felt.
2. Mingmen Point and Zhishi Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape Mingmen point and Zhishi point on the waist from up to down respectively, until the skin turns red or sha appears.
3. Huantiao Point and Dubi Point
Method: Use the single-angle pressing and kneading to press and knead Huantiao point 15 to 20 times with a little heavy force until soreness and distension are felt. Then, press Dubi point on the knee gently.
4. Xiyangguan Point, Yanglingquan Point, Ququan Point and Yinlingquan Point
Method: Use the surface-scraping to scrape from Xiyangguan poin to Yanglingquan point on the lateral knee as well as Ququan point and Yinlingquan point on the medial knee.
Therapy to Increase the Curative Effect
Try to stand on the tiptoe to ease the soreness and pain in lower limbs when one stands, walks or sits down for a long time. Stand with two legs closed and two feet stand on the tiptoe to limit, drop down and then stand on the tiptoe again, do this for 12 times and 2 to 3 groups each time. This can effectively relax muscles of lower limbs, particularly the shin muscle, while producing an effect on preventing varicose veins or edema.