Traditional Chinese medicine warms the acupoints with moxibustion to facilitate meridian blood flow to keep one healthy. However, it is difficult for ordinary people to find precise acupoints when applying moxibustion, an operation that is troublesome and difficult to manage for oneself. However, a hairdryer can be used to heat the acupuncture points, which not only is simple, but the heat range is broader. As long as you know the approximate location of the acupuncture points, you can quickly get started.
Thermotherapy in traditional Chinese medicine
Sun Maofeng, a leading expert on acupuncture and the Dean of the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China Medical University in Taiwan, teaches thermotherapy with a hairdryer. Mr. Sun noted: “Chinese medicine emphasizes supplementing heat for one with a cold constitution and removing heat for one with a hot physique. However, it is an unsuitable method for those who suffer from infection, inflammation, and hyperactive diseases.”
Traditional Chinese medicine warms the acupoints with moxibustion to facilitate meridian blood flow to keep one healthy. (Image: bekaschiller via Pixabay)
Which parts of the body are suitable for hairdryer thermotherapy?
According to the theory of yin and yang in traditional Chinese medicine, yang generates heat, while yin is dark and invisible. For example, the back is yang, while the abdomen is yin. Therefore, parts and acupoints on the yin side are suitable for hairdryer thermotherapies, such as the Dantian area below the belly button and the Yongquan point on the sole of the foot. However, the part on the yang side can in some cases have the heat on it from a hairdryer. It depends on the symptoms. For example, warming some acupoints on the backs of people with deficiency and cold constitutions can increase yang.
When turning on the hairdryer, you must first measure the temperature and the distance from the skin. Sun emphasized: “The temperature of the hairdryer is high, so as to be careful not to cause burns.” Some special conditions may lead to overheating. For example, diabetic patients are insensitive to heat, and family members do not know how the patient feels when applying hairdryer thermotherapy. Also, before applying hairdryer thermotherapy to patients, you need to know four critical points:
- It is not advised to apply hairdryer thermotherapy on weak skin areas, such as the face, eyes, and nose.
- Everyone has a different tolerance to heat, and the wattage of the hairdryer is also different. Therefore, you need to adjust the blowing time and distance according to personal comfort.
- Conditions suitable for applying hairdryer thermotherapy include chronic diseases, yang-deficient, cold constitution, and the yin parts.
- Conditions unsuitable for applying hairdryer thermotherapy include infections and inflammatory diseases, wounds, hyperactive diseases, and heat constitution (a dry mouth, red complexion, dry stool).
When turning on the hairdryer, you must first measure the temperature and the distance from the skin. (Image: tarkan36 via Pixabay)
You can use a hairdryer from the head to the feet. Chronic soreness, allergies, physical pain, gastrointestinal function, and immunity should improve by warming certain points.
- Baihui point: Helps to reduce dizziness and headaches due to deficiency and cold
- Tiantu point: Aids chronic and allergic cough
- Dantian: Helps to alleviate physical pain
- Tanzhong point: Can help reduce chest tightness and shortness of breath
- The navel: Can improve gastrointestinal ailments
- Zusanli point: Helps to strengthen the immune system
Translated by Joseph Wu and edited by Helen
The writer of this story is not a medical professional, and the information that is in this story has been collected from reliable sources — every precaution has been taken to ensure its accuracy. The information provided is for general information purposes only, and should not be substituted for professional health care.
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