Cupping Therapy for Cold Legs
Recently, it has been very hot, and passersby are dressed in summer clothes. However, this patient friend was wearing three pairs of pants and needed to sit on a cotton cushion, stating that she has experienced cold legs for decades, and it has only become more severe recently. Even in the hot summer, she needs to cover herself with a cotton blanket and often feels as if the area below her hips is in an ice cellar. Moreover, any exposure to cold causes leg pain, accompanied by weakness in her legs and feet.
Cold and dampness tend to accumulate in areas with more muscle, leading to stagnation in the meridians over time, preventing the smooth flow of Qi and blood. Upon examining her thigh, I found signs of stagnation in the Stomach Meridian (Wei Jing) on the front of her leg, which was sensitive to pressure. The Gallbladder Meridian (Dan Jing) on the outer thigh also showed significant tenderness, and there was noticeable pain at the Yin Bao point (阴包穴) on the inner thigh of the Liver Meridian (Gan Jing). I then applied massage oil to her thigh and used a small vacuum cup to gently suction and move along the Stomach and Gallbladder meridians. The patient initially experienced strong pain, followed by an intense itching sensation. I explained to her that this is a good sign; the itching indicates that her blood is being activated and is functioning normally. She needed to endure it a little longer, and once the blood circulation normalized, she would feel better. I continued the cupping until the pain and itching subsided, stopping when her leg turned slightly red. The patient suddenly felt warmth in her leg, and I then applied the same technique to her buttocks, with similar sensations reported by the patient. Finally, I performed Gua Sha (scraping therapy) on her calves and applied gentle pressure on the Yin Bao point. After the entire procedure, the patient felt completely relaxed, as if she were basking in warm spring sunlight, feeling incredibly comfortable.
The next day, when I treated her again, she had already removed one pair of pants. I informed her that this condition had persisted for too long, with multiple meridians suffering from insufficient and obstructed Qi and blood flow, so she could not expect to return to normal after just one or two treatments; the rest would depend on her own efforts. On one hand, she needed to pay attention to self-care and always keep warm. On the other hand, she should particularly focus on self-treatment techniques for her thighs and buttocks, using tapping and Gua Sha methods, and if possible, also pay attention to her calves. As long as she does not give up, the problem that has troubled her for half her life will surely be resolved.
Among the many patients I have encountered, once they are informed of the methods, they tend to give up self-treatment as soon as they notice any improvement in their condition. It is indeed challenging to encourage most people to rely on themselves rather than seeking medical help. The difficulty lies in the fact that most people have a dependency mentality; as long as their life is not in danger, they do not take their health seriously. I hope this friend will not fall into that trap.
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