Traditional Health Restoration Methods Among the Asian Population

There are many ancient forms of restoring one’s health. In this blog post, you will learn about some of the methods used among the Chinese population. Please note that traditional methods vary greatly among people, and not everyone uses these methods. It’s important to recognize that everyone comes from different cultural backgrounds, and generalizations or assumptions must never be made.

First, and arguable the most widespread method of traditional health restoration, is acupuncture. 

Acupuncture is a key component of Chinese traditional medicine and is the practice of puncturing the body with a special metal needle to cure disease or relieve pain. Nowadays, it’s increasingly being used for overall wellness, including stress management (Source). The specific points are predetermined for the treatment of specific symptoms and are called meridians. There are also different types of needles for different purposes (Wallnöfer & von Rottauscher, 1972). 

Acupuncture is based upon the concept of a fixed network of meridians that extend throughout the body. Since the networks merge and have outlets on the skin, it is believed that internal problems can be treated by puncturing the meridians (Spector 9e, 178). For example, an arrowhead needle is used for superficial pricking, a round needle is used for massaging, a blunt needle is used for knocking or pressing, and a filiform needle is the most extensively used type of needle.

Another well known method of traditional Chinese health restoration is cupping. Cupping involves burning the oxygen out of a small glass to create a vacuum, then placing the glass on the person’s skin. Cupping is used to draw blood and lymph to the surface of a body to increase circulation. 

Bleeding is another form of healing. It’s typically done with leeches, and only small amounts of blood are removed. Medicinal herbs were also widely used in Chinese healing. The most prominent herb used is the Ginseng root (Source). Ginseng has numerous beneficial health properties including boosting the immune system, decreasing LDL cholesterol, lowering blood sugar, and improving agility (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2014). A commonly held belief regarding herbs is that herbs gathered at night are more effective. Additionally, the storage and preparation is vital to the release of therapeutic properties. 

The Chinese ways of healing are rich in tradition and culture, and it’s important to be appreciative of the cultural aspects associated with healing. These are just some of the many traditional health restoration methods among the Chinese population.

By: Sreenidhi Saripalli