Is it true that elbow tapping can detoxify?

Recently, there is a rumor on the Internet that tapping the elbows can detoxify. In daily life, we often see some elderly people tapping their elbows when exercising in the park. After tapping, black and purple bumps will appear in this area. Some people think that this is to remove toxins, while others think that this is not detoxification and is a normal phenomenon. I wonder if tapping the elbows is really a detoxification method?

Is it true that elbow tapping can detoxify?

Patting the inside of your arms to detox isn't a reliable method

The idea that patting the arm bends can detoxify is wrong, but patting the arm bends can actually help promote qi and blood circulation, relax muscles and tendons, and is similar to the techniques of scraping and cupping. If you feel back pain, or body soreness after exercise, you can gently pat to promote qi and blood circulation. Preparation: Bend your palms slightly into a bow shape with your palms empty, and rhythmically tap the corresponding parts of the body, relying on the airflow in the palms to achieve the effect of promoting qi and blood circulation. Remember not to hit directly with your hands, and don't use too much force, so as not to cause greater damage.

Traditional Chinese medicine does not use the method of slapping hard to cause bleeding to be used for health preservation. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that detoxification can be achieved by taking Chinese medicine, eating foods with dispersing effects, or scraping. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the human body requires a balance of yin and yang. Once affected by the "six evils" of wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness and fire, this balance is broken, causing yang to be excessive and yin to be deficient or yin to be excessive, and the body will feel uncomfortable.

People often say that scraping can detoxify. In fact, the toxin here refers to the heat toxin produced when the body's yang is excessive, and detoxification means expelling heat. Dong Shengwang said that not everyone is suitable for the heat-removing method of patting. First of all, you need to be prepared to judge whether it is Yang Sheng. If the body is originally weak in fire, then patting it will definitely make you feel more uncomfortable and cause the fire to be drained, which will have the opposite effect. In addition, there are requirements for the location and strength of the patting. Patting until it turns purple may be caused by congestion of the epidermis or blood stasis, rather than detoxification.

From this we can see that the claim that patting the arms can detoxify is inaccurate. In traditional Chinese medicine, the requirements for patting are relatively high. Not everyone’s physical symptoms are suitable for this method and a traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis is required. In addition, you cannot simply pat the bend of your arm. Different strength requirements apply to different parts of your arm. If ordinary citizens slap their arms until they turn blue or purple without getting a diagnosis, it is easy to cause secondary injuries.