Scraping for pharyngitis

Pharyngitis is a common phenomenon in life. After an attack, even talking, swallowing saliva, and eating will become unbearable pain. If not treated in time, it may spread to the surrounding tissues, affect the health of other parts, and even turn into chronic pharyngitis. There are many ways to treat pharyngitis, and scraping therapy is also a treatment method. So how does scraping therapy treat pharyngitis?

There are many ways to treat pharyngitis, and scraping therapy is one of them. Gua Sha therapy is one of the special treatments for chronic pharyngitis in Traditional Chinese Medicine, with significant clinical effects. The specific method is as follows:

Step 1. First, scrape from the back of the neck. Scrape from the hairline downwards to the Dazhui point (on the posterior midline, in the depression below the spinous line of the 7th cervical vertebra) and press it hard. This point is an important point for reducing inflammation and fever, and can dredge the yang meridians throughout the body. Often after scraping and pressing, the throat will feel relaxed.

Step 2: After scraping the Dazhui point, scrape the Fengchi points in the depressions on both sides of the neck (on the gallbladder meridian), and press the Renying point on the stomach meridian (next to the Adam's apple on the front neck). These are the two main acupoints for treating sore throats; there is also the Dazhui point on the bladder meridian on the back (two horizontal fingers away from the spinous process below the Dazhui point). This acupoint has a very good effect in clearing away heat. The Feishu point on the bladder meridian (located 1.5 inches lateral to the spinous process of the third thoracic vertebra) is an effective acupuncture point for treating throat diseases. Scrape downward from 1.5 inches lateral to the big vertebra and press this point.

Step three: There is a Fengfu point one inch directly above the middle of the hairline. It is one of the important acupoints on the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot Shaoyang and is also an effective acupoint for treating the throat. Traditional Chinese medicine talks about "treating the disease before it happens" and regularly pressing this point on the back of the neck can be very helpful in relieving sore throat.

Step 4. The lung meridian on the inner front edge of the back of the hand is the main meridian for clearing the respiratory system, including treating laryngitis, so it should be scraped with emphasis. Scrape from the concave part of the chest (Zhongfu point) along the upper edge of the arm all the way down to the outer tip of the thumb. In the middle of this meridian, there is a Chize point (where the elbow bends inward) and a Lie Xiaque point (cross your hands naturally with the base of your thumb and index finger of one hand pressed on the radial styloid process of the other hand, in the depression under the fingertip), which are special acupuncture points for treating "throat congestion" and sore throat.

Step five. There is a "Shao Shang" point at the end of the lung meridian, which is a perfect point for treating sore throat. Pressing key points or using a three-edged needle to bleed is also a good way to achieve immediate results. One day, a friend of mine drank too much and his throat suddenly became swollen and painful. It was so painful that he couldn't even swallow saliva. After scraping it according to the above method, I found a thumbtack in desperation and stabbed the "Shao Shang Point" with it. Immediately a stream of black blood came out, and when I squeezed it, it turned out to be red blood. After a while, he felt his throat was much better, and then he drank a large jar of boiled water. In the evening, he excitedly told me "it's fine now"! I teased him, saying it was all because of the alcohol! This guy quit drinking from then on.

Step six, there are important acupoints that need to be scraped in the treatment of pharyngitis, which is to tonify the kidney. According to Chinese medicine, the kidney is the foundation of one's constitution. Almost all diseases are related to kidney deficiency, and pharyngitis is no exception. Traditional Chinese medicine also says that one should “treat the upper disease from the lower part.” Therefore, scraping the kidney meridian is an indispensable and important step. The kidney meridian is located at the posterior inner side of the leg. Focus on scraping and pressing the Taixi point (the depression below the ankle bone) and the Shuiquan point (1 inch below the Taixi point) on this meridian in treatment.

The scraping and pressing of the above meridians and acupoints should be done left and right and symmetrically. That is, both sides of the arms and the back of the legs should be shaved. This is the process of scraping therapy. So what should we pay attention to when using scraping therapy? There are two points to note:

1. After scraping, drink warm water, take a short rest, and avoid catching a cold or wind. To eliminate chronic pharyngitis, you can frequently scrape the front of your neck, which also helps the Datong Stomach Meridian.

2. For those who feel uncomfortable with scraping, it is not recommended to use this method, especially those with poor heart function, who may experience palpitations. If these symptoms occur, you can press the Laogong point on the palm of your left hand in time, or drink a bottle of Shengmai Drink to replenish energy for your heart.

The above is an introduction to scraping therapy for treating pharyngitis. If this method is not suitable for the patient, other options are available. There are many ways to treat pharyngitis, scraping therapy is just one of them, but you must consult an expert before using it, and it is best to go to a regular hospital.