Treat winter diseases in summer, apply the patch while it’s hot, are you ready?

Author: Ma Chenrui, Zhao Hanqing, Hebei University College of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Reviewer: Liang Biyan, deputy chief physician, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences

Figure 1 Copyright image, no permission to reprint

In a blink of an eye, it is the hottest time of the year again. There is a saying among the people that "during the hottest days of summer, winter diseases are treated in summer, otherwise you will have to wait for another year". What is actually being talked about here is "treating winter diseases in summer".

What does it mean to treat winter diseases in summer?

Winter diseases refer to diseases that are prone to occur or worsen in winter. If the body's yang qi is deficient, and the winter climate is cold, the cold air can easily stagnate the qi, making it impossible for the righteous qi to expel evil spirits, or if the body is affected by the cold evil spirits, some chronic diseases such as wheezing and asthma will recur or worsen. Repeated and prolonged illnesses can easily lead to damage to the lungs, spleen, and kidneys, manifested as lingering and repeated illnesses in related organs and meridians.

In traditional Chinese medicine, "winter diseases" have two major characteristics: ① Physical weakness and coldness: patients are usually people with yang deficiency. They are often manifested as depression, pale complexion, fear of cold, cold hands and feet, etc.; ② Affected by cold evil: disease symptoms will be aggravated by cold.

Summer treatment refers to the use of some therapies to warm the meridians and dispel cold, activate blood circulation and dredge collaterals during the dog days of summer, which is also the season with the strongest yang energy in the year, to enhance the body's resistance, warm the blood vessels, and achieve the preventive and therapeutic effect of adjusting the balance of yin and yang. The winter disease summer treatment method highlights the holistic concept of "harmony between man and nature" and the disease prevention concept of "preventing disease before it occurs" in traditional Chinese medicine.

Treatments for winter diseases in summer include Chinese medicine, acupoint plastering, acupuncture, cupping and other methods. Here we would like to introduce to you the representative acupoint plastering during the dog days of summer - Sanfu plastering.

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What is "Sanfutie"?

Sanfutie is an acupoint plaster therapy and also a traditional Chinese medicine therapy. It combines acupuncture, meridians and Chinese medicine. On the first day of each "fu" in the three hot days, the prepared plaster is applied to different acupoints of the human body. The Chinese medicine produces micro-area thermal stimulation to the acupoints, achieving the effect of curing existing diseases and preventing future diseases.

Why choose the dog days of summer? This is because the blood in the human body circulates vigorously in summer, and the skin pores are open at this time, making it easy for drugs to be absorbed. The dog days of summer are also the time when the yang energy is the most vigorous in the year. Choosing a patch treatment at this time is the easiest to restore and support the body's yang energy, thereby enhancing the body's resistance.

The main production process and usage of Sanfutie: ① Select appropriate Chinese medicinal materials according to the disease and grind them into powder; ② Mix the Chinese medicinal materials with solvents in proportion. Common solvents include ginger juice, vinegar, water, etc.; ③ After mixing, apply the mixture evenly on a blank plaster; ④ Select appropriate acupoints according to the symptoms and stick the prepared Sanfutie on the acupoints.

How does Sanfutie work? ① Acupoint effect: The patch therapy can stimulate the acupoints on the body surface and exert its effect through the operation of the meridians; ② Pharmacological effect: The drug is directly applied to the acupoints on the body surface, and the medicinal properties penetrate from the outside to the inside to exert the drug effect; ③ Comprehensive effect: The patch therapy is an organic combination of traditional acupuncture therapy and drug therapy, which is the superposition of acupoint stimulation and drug effect, and the interaction between multiple treatment factors.

When should Sanfutie be applied? How long should it be applied?

The first day of each dog days is the best time to apply the plaster, usually before 11 a.m. Chinese medicine believes that at this time the medicinal power and yang energy are most easily penetrated into the body. Apply the plaster once every 10 days, preferably 3 times in a row as a course of treatment, and continue to apply for 3 years. But please note that the dog days may last for 30 or 40 days.

Is it better to apply the Sanfu plaster for a longer time each time? This statement is wrong. According to the treatment standards, the application time for children is 2 to 4 hours each time, and for adults is 4 to 6 hours each time. It can be extended appropriately but not too long, until the skin feels burning.

What diseases can be treated with Sanfutie?

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that it can be used by people with insufficient yang and internal coldness. Western medicine diseases include allergic rhinitis, chronic cough, asthma, chronic bronchitis, etc. due to deficiency of lung qi and coldness; chronic gastritis and indigestion due to deficiency of spleen and stomach qi and coldness; cold hands and feet in winter, etc.

It should be noted that treating winter diseases in summer is not suitable for everyone. Before using it, you should carefully consider whether it is suitable for you. If used incorrectly, it may produce the opposite effect of your expectations. Therefore, before the arrival of the dog days, you should go to the hospital for consultation to see if you can use the three-fu stickers. In particular, the following groups should not use the three-fu stickers: pregnant women, people with allergic constitutions, skin ulcers, colds and fevers, and people with severe heart and lung dysfunction.

So, what should we pay attention to when applying Sanfu plaster?

(1) Before applying the patch, be sure to clean your skin. If you have a serious skin disease or allergy, it is best not to apply the patch.

(2) Generally speaking, slight redness of the skin or a sensation of hot or cold is normal. If there is unbearable itching or burning, or the child keeps crying, the ointment should be removed in advance or directly removed.

(3) Drink plenty of water during the application period. Avoid strenuous exercise to prevent the drug from falling off. Stay away from air conditioners and electric fans, as the skin pores will shrink when exposed to cold, which will affect the penetration of the applied drug and the effectiveness of the drug. On the day of application, avoid excessive use of electric fans and stay in a naturally ventilated place.

(4) During the application period, keep warm and eat a light diet. Avoid eating seafood such as shrimp and crab, as well as raw, cold, spicy, and greasy foods, and avoid smoking and drinking.

(5) It is best not to take a bath within 6 hours after removing the patch. If the area where the patch is applied is ulcerated, it is recommended to go to a medical institution for treatment.

Sanfutie is a commonly used measure for "treating winter diseases in summer". Not everyone should use it blindly. Everyone should understand the detailed information of Sanfutie and ask themselves whether it is suitable for them to use it. After using Sanfutie, they should strictly follow the doctor's advice and pay attention to the dietary and lifestyle taboos to improve the efficacy of Sanfutie.

So, treat winter diseases in summer and get the patch while it’s hot. Are you ready?