Today the Shanghai Star would like to introduce yet another therapeutic method, bahuoguan, or cupping.

The "guan" is a small round vessel with one end open.

First burn some cotton for medical use inside the vessel so as to reduce the air inside and achieve less air pressure inside the vessel than out.

Then the vessel can stick to small areas of skin.

Since the inside of the vessel is greatly lacking in air, the vessel will be pressed by the air outside and suck up the skin in this air tightly, stimulating the points underneath.

This generates the qi, which is essential for health.

The skin accumulates more blood, and the white cells are strengthened in this area and even over the whole body.

Since cupping is simple and creates rare after- or side effects, it is widely used on the waist, belly, hips, shoulders and neck. It is very useful for relieving aches in those parts of the body where the vessels are applied and reduces symptoms of menstrual pain, cold, diarrhea, hypertension and bronchitis.

When people get bitten by poisonous insects or snakes, cupping can help suck the poisonous liquid or blood out and level the lumps created by the bite.

The bahuoguan treatment should not be used on the very sick, such as people suffering from serious diseases, pregnant women, people with heart disease, or those suffering from chronic skin problems or allergies.

Bahuoguan only lasts 10 to 20 minutes. If somebody feels very tight and painful with the area of skin sucked up by the vessel, she or she should reduce the time of treatment and remove the vessel.

It is better to undertake such treatment once every other day or every four days.

1: Expose the area where the treatment will be applied. Choose the area where the muscle is ample and the skin smooth. Apply Vaseline.

2: Burn some cotton.

3: Hold the vessel (it should be transparent) with the open end upside down on the right hand, and use medical scissors to pick up the burned cotton to circle the inner side of the vessel once. Quickly take out the cotton and press the vessel on the chosen area.

4: The skin is sucked up and will appear purple. Let the vessel stay like that for 10 to 15 minutes.

5: Use the right hand to press the skin around the vessel so as to create a slice of space allowing the air to blow in. Then the vessel will drop. Remember not to force the removal of the vessel from the skin.

(China Daily Shanghai Star 07/26/2001)