A 63-year-old man in China suffered seven gruesome-looking blisters on his back and almost lost his life after going for cupping treatment every day for a month.
Cupping is a form of therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), whereby heated glass cups are applied to the skin along the body’s meridian points, creating suction. The treatment is believed to stimulate blood flow and healing.
According to a report in Shanghaiist, the Sichuan man, who suffers from high cholesterol and other minor ailments, went to the massage shop in Chengdu in May for the 1-hour treatment.
He subsequently returned whenever he had a sore neck. The clerk at the shop then recommended the one-month treatement, promising that it would cure him of his health problems.
After 10 days of cupping on the same area, blisters started to appear on his skin, but the man insisted on continuing with the treatment. Salt water was used to clean the wounds after the blisters were broken.
However, after a month of treatment, the man suddenly fell ill with a high fever of 39.7 degrees Celsius.
He was admitted to hospital, where doctors were shocked to find 7 gruesome ‘black holes‘ on his back, which resembled burn marks.
The doctors discovered that the large blackened patches of skin were the result of an infection which had set in after the cupping blisters had popped.
According to Apple Daily, doctors say the man could have died from blood poisoning if he had delayed going for treatment at the hospital.
See also: Man gets blisters when cupping treatment goes wrong
Who can go for cupping
Cupping therapy in TCM is used to treat a variety of health issues such as muscle aches, rheumatism and flu, often with immediate results, according to Eu Yan Sang. The treatment often leaves circular red marks on the skin, which should fade and disappear after a few days.
While it is suitable for most patients, the TCM specialist advises that those with ailments such as cholesterol, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, or who are pregnant should avoid the treatment.
Skin specialist Dr Eileen Tan of Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital says cupping therapy carries with it a certain risk, and the skin can get inflamed if it is not healthy. She added that patients should only allow a qualified Chinese medical practitioner to perform the cupping treatment, and that patients with certain skin conditions such as eczema should not try cupping.
candicec@sph.com.sg
