TCM therapies including cupping, acupuncture adopted by U.S. army

(ECNS) -- The official Facebook account of the U.S. 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on Tuesday posted photos of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapies being applied to help treat immediate pain and relieve stress for soldiers.

According to the 33rd Fighter Wing, an acupuncture and osteopathic session was held by members of the Flight Medicine residency program.

“Nomads who participated in the pop-up event received different care forms, such as cupping, acupuncture, guasha, and more, to help treat immediate pain and relieve stress,” it said.

Cupping, acupuncture, and guasha are all TCM remedies that aim to prevent or heal disease by maintaining or restoring yinyang (passive and active) balance.

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of TCM in which a therapist puts special cups on skin for a few minutes to create suction. People use cupping for many purposes, mainly to ease pains and relax.

Acupuncture is penetrating the skin with thin needles  that are activated through gentle and specific movements of the practitioner's hands or with electrical stimulation. TCM practitioners believe the human body has more than 2,000 acupuncture points connected by pathways or meridians. It is used to treat arthritis, back, neck and knee pain, gastrointestinal disorders, high blood pressure, stress, anxiety, infertility and many other medical problems.

Guasha involves a smooth-edged tool to gently scrape areas of the body where there is inflammation or stagnant qi, or energy, to help improve circulation and promote healing. It is often used together with acupuncture.

Except for the three therapies, pain moxibustion (a form of heat therapy), herbal medicine, nutrition, tuina massage (used with modern medical techniques to treat a range of conditions), and exercise such as tai chi and qigong, which combine movement and meditation, are all included in TCM.

TCM originated in the Chinese culture. It explains health and diseases from a macro, systemic and holistic perspective. As a unique form of medicine, TCM exercises a profound influence on the life of the Chinese people. It is a major means to help the Chinese people maintain health, cure diseases, and live longlives. 

Born in China, TCM has also absorbed the essence of other civilizations, evolved, and gradually spread throughout the world. As early as the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-AD 220), TCM was popular in many neighboring countries and exerted a major impact on their traditional medicines.

China has launched a series of programs to promote the development of TCM. With curative effects being seen by the public, TCM is gaining popularity worldwide and being widely used in many countries.