A Cup or …
I receive a expat newsletter once a week. The author usually writes about interesting subjects and enhances it with a sense of humour. He had a topic about health in Friday’s edition which led to a link about his experience with ba guan or as known in western circles, cupping. http://www.chinaexpat.com/blog/ernie/2008/04/08/ba-guan-beginners.html He tried it because his body suffered from too much computer use and as I suffer similarly thought it was worthy of some research. Seems like is used as a treatment for numerous conditions. The idea is that poisons are drawn from inside the body by the effect of the vaccuum created by the glass cup.
After researching the topic and being briefly distracted by an interesting blog which I stumbled upon, I texted a student asking her to take me where I could receive it. It’s always a pain calling or more commonly texting people because it’s usually rest time when I think of it and I have to wait for a window between after the rest and before class. She didn’t contact me and I knew she had a class so I wasn’t expecting a call for a couple of hours. However, she called saying she had permission to leave class and she and a friend would visit me within minutes. Goodness knows what ailment the teacher thought I was suffering from to allow such speedy attention.
The teacher had told her to take me to the shiny new hospital associated with the college down the road which we visited about a week before. She thought we should try the “hospital” she had patronised for a minor ailment and to which I had visited with her. It was unable to do the deed so we headed towards the hospital. However, in the same block as the college is a Community Health Service Station which she decided to check out.
Someone had taken me there late last year when I was looking for vitamin C tablets so I was familiar with the shop part. When we arrived on Saturday staff were cleaning and rearranging the shelves of manufactured medicines. As building and interior cleanliness is not an outstanding feature of China I was encouraged.
This photo was taken during my quest for Vitamin C tablets. The draws contain ingredients for prescriptions. The picture shows 3 sets of scales. The doctor was busy collecting ingredients for a prescription and placing them in the plastic bags. The shelves containing manufactured medicines are to te left and in front of this picture. The shiny cannister on the desk is a container for tea. The better ones are insulated and have a section for storing and straining teas leaves.
The centre provided cupping so we waited for someone to prepare and hand her a pair of forceps and tell us to go upstairs.
Upstairs among other nooks and crannies were 3 small rooms on each side of a central corridor. They were separated by walls about 6 foot tall with the doorway covered by a cloth from about 6 to 4 foot from the ground. 
Each room contained 2 wooden beds. We were the only ones there apart from staff so we chose a room with a view, not that I got to see it as I was stretched out on the bed with my back uppermost. A doctor appeared with a plastic bag clanking with glass bottles. She applied some oil to my back & rubbed a “cup” along it a bit. After a short time she lit the gauze on the forceps and used it to draw air from the glass cup & applied it to my back. This continued till she’d decided she’d done enough. I asked for my legs to be done too as I have many knots in them. I was told it was incredibly painful but I insisted so I ended up with 3 on my lower legs. This photo shows those about to be applied to my back on my third visit.
It didn’t hurt a bit. I had about a dozen bottles applied and hopefully sucking poisons from the inner recesses of my body. I then got to lie covered up for 10 minutes. Afterwards the doctor returned, removed the cups, cleaned off the oil and we were ready to go again. All quick and simple and I did feel a bit more flexible afterwards. I did have some marks but nothing as substantial as those shown in the article. It cost me 10 yuan so it was very inexpensive. I was told it would be beneficial if I returned the next day for another treatment although the normal period between treatments is 5 days.
As we were about to leave 2 people appeared in the room across the corridor and one of the doctors prepared to insert an intravenous infusion. It seems to be panacea for just about every ailment, including colds. It don’t understand the connection between Traditional Chinese Medicine and such an invasive technique. I read somewhere it is a nice money spinner too. Never found anyone I can discuss it with or more correctly thought of it when I’m talking with anyone whose English is adequate. There was a box of used tubing sitting on the floor in the corridor. It was even fuller when I returned the next day.
I returned the following day without my entourage. More beds were full so I missed out on the room with a view. I also missed out on the oil. The cups were applied with another doctor checking vacuum. Somehow one cup went flying and ended up in shards on the floor. It was swept up quickly, but from my bird’s eye view with my head hanging over the end of the bed I got to tell the staff 3 times of bits they missed. There’s no knowing what a cut foot would acquire from that floor.
I got left for 15 minutes. One of the doctors tried to be friendly and talk with me while I waited, as had one downstairs who told me he spoke English. However, had world peace negotiations depended upon our mutual linguistic abilities we would all be doomed.
The friendly doctor told me the price was 4 yuan. Downstairs the man at the cash register said 10. After some discussion I received 5 yuan change from my 10 yuan note. A cheap treatment and I felt better and more flexible. I’m due again on Thursday. It will be interesting to see what the charge is then. Anyway it’s a cheap cultural experience even if I am imagining the benefits.
