Herbal Patches on Acupuncture Points
Chinese herbs are applied as a paste to selected acupuncture points and held in place with a small patch – a needle-free method that carries on working at home.
With herbal patches – in Chinese 穴位贴敷 (xuewei tiefu) – a paste of finely ground Chinese herbs is applied to selected acupuncture points and held in place with a small patch. The method works entirely without needles, which makes it suitable for people who are wary of needles as well as for children from 3 years.
Depending on the formula and the person’s age, the patches stay on the skin for a few hours – considerably less time for children than for adults. Exactly how long, I will discuss with you when applying them. Unlike a needle treatment, this method therefore carries on working long after you have left the practice.
Seasonal use
In China the method is known above all in two forms: as Sanfu patches (三伏贴) during the three hottest periods of summer, and as Sanjiu patches (三九贴) on the coldest days of winter. These seasonal applications are traditionally planned across several appointments; do speak to me if you would like to try them.
When not to use it? Not on inflamed, injured or irritated skin, not in the case of a known allergy to any of the ingredients or to adhesive patches, and not during a fever or an acute infection. Slight redness where the patch was stuck on is normal; if it burns, itches strongly or the skin blisters, please remove the patch immediately and get in touch with me. During pregnancy and if you have sensitive skin, please speak to me beforehand.
In TCM, herbal patches are traditionally used as a complementary therapy – they do not replace medical diagnosis or treatment.
Traditional application areas
- Tendency to catch colds (traditional use)
- Coughs and airways (traditional use)
- Digestive complaints
- Cold-related complaints (traditional use)
- Suitable for children from 3 years
Variants
Sanfu patches (三伏贴)
Traditionally applied in China on the hottest days of summer – a seasonal form of the treatment, planned across several appointments.
Sanjiu patches (三九贴)
The winter counterpart, traditionally applied on the coldest days of the year.
