Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Swelling a good thing?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Swelling a good thing?

    A couple days ago I smashed the last digit of my index finger between two rocks.

    The conventional wisdom in the US is to use lots of ice on trauma sites to reduce swelling. In other places I've travelled, often the advice is to apply heat.

    I haven't applied heat or cold, but I'm curious to hear others opinions in our school on swelling.

    Incidentally, the swelling was reasonably until I practiced One Finger Shooting Zen this morning. Then the swelling really picked up...now that digit of my finger is almost the size of the last digit of my thumb! Interesting: the pain subsided with the big increase in swelling.

    What are your opinions on swelling?

    Best,

    Zach

    PS I couldn't help myself with the thumbs up icon on this post. I have a bad sense of humor!
    .

  • #2
    Originally posted by Zach View Post
    A couple days ago I smashed the last digit of my index finger between two rocks
    Why on earth would you want to do that ?
    Originally posted by Zach View Post
    PS I couldn't help myself with ..... I have a bad sense of humor!
    Me too
    Sifu Andrew Barnett
    Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

    Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
    Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
    Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Zach,

      There is a saying in Chinese Medicine that "ice is for dead people"

      From my chi kung understanding and experiance I agree. As ice restricts the flow of chi and blood, there for restricts the healing.
      This maybe why many injuries that are treated with ice tend to come back many years later, as the damaged cells have not been cleared away.

      One Finger Zen is a good choice.

      Best Wishes,
      Steve.

      Comment


      • #4
        Thank you, Steve Siheng. This confirms what Sifu has advised:

        Don't use cold compression. It is very bad.

        Use hot compression instead, followed by chi flow. Then gently visualize that your finger will soon recover both its shape and function.
        Yes, Andrew Siheng, this has provided many laughs of humility!

        As ever, I am grateful for a kind and generous Shaolin family that helps turn an unfortunate thing into a learning and laughing experience.

        My best to all,

        Zach
        .

        Comment


        • #5
          Ice is for dead people, but if you don't have something to get the swelling down, and chi flow isn't working, then you need to use it. I'm against ice, except for the first 24 hours after an injury. I've found that ice soon after injury, followed by qigong, works well.

          If you don't want to use ice, and you don't have access to herbal medicine, try turmeric. You'll have to make a paste with it, maybe with flour and eggs. Apply the paste, wrap it, and see if the swelling goes down. If not, then use ice -- on for 20 minutes, off for 20 minutes, and repeat a few times.
          Sifu Anthony Korahais
          www.FlowingZen.com
          (Click here to learn more about me.)

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Steve Clarke View Post
            "ice is for dead people"
            And coca-cola (but only with a slice of lemon)

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Antonius View Post
              Ice is for dead people, but if you don't have something to get the swelling down, and chi flow isn't working, then you need to use it. I'm against ice, except for the first 24 hours after an injury. I've found that ice soon after injury, followed by qigong, works well.

              If you don't want to use ice, and you don't have access to herbal medicine, try turmeric. You'll have to make a paste with it, maybe with flour and eggs. Apply the paste, wrap it, and see if the swelling goes down. If not, then use ice -- on for 20 minutes, off for 20 minutes, and repeat a few times.
              It's funny how back-and-forth my first aid and kinesiology classes have been about the issue of ice. When I first took ballet a few years ago, ice was "king" of injury treatment. A semester later (about four months), ice treatment was seen as heresy in my sports medicine class. Last I heard was just as Sifu recommended with ice, the first 24 hours after an injury, on for 20', then off for 20', etc., following the classic "RICE" formula (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). After the first 24 hours, the damage is considered to be done and one needs to consider other forms of treatment, e.g. warm compresses, elevation, etc. if one is going to use conventional first aid.

              Speaking of compression and since this thread is already open and it has me remembering my first aid and sports medicine skills, I am curious what the members of Shaolin Wahnam think of taping? The external martial art stylists I once trained with, as well as several members of track-and-field teams, and the vast majority of Purdue's sports medicine team (Purdue-trained sports therapists are considered among the best in the world at using athletic tape) believe in using athletic tape to wrap joints, sites of injury, and to compress the major muscle groups used in competition events. Many of my ballet classmates, especially those who practiced en pointe (the shoes where the dancer stands on the tips of their toes) would tape their shins and ankles as well.

              The Western medical literature can't seem to come to a consensus on taping; adherents claim that it increases muscular efficiency and provides a stable brace and scaffolding for optimal healing and performance while detractors claim it can deform muscles and become a "crutch" that can increase injury recovery times. What is the TCM view on taping and other such forms of compression?
              I like making silly videos (including kung fu ones!) every so often on YouTube and taking pictures of weird things on Instagram.

              Comment


              • #8
                To follow up from yesterday's post, I followed Sifu's advice of a hot compress followed by chi flow and visualization. After the first time practicing this yesterday morning, the swelling had reduced substantially as soon as I looked following visualization. Honestly, in 15 minutes the swelling went from tight as a drum to much more comfortable and relaxed.

                I continue to practice Sifu's suggested method and my finger is quickly returning to normal.

                Of course Sifu's advice is excellent!
                .

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hi Anthony Si-Hing,

                  Would you mind explaining why it is important to reduce the swelling?

                  Regards,
                  Steve.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Zach View Post
                    Of course Sifu's advice is excellent!
                    No additional comment needed
                    Sifu Andrew Barnett
                    Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

                    Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
                    Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
                    Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thanks for posting it on the forum Zach Sihing. It was a great opportunity to learn something . I never liked ice, but was quite locked into the "this is what you do"...

                      Andrea
                      Enjoy some Wahnam Tai Chi Chuan & Qi Gong!

                      Evening Classes in Zürich
                      Weekend Classes in other Swiss locations


                      Website: www.taichichuan-wahnam.ch
                      Facebook: www.facebook.com/Taichichuan.Wahnam.ch

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        You're welcome, Andrea Simui.

                        It's been an interesting conversation. Who knew you could learn so much from smashing a finger?
                        .

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hi

                          It's a very interesting thread....

                          Sometimes it happens also to me to smash parts of my body to objects that are not intended for

                          I use to massage the part where the swelling is located, to try get out the blocked energy ( i massage it always in direction out of the limbs, or body).
                          Then I apply "Zheng Gu Sui" and go in Chi Flow.

                          It have helped a lot of time, .... but I'm not really sure if its the best procedure?

                          I always thought applying cold on a swollen part would stagnate the energy, and the minimazing of the swelling is due to the energy that consolidate (stops to flow)....

                          greets
                          mauro
                          Luce e ombra attraversavano la sua vista, le stelle e la luna gli attraversavano il cuore.
                          Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by mauro View Post
                            Sometimes it happens also to me to smash parts of my body to objects that are not intended for
                            Me, too, again Mauro...

                            This is embarrassing, but worth mentioning here on this thread.

                            Yesterday I smashed my foot with a spring loaded attic trap ladder while getting it reading for installation. It was a terrible hit close to the big knuckle on my big toe, just missing the steel toe on my boot. Even the sound of the impact was severe.

                            I dropped everything and hobbled to a place to practice Lifting the Sky. When I was done with a full session, I walked home and looked at my foot. There was no pain, and the only sign of impact was a purple bruise the size of a pea. That's how good Lifting the Sky is!

                            I opted to try a hot compress, followed by chi flow again and visualization. When I was done, the impact area actually felt good, like Cosmic Shower on my foot. The little bruise was completely gone.

                            There is no pain whatsoever today. If I massage the area hard there is a little soreness, and that's all. No swelling whatsoever, it's pretty amazing.

                            One small point of interest to me was that during chi flow I felt the impact pain transfer from my left foot (the one that got hit) to my right foot in the same area, and then disappear.

                            As ever, I am grateful to Sifu and our past masters. Without Shaolin Wahnam I would have a terrible sore foot. Honestly, I've seen broken bones from lesser impacts. I feel truly thankful.

                            And I promise to not do any more field tests in smashing body parts!

                            With gratitude,

                            Zach
                            .

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X