You may be able to guess what setting yourself on fire might be good for. If your guess was the common cold, then you would be correct. Yes, people willingly enter traditional hospitals, have a towel laid on their back, are doused in alcohol and set alight. But the benefits of fire therapy are thought to be many. It is currently being used to combat growing levels of obesity in China. In a traditional Chinese hospital in Changchun, Jilin Province they are literally burning off the fat. 

 

LED phototherapy

Starting with a new-age remedy(act of correcting an error or a fault or an evil), the LED phototherapy(LED光线疗法guāngxiàn liáofǎ) is a technique that recently came to attention at a technology exhibit in the China. You may have seen these eye-catching devices and wondered what new fad it is, so just to clarify, no they are not going to a rave, nor are they prematurely preparing for Christmas—they are easing nasal congestion with their glowing red nose adornments. To be a little more precise: it is low-energy narrow-band LED phototherapy for nasal symptoms such as allergic rhinitis and nasal polyposis. If you suffer from stuffy noses, get on board and breathe easy.

The Cupping

Impress your friends with your numerous bruises, and try cupping. It may sound a little off-putting, especially when you consider the circular, purple marks that you are sure to acquire form the process, but its popularity renders it a worthwhile experiment. The treatment involves affixing a cup-like device to the skin by creating a vacuum. The resulting suction pulls the skin into the glass cup. Cupping(拔火罐 bá huǒguàn) is believed to stimulate blood flow, draw toxins from the body, open pours and check qi. It is used in the treatment of respiratory conditions, arthritis, bodily tensions and gastrointestinal disorders.

Gua sha

Literally translated, it means to scrape away fever. It involves applying pressure to lubricated skin with a round edged utensil and repeating strokes along the acupuncture meridians. This process of scraping the skin results in small red patches, not bruises (they fade in 2 to 3 days), unlike the longer lasting effects of cupping. Gua sha(刮痧guā shā) aids circulation and metabolism and relieves aches and pains. If you can deal with a little discomfort, it may save you in the long run.

Apitherapy

No one likes them, they are flinch inducing, yet their very weapon is seen as a great remedy. Apitherapy, the use of bee products for medicinal benefits, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating systematic immune diseases, allergies, inflammation and viral diseases for a long time. It has become a source of interest in the West where it’s being investigated as a cure for multiple sclerosis(sclerosis is a medical condition in which a part inside your body becomes hard). At its most basic level of treatment in China, application may be a little more than walking into a bee keep and getting stung repeatedly, but the results speak for themselves.

Chinese knife massage

Looking for a terrifying experience with great medicinal benefits? An ancient technique practiced over 2,000 years ago, preserved by Buddhist monks and esteemed by Japanese Samurai warriors, may just be what you are looking for. Seeking a nice relaxing massage, you enter a parlor. You sit down and prepare for some physical healing, you look for your masseur and realize that, yes, he is sharpening his meat cleavers. A towel is placed on your back, some tiger balm rubbed into your neck to induce further relaxation and then the large, state of the art, butcher knives start coming down. No, it is not torture. This guy knows what he is doing. He is slicing and dicing your tensions, bettering (interior) blood flow. It’s all about self-cure through the release of qi.

Fire treatment