Reference;https://mbp-japan.com/jijico/articles/32450/
Modified and translated by CFJA
In North America, people don’t have the habit of using medicated compresses for pain, but Dr. Seino’s article about Japan’s custom of applying them could be very informative for us Canadians as well.
Do you know the correct way to use medicated compresses?
If you keep applying them just for the pain, there’s a risk that your condition could actually worsen…
Is it dangerous to keep using medicated compresses continuously!?
Japanese people tend to apply medicated compresses whenever they feel something is wrong. This likely stems from the long-standing custom of using kōyaku (traditional medicinal plasters) in Japan. In contrast, Westerners generally do not have the habit of applying medicated compresses. Many of them say they can’t quite understand the appeal, even when they see TV commercials promoting them.
When I ask patients what made them start using medicated compresses, the overwhelming response from those who began on their own is, “Because I was in pain.” Once they experience temporary relief or disappearance of pain after applying one, they develop the urge to put one on whenever pain appears. As the effect wears off, the pain returns, leading them to apply another. The frequency gradually increases from once a day to twice, then three times a day, and some people eventually end up wearing them almost continuously.
When I ask how long they have been repeating this cycle, some say around two weeks, while others continue for as long as two years. It’s quite possible that there are people who have been using them even longer. From my clinical experience over many years, the average duration that patients report seems to be about three months.
When such patients come to the clinic and I ask why, many say, “Even though I kept applying medicated compresses to the painful area, the pain didn’t go away—if anything, it got worse.” At this stage, acupuncture and moxibustion treatment can often eliminate the pain relatively quickly.
People who find that medicated compresses no longer relieve their pain often begin taking painkillers. What starts as one dose a day increases to two, then three, and eventually four times a day—morning, noon, evening, and before bed. When this continues for several months to years, it begins to damage the liver and kidneys, leading to various symptoms beyond the original pain. Many of these patients eventually turn to Eastern medicine and therapy. If treatment begins before the condition progresses to an organic disorder of the internal organs, acupuncture and moxibustion can often still eliminate the pain.
Is it strictly forbidden to apply a cold medicated compress just because of pain!?
There are two types of medicated compresses: cold and warm.
A cold compress is effective when inflammation is present.
Inflammation refers to a state accompanied by the following four signs—known as the four cardinal signs of inflammation:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Heat
- Redness
(Reference: Byōki ga Mieru, Vol. 6 & 7 – Immunology & Infectious Diseases, p.10)
In the acute phase of injuries such as fractures or dislocations, inflammation is actively occurring, so applying a cold compress for about six hours is appropriate; in some cases, cooling may continue for up to 24 hours.
However, pain alone does not necessarily indicate inflammation, so using a cold compress in such cases is not advisable. If you apply a cold compress simply because you feel pain, the cooled area causes blood vessels to constrict. Prolonged cooling leads to poor blood circulation. Moreover, compresses or ointments that contain analgesic components work in a way similar to taking painkillers, which may reduce nerve transmission.
Pain, in fact, is a signal from the body indicating that something is wrong. At the same time, it represents the body’s natural self-regulating force—its effort to return to normal function. Continuously applying a cold compress to a painful area suppresses this restorative ability.
Therefore, using a cold medicated compress when there is no inflammation—just pain—is strictly inadvisable (Not Good).