5. Fire cupping
Fire cupping doesn’t take much explanation as it is exactly what you would think it to be from the name. This technique has been around for a long time, as archaeologists have found evidence of its use dating back to 1,000 B.C. This healing technique involves using a vacuum that is created by heated air that is warmed with fire that is then put into a glass cup and held against the patient’s skin. The cups are generally bell shaped and up to 12 can be used at a time. They are generally left on the skin for about 20 minutes. Fire cupping is generally only used in Chinese medicinal cultures and is often used to treat pain, arthritis, and congestion. It can also be used to reduce swelling and musculoskeletal discomfort and ease depression. There is no evidence that supports the healing power of this technique, but many believe it does bring about a sense of relaxation.
4. Trepanation
Trepanation is one of the few techniques on this list that is at times still used, but today is much more safe, reliable, and effective. Trepanation involves scraping or drilling a hole into the skull in order to expose the dura mater. The purpose of this is to relieve pressure and treat ailments such as intracranial diseases. It is said that this technique has been used since the Neolithic times to cure migraines, epileptic seizures, and many mental disorders. In past times, it was believed that this healing technique could cure any disease, since mysticism was highly popular during those times, and many believed that the hole would allow the demons or evil spirits to escape. Trepanation was also used as a type of surgery to get rid of fractured pieces of bone after a head injury or wound. Today, this procedure, often called craniotomy, is used to treat epidural and subdural hematomas as well as a way to access the brain for neurological procedures.
3. Bloodletting
Bloodletting, sometimes known as “bleeding,” is one of the most ancient and widely used healing techniques in the world. This technique was used by the Mesopotamians, Greeks, Egyptians, Aztecs, Mayans, and many other cultures in the ancient world. It involved the withdrawal of generally a large amount of blood in order to prevent or cure a certain disease or illness. It was widely used up until about the 19th century, which gives it a time span of about 2,000 years. Though many claimed that bloodletting worked as it got rid of “contaminated blood” and restored balance to the four humors, it often harmed those who underwent the procedure. The theory of this type of healing was based upon menstruation, as many saw this event as an act of a woman losing her “bad humors.” Today, the practice is rarely used except for a few special ailments and has been replaced by blood transfusions.
2. Moxibustion
Moxibustion, often used in Asian locations including Vietnam, Korea, Japan, China, Mongolia, and Tibet, requires the use of mugwort herb, often called moxa. It is one of the most widely used types of traditional techniques. The moxa can be used indirectly or directly. Indirect moxibustion involves grinding the herb into fluff and then using it while using acupuncture needles. Other times, in direct moxibustion treatment, the herb is put into a cigar-like stick and is burned directly on the patient’s skin. This treatment is often used to fight against dampness and colds within the body, treating feverish diseases, as well as weakness and even to relieve side effects brought by epilepsy. It’s said that the technique is able to turn a breech baby into a normal position due to the fact that mugwort acts as an ammenagogue, which stimulates blood-flow in the uterus and pelvis.
1. Lobotomies
Lobotomies make the top of the list for being one of the most barbaric and mistaken healing technique ever used in medicine. A lobotomy was used in order to treat many different mental illnesses, including clinical depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and those who were considered “nuisances” by often portraying youthful defiance or mood swings. The height of lobotomy use came during the 1930s-1950s, one of the most notable users being psychiatrist Walter Freeman. A lobotomy was preformed by severing the connections to and from the prefrontal cortex. At one point, the use of lobotomies became out of hand. Doctors were performing 50 a day, and notable Dr. Freeman began to do them on live television. He even utilized a standard ice pick to complete the surgery. Though many claimed that these surgeries worked, many people died from them, and often times the outcome resulted in loss of memory and patients who were “cured,” but only by the standards that their symptoms were gone. In the end, most patients became idle and extremely dependent on their families.
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