Woman in China rushed to hospital after 2 years of regular ‘healthy’ TCM bloodletting treatments spark severe anaemia

Used for a range of ailments, including neck, shoulder and back pain, colds and digestive issues, as well as for enhancing general health, the process is thought to boost circulation and improve organ function.

Over the last six months, the woman stepped up her bloodletting sessions to once a week, which meant she was losing a significant amount of blood each month. Photo: Baidu

Jin believed the therapies were particularly effective in protecting her against the effects Wenzhou’s hot and humid climate.

Convinced that the bruising she suffered after the bloodletting cupping sessions were signs of “heavy internal humidity” in her body, she opted to have the treatments frequently.

Over the last six months, she increased her therapy to weekly sessions, with the practitioner drawing about 200ml of blood each time – almost a cup full.

However, the frequency of the sessions led to severe health issues.

Jin suffered from damaged skin capillaries, pallor, dizziness, fatigue, palpitations and shortness of breath.

A medical examination at Wenzhou Central Hospital revealed critically low haemoglobin levels in Jin, indicating severe anaemia, and doctors attributed her condition to chronic blood loss caused by the treatments.

After the medical intervention, Jin’s health improved and she was discharged from hospital.

Her story has alarmed and fascinated people on mainland social media.

“Bloodletting every week is like courting death. Even a blood donation of 200cc is recommended only once every six months,” said one person.

“Losing 200cc of blood every week, that is at least 800cc a month. To keep this up for half a year and still manage to survive is really astonishing,” said another.

There were also accusations that TCM clinics exploit people’s health fears for profit.

While some people on mainland social media criticised the woman for over-using the treatment, others accused traditional Chinese medicine clinics of exploiting the health fears of people. Photo: Baidu

“According to many rogue TCM clinics, all men have kidney deficiencies, all women have cold wombs and everyone has weak spleens, cold stomachs and heavy dampness,” one commenter said.

In July last year, a woman, surnamed Bai, from Nanjing, the capital of eastern China’s Jiangsu province had a “detoxifying” herb-burning treatment at a beauty salon which left her with second-degree burns.