An unusual cause of burns due to cupping: complication of a folk medicine remedy.

摘要

Almost every culture in the world has its own medical folk traditions. Coining and cupping are typical examples of folk medicine remedies that are focused on treating an illness via the back skin. Coining, an ancient Vietnamese folk remedy, involves applying hot, mentholated oil to the back and shoulders and rubbing a coin vigorously over the selected areas . Cupping, mostly used by Middle Eastern societies, involves applying cups on the back, which contain a piece of burning cotton. Western medical literature concerning folk medicine remedies, mostly focuses on treating their hazards. In this article we also report a complication of cupping.