Many netizens "show off their backs" during the dog days of summer. Some benefited while others were hurt. Experts gave the following suggestions...

Recently, with the arrival of the dog days of summer, a trend of "back sunning" has been set off online. Many netizens have posted to share their experiences, saying that sunning the back during the dog days of summer is a free "natural moxibustion" and is very effective. It can remove cold and dampness, lose weight, replenish yang energy, relieve depression, and improve physical fitness.

Can “sunbathing your back” really be good for your health?

Some netizens said that it felt very comfortable and the effect was very good.

Some netizens also expressed doubts about this.
Some people even have improper back sun exposure.
Causes sunburn and heat stroke.

The same is "back sunning",
The effect is different.
What went wrong?
Let's hear the experts' advice.

Lu Lijun, deputy chief physician of the Department of Pulmonary Diseases at Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine , said that the back is where yang energy gathers, and the dog days are the time when yang energy is the most abundant in the year. It makes sense to sunbathe the back at 9 a.m. on the first day of the dog days to enhance and improve disease resistance.

Han Xiaoming, director of the Prevention and Treatment Center of Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine and chief Chinese medicine doctor, said that from a health perspective, sunbathing is useful, "because there are two meridians on our backs, one is called the Governor Vessel and the other is called the Bladder Vessel, which require the transpiration of Yang Qi to achieve the effect." From the perspective of Chinese medicine, when Yang Qi is sufficient, cold and dampness will be reduced. However, Dr. Han Xiaoming said that sunbathing during the dog days of summer should still be judged according to personal physical condition.

Liang Tingting, chief nutritionist at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, believes that losing weight during the "dog days" requires scientific and reasonable arrangements for diet and exercise. Sleep and rest are also very important factors. It is unscientific and unreasonable to want to achieve the goal of losing weight simply by sunbathing. To lose weight, you need to control your diet, move your legs, make reasonable plans, and exercise with self-discipline.

It seems that "back sunning" does have certain benefits for the human body, but the idea of ​​losing weight is not reliable, and "back sunning" is not suitable for everyone. Experts remind: It is best to go to the hospital to confirm whether your physical condition is suitable before sunning . For example, people who are allergic to ultraviolet rays, have high blood pressure, high blood lipids, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and people with qi and yin deficiency or yang excess are prohibited from sunning; pregnant women and infants are not allowed to sunbathe; people with strong temper are not recommended to "back sunning".

Zhang Nian, deputy chief physician of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Wuhan No. 1 Hospital , also introduced that some people with rheumatism and chronic cold legs can also sunbathe their knees at this time; people with cold constitution are suitable for sunbathing their backs, while people with hot constitution should not sunbathe their backs; patients with photosensitive diseases, whose skin becomes allergic and red after exposure to light, should not sunbathe their backs; in addition, while using some photosensitive drugs such as levofloxacin, do not sunbathe your back to avoid photosensitivity reactions and affect your health.

In short, don't follow the trend blindly, but act according to your own physical ability.

As for sunburn or heat stroke, Zheng Yanhua, deputy director of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Panyu Branch, suggested that you can choose 7-9 am or after 3 pm. The appropriate time for adults to sunbathe is 20 minutes to 1 hour each time. Infants and children have delicate skin, so the time can be shortened to 15-20 minutes each time. The ability of the elderly to synthesize and use vitamin D is reduced, so the time can be extended appropriately, but not too long at a time . Sunbathe until you sweat slightly, but not to sweat profusely and feel irritable. The first time you sunbathe, the time can be shorter. If you feel comfortable, you can extend the time slightly or do it in multiple times.

However, do not "sun your back" during the period of taking drugs that are prone to phototoxic reactions and within 5 days after stopping the medication, and even avoid exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet rays. The incidence of phototoxic reactions is higher in floxacin antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, enoxacin, etc. In addition, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, etc. have also been reported to cause phototoxic reactions. Therefore, it is recommended to read the drug instructions in detail before taking the drug, especially when the instructions indicate that the drug can cause phototoxic reactions, you should take sun protection measures, apply sunscreen before going out, use a parasol, wear sunglasses, wear long pants and long sleeves, and avoid direct exposure of the skin to the sun.

Huang Jinwen, director of the Tuina Department and chief physician of Yulin Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, reminds everyone to eat before sunbathing. If you don't eat lunch, sweating while sunbathing and high temperature can easily lead to hypoglycemia, dizziness, and palpitations. People will sweat a lot while sunbathing, so you need to replenish water in time. You can drink some room temperature mung bean soup, light salt water, etc., and carry anti-heat and cooling medicines for emergency use. When sunbathing your back, do not expose your head directly to the sun. The head belongs to Yang, and you will feel dizzy, suffer from heat stroke, and feel chest tightness if you are exposed to the sun for a long time. It is recommended to use an umbrella or a hat to cover your head.

After sunbathing, it is best to stay in the shade to avoid strong winds and cold water, prepare a coat, and wait until the sweat stops before entering the air-conditioned room. If you enter the air-conditioned room right after sunbathing, the entire yang energy will be blocked, and chest tightness, nausea and vomiting will occur. This is caused by the heat being blocked and having no way out. In particular, if you experience adverse reactions during sunbathing, you need to seek medical attention in time and be alert to the occurrence of heat stroke .