[hanabanana]

So I had a stomach ache yesterday and my mom did her usual pricking finger thing
and as always I felt instantly better.

But today my boyfriend and I had a discussion about this procedure in which he argued that it doesn't really do much besides distract the person from stomach pains. I didn't really have a straight answer as to why it works and my mother doesn't really either; all she said was that i helps with circulation.

What I'd like to ask is, is there anyone who knows how and why it works?

[bubbling bliss]

have you noticed that whenever you have those stomachaches, your fingertips/ toes are usually cold?
it's because blood isn't circulating as well as it should be.
pricking your finger will cause blood to rush to the fingertips thus restoring circulation.

i'm not completely sure.. but that's what i think.
haha i just got fingerpricked 2 days ago!

[imclarence]

Good when you have indigestion too.

[juny]

I did the finger-pricking thing about two weeks ago...it was b/c I had indigestion since I ate too fast the day before. It really does help...you do it to take out the 검은 피 (black blood).

[sweetiexpie098]

Oh yeah! I know what that is!
I think it does do something, not just distract the person.
It's like getting the 'bad' stuff out of your blood or soemthing, can't explain. :X
But it does help!

[AzNsk8er4Lyfe]

Uhh what's finger pricking?

[Meenuh]

Uhh what's finger pricking?

When you have stomache problems (really bad ones) a lot of korean people (not sure if anyone else does it aside from koreans) will get a needle and prick their finger to draw some blood. When you have indigestion the blood comes out black or very very dark and sometimes it won't even come out well.

It really works. I don't know how or why but i'm sure it has something to do with blood and circulation. I remember when I was in elementary school I had food poisoning or something but literally everything I ate and drank I threw up within a couple minutes. After about 2 or 3 days my mom finally did the finger prick and immediately I was better.

Aside from the needle thing my family uses another alternative. We do this back thing where you lie on your back and someone pushes down on your back and if you have indigestion it cracks. It feels like it's releasing the stress and tension and I swear, immediately afterwards you will burp. Lol. Afterall, indigestion is caused by air in the tummy.

[Millou]

So, how do you exactly do prick your finger? I saw it a few times in Kdramas but didn't know it actually works.
Do you have to prick at a certain pressure point? I have stomach aches quite a lot, so if this finger pricking can release me from the pain it'd be great!

[sweetdaisy]

I'm not korean BUT I'm Asian and our culture do that.

It's a great method to use especially when I have a stomache.

[conzerz]

When you have stomache problems (really bad ones) a lot of korean people (not sure if anyone else does it aside from koreans) will get a needle and prick their finger to draw some blood. When you have indigestion the blood comes out black or very very dark and sometimes it won't even come out well.

It really works. I don't know how or why but i'm sure it has something to do with blood and circulation. I remember when I was in elementary school I had food poisoning or something but literally everything I ate and drank I threw up within a couple minutes. After about 2 or 3 days my mom finally did the finger prick and immediately I was better.

Aside from the needle thing my family uses another alternative. We do this back thing where you lie on your back and someone pushes down on your back and if you have indigestion it cracks. It feels like it's releasing the stress and tension and I swear, immediately afterwards you will burp. Lol. Afterall, indigestion is caused by air in the tummy.

that's so cool! how do they push down on your back when you're .. lying on it? do they push on your chest? and for how long?

[teukhaee]

Wouldn't you get Hepatitis?

or is there a specific type of needle?

i wanna see if it works on me

[nxtlvl]

sounds interesting.
will keep this in mind for my next stomach ache.

but would it be needed to disinfect the needle beforehand?

[Kiwi Bird]

My mom pinches the skin between my index and thumb really hard a couple of times and after awhile my stomach ache would ease up. I think

I'd prefer this over the needle method. Its more convenient.

[aval-zo]

it's not just a korean thing. my culture does it too

[krstarjr]

oh i remember seeing this on 너는 내 운명...where they tried to prick the american man? and on My Girl too..
I personally am scared to try it b/c #1-i hate needles #2-i can't take pain #3-blood!!! #4-just the thought of it...

[screamxlove]

Interesting o: I never knew that.
I'd do it on my own but I'm scared of the needle, LOL.
Fail.
My stomach hurts a lot right now too :[

[pinkxlilies]

Haha ya i rmb my korean friends talking about this at lunch one day and the rest of us were just like o_O

[angel_cutie]

wait...would this relieve cramps too!??!!
i die like every month basically because of them T___T

[hanabanana]

So, how do you exactly do prick your finger? I saw it a few times in Kdramas but didn't know it actually works.
Do you have to prick at a certain pressure point? I have stomach aches quite a lot, so if this finger pricking can release me from the pain it'd be great!

first my mother pats my back and arms down for the blood to circulate a bit more (this can also help with stomach pains)
and if my stomach still hurts, my mother just wraps string around the desired fingertip until it gets a bit numb (to dull the pain) and then she makes two holes/small cuts with a regular needle (sterilized of course) in the swell of skin that's near the meeting of the nail

My mom pinches the skin between my index and thumb really hard a couple of times and after awhile my stomach ache would ease up. I think

I'd prefer this over the needle method. Its more convenient.

yeah my mother told me to do this too
this is more of a first resort sort of thing and if doesnt work then yeah

cuz i mean, i dont walk around with needles in my pockets in the case of a sudden stomach ache

[G-D]

i'm not korean and my parents do that.