Chinese Herbal Plaster heals bruises

Now this here is a highly effect treatment for painful and debilitating traumatic bruises from bicycle accidents etc…. I’ve also used it to treat a bruised and swollen knuckle I got during a partner sword training exercise…

Kou Pi Plaster (kou pi gou) – aka dog skin patch is a leather patch folded in half with some medicine herbal gum on the inside. At room temperature the gum is hard. The patch is heated briefly in the oven to liquify the gum. This gum is very sticky so be careful to shave affected fur/hair before applying. Also be careful not to burn yourself by applying the patch when it is too hot.

In this case I cut a small section of the patch for my smallish minor bicycle accident bruise. I wrapped the area with some bandage tape to hold it to the wound. I don’t want the patch falling off when I ride my bicycle to and from work or practicing martial arts.

I keep two Kou Pi Plasters in my first aid kit at home. However I’ll say that my first treatment choice for severe traumas would be to see the Chinese doctor here in San Francisco, who specializes in tramatic/sport injuries. I haven’t tried his treatment; just heard about it from other martial arts practitioners.