Can massage therapy be used for children with fever?

Pediatric massage (tuina) can be performed during a child’s fever. It not only helps treat illness, enhance immunity, and alleviate food stagnation but also contributes to reducing body temperature.

Especially in cases of low-grade fever, pediatric tuina is effective in lowering body temperature and relieving associated fever symptoms.

In cases of high fever, tuina can help alleviate symptoms and serve as an adjunctive therapy.

You may massage the Dazhui (GV14) acupoint on the child. Dazhui is located directly below the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra. Apply firm pressure using the thumb for approximately 3–5 minutes.

This technique is particularly effective for relieving fever caused by the common cold or headache and neck pain resulting from fever.

You may also perform tuina on the Tianhe Shui (HE-3) acupoint. Tianhe Shui lies along the midline of the child’s anterior forearm, between the wrist crease and the elbow crease. Apply firm pressure while stroking from the wrist crease toward the elbow crease.

The stroking frequency should be relatively fast—approximately 140–200 strokes per minute—and the total number of strokes should range from 300 to 500 for optimal antipyretic effect.