Q I gave birth in midsummer, and my elders tell me not to even let air-conditioned air touch me. Is cold air really that bad after childbirth?
A After childbirth, the joints and ligaments are loose and the pores are open, so direct exposure to cold can easily cause postpartum wind illness symptoms such as coldness and tingling. In hot weather, it is enough to keep a comfortable temperature while simply preventing the airflow from hitting your body directly.
Detailed Answer
After childbirth, the joints are loose and recovery capacity is reduced due to hormonal changes, so prolonged or direct exposure to cold can easily leave joint pain and a cold sensation. At the same time, enduring the heat in midsummer and sweating excessively can lead to dehydration and exhaustion, which is also not good. The key is \"not letting cold air hit you directly,\" not unconditionally enduring the heat.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, postpartum wind illness is seen as starting when wind-cold (pung-han) seeps in through the pores (juri) of the skin, which open up after childbirth, causing qi and blood to congeal and stagnate. So the key is to keep air-conditioner and fan airflow from hitting the body directly, and to warmly wrap the joints that are easily exposed, such as the wrists, ankles, and neck. In addition to this lifestyle management, Dongjedang also guides treatment that releases cold that has already seeped in and warms the qi and blood.
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