Bloodletting (spot bleeding) or phlebotomy is the ancient healing method of puncturing the veins with an intradermal needle to draw a few drops of blood to invigorate the circulation. Pricking only a few millimetres deep can help clear trapped heat, usually manifested by purple veins or formations of spider veins, mainly in the legs.
The most common applications of bloodletting or spot bleeding include hypertension, acne, low back pain, sciatica, knee pain, or any febrile condition with a high fever. As a general rule, any blood pooling, especially along the energy meridians, may cause both local or referred pain since it is considered a stagnation issue. Letting out even a drop of blood from fingertips usually is very effective, as in the case of a cardiac arrest or a heat stroke. It is not recommended to bleed bulging veins since those veins might have already lost their functionality, like the varicose veins. However, if you have any visible purple veins in your legs and suffering from a chronic pain condition, it may be a good idea to try bloodletting, which is conducted with the help of leeches in some parts of the world.
Another popular form of bloodletting is blood cupping or wet cupping, which is conducted by piercing skin locally with multiple pricking by a lancet and placing a disposable suction cup to be able to draw the stale and deoxygenated uncirculated blood mainly from the upper back. This application is also referred to as hacamat in the Middle East.
Bloodletting is not recommended for those on blood thinners or people with severe blood deficiency.