What is Pasma?
Rose May Pimentel in Health
Jul 14, 2020 • 2 min Read
Pinoys be like: “‘Wag maligo kapag pagod, baka ma-pasma ka.” But, what is ‘pasma’?
According to research, ‘pasma’ (from Spanish espasmo) refers to a “folk illness” unique to the Filipino culture that is said to be brought upon by sudden temperature changes that cause illness. ‘Pasma’ can be best described as, “hot and cold imbalance”. Coldwater is believed to be harmful to one’s health if one has prolonged heat exposure. A person who’s been exposed to several activities tends to have body muscles that are said to be very hot and should not be abruptly brought into contact with cold, including cold water and air-conditioned rooms. One best example is abruptly taking a cold shower after a long hard day of work.
The most common symptoms of pasma are excessive sweating of palms, shaking and/or numbness of hands and pains. A person is called ‘pasmado’ when he/she is experiencing these symptoms.
There are several ways that a person can stay away pasma. These include evading from tiresome and repetitive movements of the upper extremities, showering and bathing in the morning, and avoiding washing clothes after ironing. Folkloric treatments for pasma include massages using ginger, coconut oil, alcohol, garlic, and camphor oil. Soaking in lukewarm salted water or rice water are believed to cure pasma.
‘Pasma’ — being a folk illness is not described in medical textbooks, discussed in medical schools nor is recognized by modern medical sciences. Although Pinoys believe pasma is real, medically speaking it does not exist. In medicine, hyperhidrosis (a medical condition that is characterized by excessive sweating) is the closest thing we have on pasma but it does not have a pre-defined trigger unlike in pasma. Additionally, it could just be a symptom of another medical condition, according to Pinoy MD.
If you regularly experience symptoms of pasma, it might be time for you to visit a health professional to rule out any underlying condition. Stay healthy and safe!
