what is masuk angin?

When I first came to Indonesia, it seemed like every third person was either warning me about or suffering from masuk angin. I’d never heard about it before. Was this some sort of tropical disease?  The literal translation is: wind that has entered the body. [masuk=enter/angin=wind]

Having hit the streets and the world wide web in search of information about the Indonesian phenomenon of masuk angin, not much was gained in terms of a definitive explanation of this affliction. There is, however plenty of information out there regarding its causes, symptoms, and treatment.

The main cause of masuk angin seems to be direct exposure to wind. Whether it be from sitting in front of a fan, riding in a vehicle with the window rolled down, sitting in front of an air conditioner or just being outside on a windy day, these are all high-risk activities for masuk angin. This oddly does not apply to riding a motorbike without a helmet. Being rained on was voted as second biggest contributing factor to masuk angin behind wind related activities, though you’ll be relieved to know you can’t get masuk angin by having a mandi,  or shower. It was also suggested that drinking beverages with ice may also be a possible cause.

Masuk angin symptoms include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, aches and pains, fever, hot and/or cold sweats. Though there was some contradiction about the symptoms among those surveyed and from information gathered from outside sources, everyone seems to agree that masuk angin is not fatal.

A local ailment calls for a local treatment. You can get your local jamu lady to whip you up a masuk angin concoction. Kerokan is another popular form of local treatment which entails the repeated scraping of a coin over oiled skin and is usually done on the back, but may also include legs, arms or chest. There is debate as to how it works, but most of the people surveyed that have tried it, swear by it. Bekam, or cupping is also a technique used to cure masuk angin, whereby a partial vacuum is created in cups placed on key points on the back by means of heat. The cups are then removed, leaving circular welts, but the recipient presumably feeling better. Like Kerokan, there are several theories as to why it works, but regardless of the reasons, advocates of this technique attest to its effectiveness.

So stay inside, keep your windows closed and curl up on the couch with a hot cup of tea and you should be fine. But should you come down with a general feeling of unwellness, don’t be afraid to visit to your local healer. These treatments have been used for centuries. They are perfectly safe and their effectiveness, though not very well documented, comes highly endorsed by those who’ve tried it.