Recommended Words
After publishing A019再聊艾灸之手法心法, senior @玉庐 mentioned to me the sensation of qi activation during moxibustion. I carefully read this senior’s article, which is insightful and discusses the effects and operations of moxibustion from a clinical perspective.
Original Link
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Tbbo47HVap-RYlBQSGHZ3g
Main Text
This article is transcribed by SimpRead, original address mp.weixin.qq.com
New readers, please read in advance 《Content Reading Instructions for This Public Account》 and 《Who Am I?》
Follow to never get lost~
Please indicate the source when reprinting
This article is somewhat professional
Not recommended for beginners without a background in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Starting today, back to the main line.
Two weeks ago, I mentioned in my friend circle that I wanted to talk about moxibustion.
I kept delaying until today, feeling very apologetic.
This article includes what I have learned from several folk TCM practitioners,
as well as from my own practice,
and repeated communication with friends around me who are willing to use moxibustion,
to share some experiences related to moxibustion with all readers.
This article focuses mainly on experience,
and will not involve too much theoretical content.
Actually, the status of moxibustion in the minds of TCM practitioners should be somewhat awkward.
People specialized in acupuncture generally research needling,
those specialized in tui na (massage) often use cupping as an auxiliary method.
Although I graduated with a major in acupuncture and tui na,
due to fire prevention, environmental protection, and other factors in Beijing,
opportunities to use moxibustion are not many.
On careful reflection,
it was mostly used during hospital rotations as a suitable TCM technique to assist treatment,
or in moxibustion centers around the country for health maintenance and wellness.
I believe that in the minds of most readers,
moxibustion is basically synonymous with health maintenance and wellness.
Very few TCM practitioners immediately think of moxibustion when seeing diseases.
This article does not talk about health maintenance or wellness,
but only discusses my understanding of using moxibustion to treat diseases, especially serious illnesses,
as well as some thoughts based on moxibustion treatment.
Because the content is quite serious,
no pictures will be provided.
PS: Repeating once more
New readers must read 《Content Reading Instructions for This Public Account》 in advance!!!
- Moxibustion has a clear dose-effect relationship (2, A)
Those familiar with me will probably smile when they see this sentence,
“Kong Yiji, here you go again with the moxibustion dose-effect relationship.”
But I always believe
this principle is key to understanding the efficacy of moxibustion.
The hidden meaning behind this sentence is,
if you want to treat diseases with moxibustion,
then the better the time, dose (number of moxibustion cones), range, intensity,
and quality of moxa wool,
the better the effect of moxibustion.
I am willing to rate this as (2, A).
A side note:
Currently, various “cheap therapies” are popular in the TCM community,
such as “know by one dose, cured by two,”
or “one-needle therapy,”
or “just a few medicines.”
But I and many friends around me firmly believe one principle,
which is that most medical interventions follow the "dose-effect relationship.”
If you want to treat major diseases, chronic diseases, or difficult diseases,
it is impossible without large doses and/or large prescriptions and/or long treatment courses.
Many books and public accounts promote “cheap therapies,”
and every time I click in,
they are either for mild symptoms or external conditions,
or the author does not clearly understand the medical terms “cure,” “clinical cure,” and “relief.”
Sometimes I doubt and go to the author’s clinic to observe,
only to find that the author just picks some eye-catching cases to promote.
Sometimes the author even realizes they are just relying on publicity to reap benefits.
This article focuses on moxibustion therapy,
so I won’t elaborate here.
In the future, I will write a special article to describe what the real front-line looks like,
and discuss the pros and cons of “cheap therapies.”
Let us return to the topic of moxibustion.
- Moxibustion and Cancer
2.1 Moxibustion shows a significant effect on increasing white blood cells (1, A)
Nothing much to say here.
Those working with integrated Chinese and Western medicine know this,
and some Western doctors also know it—whether or not they are willing to use it is another matter.
2.2 Moxibustion can alleviate symptoms in cancer patients (2, A)
Pain, anorexia, edema, emaciation—
these manifestations of cachexia
can all be alleviated.
How much relief depends on medical level.
2.3 Moxibustion can shrink tumors and cure cancer (4, I)
I have seen many people promoting this,
but never have I seen objective evidence.
I suggest those with evidence bring CRF documents to me.
I will immediately revise this statement.
- Pregnant women can receive moxibustion (5, D)
I do not recommend this.
- Moxibustion can treat ulcers and sores (4, C)
I usually do not recommend this.
There are also pain conditions and limb-related diseases,
all clearly detailed in textbooks,
not needing repetition here.
Interested readers can refer directly to 《Acupuncture and Moxibustion Therapeutics》.
If interested in other diseases, please private message or comment.
- Moxibustion and Meridians
5.1 Moxibustion can quickly stimulate the meridian qi and produce sensation transmission phenomena (2)
This is described in many acupuncture books,
including 《Moxibustion Strips》 and others.
A side note:
I used to help ordinary people perceive qi by pulling techniques,
now I use moxibustion to help ordinary people feel it.
I believe the effect of moxibustion in stimulating meridian qi is no less than acupuncture,
especially in many elderly and weak people, which can more easily trigger sensation transmission phenomena.
5.2 Moxibustion can obtain qi (3)
Generally, when people discuss qi acquisition,
they focus on needling,
but in fact, moxibustion can also acquire qi.
I have experienced this on myself and patients,
and it can be repeated on multiple acupoints such as Zusanli, Yanglingquan, Neiguan, Yongquan, etc.
It is easily felt if the technique is proper.
My specific sensation is the same as that obtained by qi pulling.
There is a “field” near the acupoint,
and when the moxa stick enters this “field,” the repulsive force increases,
and the patient must feel a sudden increase in heat.
No other sources have informed me of this,
so it is not rated at level 2.
5.3 Moxibustion can discharge pathogenic qi (4)
I learned this through a few channels,
and others have informed me that during moxibustion, patients’ distal limbs discharge cold qi,
although I have not yet reproduced this myself.
5.4 Practicing qigong helps moxibustion treatment (2)
Moxibustion treatment is truly tiring…
and this method helps to acquire qi.
5.5 Moxibustion should follow the meridians and focus on acupoints (3)
Although I often see this statement,
in clinical practice,
whether to follow meridians or focus on acupoints,
I have not found a fundamental difference in final efficacy.
Not focusing on acupoints can also stimulate meridian qi and produce sensation transmission.
Some folk TCM practitioners even believe moxibustion does not need to follow meridians.
- Moxibustion can be used as a purgative method (4)
I won’t talk about moxibustion and tonification here.
Generally, it is thought that moxibustion is warming yang,
and can treat diseases of deficiency cold and excess cold.
However, whether moxibustion can be used as a purgative method and
whether it can treat deficiency heat and excess heat diseases remains controversial.
I know that the 《Ling Shu》 mentions moxibustion purgation,
and some folk TCM practitioners teach moxibustion purgation,
but the objective differences in efficacy have never been seen.
Even some friends around me firmly believing moxibustion can be purgative
cannot cite convincing evidence,
and generally describe the purgative effect in “metaphysical” or “abstract” terms.
After summarizing many ancient books and folk TCM experiences,
I believe if moxibustion has purgative effect,
it must be based on “rapid temperature transition.”
Including the mention in 《Ling Shu · Back Shu》 about whether to blow on the fire,
and some folk TCM practitioners believe constant temperature is tonification, rapid stimulation is purgation.
So I am willing to take “rapid temperature transition” as a potential moxibustion purgative method.
Of course,
a friend of mine also raised a sharp question,
the TCM community also has disputes about what purgation is,
Is purgation a process or a goal?
I will not elaborate; interested friends can think on their own.
- Moxibustion Operation
7.1 “Opening the gate” is needed before moxibustion (3, C)
“Opening the gate” means,
during moxibustion,
first apply moxibustion on locations such as the distal ends of limbs, knees and elbows, neck, underarm lymph nodes, etc.,
which can help discharge pathological qi and other functions.
My experience is that “opening the gate” before moxibustion
can quickly stimulate sensation transmission and help the affected area acquire qi.
The above experience has been reproduced on patients.
As for helping discharge pathological qi,
I have no related experience.
7.2 The order of moxibustion operation (4, C)
Some ancient books record related information,
but many details contradict each other.
Some folk TCM practitioners believe
that serious diseases such as cancer should first moxa the feet and lower legs,
but such experience has not been reproduced.
7.3 Fluid supplementation is needed during moxibustion (3, B)
Due to moxibustion’s dose-effect relationship,
patients sweating during treatment is very normal.
I believe timely fluid supplementation is necessary,
especially for diseases requiring long-term (＞8 hours) moxibustion,
should have regular fluid intake regardless of thirst.
Fluids such as Danshen water, fresh radish juice, rice oil, etc., can be consumed.
7.4 Be careful of “excessive heat” during moxibustion (2, A)
This is easy to understand.
I have already encountered several patients who had hemorrhoid symptoms recur after moxibustion.
7.5 Head can be moxibusted (3, C)
Generally, I do not recommend it.
7.6 Both moxibustion operators and patients need to calm their minds (2, A)
Moxibustion is always a kind of “playing with fire.”
It is recommended that the practitioner be calm.
That is why I said above that moxibustion is tiring.
Also, patients need to calm their minds,
which helps sensation transmission,
and closely communicate with the practitioner,
to avoid burns.
When folk TCM practitioners perform moxibustion, they generally require patients to turn off their phones.
It is recommended to comply.
Final Words
Readers interested in moxibustion can try treating diseases according to this post.
If you have different experiences, you can leave a message privately.
If you want to see other content, you can also leave a message privately.
PS: The deadline for the first question from 玉庐 is set as August 13. Please actively submit and grab money. If you think the time is not enough, you can also leave a message privately.
If you want to co-manage the public account, send your resume to the same email address. See the previous post for details. No deadline.