Origin and evolution of the thunder-fire moxibustion therapy / 中国针灸

Through analyzing the origin and evolution of the thunder-fire moxibustion therapy, the mysteries and misunderstandings of it were revealed. As a result, a more objective and comprehensive recognition of this ancient therapy was displayed to the people nowadays. The thunder-fire moxibustion therapy maybe originate from the Taoism magic arts before the Dynasty and became matured in the middle of the Dynasty. Two categories were divided during the long-term evolution in the history. In one category, the peach twig was taken as the moxa material rather than moxa stick and the incantation of Taoism remained. Regarding the other category, the herbal medicine was mixed in the moxa stick and the herbal composition was relatively specified. The incantation was removed. The moxibustion in the first category vanished at the end of the Dynasty. The latter one kept on development from the middle of the Dynasty through the modern times. Additionally, the herbal composition of moxa material has been modified; the indication enlarged and the operation improved. This therapy is still developed and applied by many doctors at the present times.

Experimental Study of the Heat Transfer Characteristics of Thunder-fire Wonder Moxibustion / 上海针灸杂志

Thunder-fire wonder moxibustion is one of pressing moxibustion therapies and has a very good therapeutic effect on limb pains, furuncle-carbuncle and cold syndrome. To reveal the mechanism of clinical action of ancestors’ thunder-fire wonder moxibustion and seek the physical basis of its therapeutic advantage, this study, by a series of experiments, compared heat transfer regularities of thunder-fire wonder moxibustion versus pure moxa stick in simulated biological tissues under different conditions, preliminarily revealed heat radiation and heat transfer regularities of thunder-fire wonder moxibustion, tried to find pressing strength suitable for clinical operation of pressing moxibustion and had thoughts about changes in the clinical operation of past dynasties.

A Case of Pressing Moxibustion and Acupuncture Therapy Treated Acute Back Pain / 日本東洋医学雑誌

We report on a case of acute, sport-related back pain treated with pressing moxibustion and acupuncture therapy. A 15-year-old high school freshman fell on his back while shooting a basketball during a game. He felt acute back pain on the second day following his injury. We suspected a fracture and advised him to visit an orthopaedic surgeon, where he was diagnosed with a contusion. Upon return to us, we began acupuncture therapy of his inferior limb acupoints and pressing moxibustion of his contused muscle, while evaluating his pain using a numerical rating scale. He experienced pain relief after the second pressing moxibustion treatment. His numerical pain score changed for the better, and his treatment was ended after the third visit. In cases of pressing moxibustion, moxa sticks are directly pressed onto acupoints protected with non-flammable cloth. In Japan, however, the term moxibustion therapy generally indicates direct moxibustion. Therefore Japanese moxibustion therapists rarely choose the pressing moxibustion therapy option. This case suggests that pressing moxibustion for acute contused wounds or lower back pain is also effective.