Effect of meridian sinew releasing technique on moxibustion sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion in patients with knee osteoarthritis / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of meridian sinew releasing technique on moxibustion sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).@*METHODS@#A total of 60 patients with KOA were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases each group. In the observation group, on the basis of the meridian sinew releasing technique, moxibustion sensation exploration method was applied at Dubi (ST 35) area on the affected side. In the control group, moxibustion sensation exploration method was applied at Dubi (ST 35) area on the affected side. The meridian sinew releasing technique was performed for 20 min each time, the moxibustion sensation exploration method was performed for 60 min each time, once a day for 3 days. The excitation rate, latency, duration time and intensity value of moxibustion sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion were recorded on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd days of exploration in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#The excitation rate on the 3rd day of exploration and total excitation rate in the observation group were higher than the control group (P<0.05). On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd days of exploration, the latency of moxibustion sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion in the observation group was shorter than the control group (P<0.05), the duration time was longer than the control group (P<0.05), and the intensity value was higher than the control group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Meridian sinew releasing technique could improve the excitation rate of moxibustion sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion in patients with KOA, shorten the latency, prolong the duration time, and improve the intensity value.

Progress of researches on mechanisms of needling and moxibustion sensations and their related sensation transmission / 针刺研究

There are some records about the needling and moxibustion sensations in Chinese ancient medical literature, in which, the concept of Deqi (qi arrival) and its relationship with the production of therapeutic effects were put forward. The generation of needling or moxibustion sensations is one of the symbol for qi reaching the affected site during the manipulation and is also related to the treatment outcomes. In the present paper, we reviewed current situations about the mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion stimulation induced sensations and their relation to the propagated sensation (PS) published in recent 10 years from the following four aspects: 1) the patterns of manifestation of needling sensations (including general sensations, and specific sensations, as well as the practitioner's hand felt heavy, tight, hard-going senses, etc.) and moxibustion sensations (local superficial and deep warmth); 2) modern anatomical and physiological basis (skin, loose and dense connective tissue, free nerve ending, various receptors); 3) neurohumoral mechanism of acupuncture stimulation induced PS phenomenon (mechanical receptors, afferent and efferent nerve fibers, neural center, various neurotransmitters/modulators, chemical substances, etc.); 4) neurohumoral mechanism of moxibustion stimulation induced channel transmission (transient receptor potential vanilloid receptors－heat sensitive receptors, heat-shock protein, immunocytes, etc.). Additionally, the authors also put forward some suggestions about future researches on acupuncture-moxibustion sensations.

Development and initial evaluation of sensation scale of heat-sensitive moxibustion / 中国针灸

Based on heat-sensitive moxibustion (HSM) theory, a widely applicable scale was developed to reflect the (arrival of ) sensation of HSM. By documentary method and interviewing method, the items of describing sensation of HSM were collected to establish the pool of candidate items. With expert questionnaire, patient questionnaire and core expert discussion, the items were screened and quantified by method of subjective evaluation to develop the initial draft of the scale. A total of 121 patients were pre-surveyed with the initial draft, and the structural validity of the scale was examined by exploratory factor analysis (principal component) and its internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's coefficient. As a result, the items in the scale was reduced from 36 to 9; 110 effective questionnaires were reclaimed for statistical analysis. Finally, the scale (Version 1.0) contained 9 items and 4 dimensions, of which, 3 items highlighted the comfort emotional experience, 3 items highlighted autonomic response, 2 items highlighted heat sensation, and 1 item highlighted non-heat sensation. In conclusion, the sensation scale of HSM containes 9 items, which has fair content and structure validity. It is in line with the current clinical understanding of sensation of HSM and has strong clinical operability and wide adaptability.

Research progress on factors influencing therapeutic efficacy of moxibustion / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

As a crucial component of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy, moxibustion has been extensively propagated and used with its significant efficacy, simple operation, inconspicuous adverse effects and less sufferings. There are a variety of factors that influence the therapeutic efficacy of moxibustion. The influencing factors, including moxibustion dose (moxibustion duration, distance between moxa and skin, size and number of moxa cone), selection of points, moxibustion sensations, and the type of moxibustion were analyzed and summarized, to provide references for approaching the maximum efficacy of moxibustion in clinic.

Research progress on factors influencing therapeutic efficacy of moxibustion / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

As a crucial component of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy, moxibustion has been extensively propagated and used with its significant efficacy, simple operation, inconspicuous adverse effects and less sufferings. There are a variety of factors that influence the therapeutic efficacy of moxibustion. The influencing factors, including moxibustion dose (moxibustion duration, distance between moxa and skin, size and number of moxa cone), selection of points, moxibustion sensations, and the type of moxibustion were analyzed and summarized, to provide references for approaching the maximum efficacy of moxibustion in clinic.

Professor's views on moxibustion sensation / 中国针灸

The sensation of heat-sensitive moxibustion (HSM) refers to the heat feeling at distal and deep part of the body when a patient is treated with moxibustion under unhealthy status, which may even transmits to the disease sites, instead of heat feeling at local and superficial part of the body. Professorhas systema-tically studied the HSM sensation and its clinical laws through clinical practice; he points out different HSM sensations contain different physiological and pathological information of the human body, which could reflex the severity of diseases, so the collection of HSM information should be emphasized; the type and intensity of HSM sensation could guide the clinical acupoint selection and precise localization. The appearance and disappearance of HSM sensation could be applied to establish individual amount of moxibustion, and disappearance of HSM sensation is an appropriate signal for sufficient moxibustion time, which break through the concept of fixed time at each acupoint, and provide measurement standard to make full use of moxibustion. The criteria of indications for moxibustion is proposed, indicating the disease in which HSM sensations appear is the optimal indication. The deep and comprehensive understanding on the generation and change of HSM sensation could improve the standardization of HSM standard technique and its efficacy.

Association between Moxibustion Sensation and Therapeutic efficacy in the Treatment of Primary Dysmenorrhea with Taiyi Moxa Stick / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To explore the association between moxibustion sensation and therapeutic efficacy during moxibustion treatment. Methods By applying Taiyi moxa stick to Shiqizhui (EX-B 8) to treat primary dysmenorrhea, the association between the change of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and the topical moxibustion sensation and transmission types during the 30 min moxibustion treatment was observed. Besides, the occurrence time of transmission, and the transmission distance, width, depth, and direction were recorded. Results Superficial moxibustion sensation occurred in forty patients, of whom, the VAS score changed by (38.50±14.38) mm; heat-penetrating moxibustion sensation occurred in 18 patients, and the VAS score changed by (38.89±12.43) mm; heat-expanding sensation occurred in 6 patients, and the VAS score changed by (45.00±14.10) mm; distant transmission happened in 13 patients, and the VAS score changed by (41.54±13.90) mm. Patients with 4 types of moxibustion sensation had the highest VAS scores both before and after treatment, followed by 3 types, 2 types, and 1 type moxibustion sensation. In comparing the changes of VAS score between 10 min and 20 min treatment and between 20 min and 30 min treatment, the patients with 4 types of moxibustion sensation had the most significant change. Conclusions Different moxibustion sensations occur at different frequencies, and the occurrence of moxibustion sensation is related to the severity of disease condition. The number of moxibustion sensation type can affect the remission process of disease, but can merely influence the treatment result. The single moxibustion sensation (superficial heat only) works faster, usually taking 0~10 min; while the other forms of moxibustion sensation (heat penetrating, heat-expanding, and distant transmission) works slower, usually taking over 20 min.