Acupuncture and moxibustion. Acupuncture and moxibustion Chinese cigarette heat treatment procedure

Acupuncture points on the human body

Acupuncture, whose age is estimated at five thousand years, is one of the main methods of treatment in Chinese folk medicine. And, of course, the test of time is the best proof of its effectiveness and reliability.

Along with the term “acupuncture” you can find such names as “acupuncture”, “acupuncture”, “acupuncture” or even “zhen therapy”.

A little history

The history of acupuncture began in ancient times, namely from the moment when a person, trying to reduce pain, began to rub (with his hand or various objects) painful places on the body.

It is impossible to say unequivocally that the birthplace of acupuncture is Ancient China: there is evidence of the use of acupuncture in Egypt, India and Nepal. However, since this method was most widely used in China and neighboring countries, today it is considered Chinese.

Acupuncture and moxibustion came to Europe, where they received the name “ acupuncture", penetrated into the 17th century. thanks to the missionaries. In Russia, the first attempts to use acupuncture date back to 1901.

The use of acupuncture in medical institutions of the USSR began around the late 40s. as a result of a successful exchange of experience between Soviet and Chinese doctors. Acupuncture received official recognition in 1957 along with the publication of an order of the USSR Ministry of Health, and it began to be actively used in the 60s.

At the moment, many medical institutions have a specially designated office, and sometimes there are entire acupuncture department, where patients with a wide variety of diseases receive the necessary assistance.

What is the meaning of acupuncture and how does it work? According to what was said earlier, each biologically active point is associated with some organ. Therefore, mechanical irritation of it with a steel, silver or gold needle activates the flow of energy or, conversely, absorbs excess energy flow.

When is acupuncture used?. WHO has confirmed the ability of acupuncture to have a positive effect on the body for more than forty types of diseases.

Diseases for which acupuncture is effective

• hypertension, angina pectoris, arteriosclerosis
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system (arthritis, osteochondrosis, etc.)
• neuralgia, insomnia, dizziness
• emotional and psychological disorders (fears, depression, etc.)
• gastrointestinal diseases (colitis, food allergies, peptic ulcers and gastritis, chronic diarrhea and constipation, anorexia and bulimia)
• diseases of the ENT organs (emphysema, sinusitis, bronchitis)
• endocrine system diseases
• pain of various localizations (headache, dental, spinal, etc.)
• decreased immunity
• eye diseases
• alcoholism, nicotine and drug addiction, etc.

How does an acupuncture session work?

The procedure begins with the acupuncturist feeling the area of ​​the body where the needles will be injected. This is done to determine points - using an empirical method, over many hours, doctors learn to determine biologically active points on the human body by special thermal and other radiation from them. Next, the doctor treats the area of ​​skin with alcohol and inserts needles. Different acupuncture techniques also determine different ways of inserting needles, as well as insertion depth. Depending on these factors, sedative and stimulating methods of influence are designated.

Sedative method - strong, increasing irritation of the points - in turn, has two variations. First - no more than 2-3 needles are inserted into the tissue with rotational movements to a depth of 1.5-8 mm, leaving them for a period of half an hour to two days; second - needles are inserted into 2-4 points with more gentle rotational movements. This method can even be used on children.

Exciting method - weak, short-term, but at the same time rapid irritation of all points. The depth of needle insertion is from 3 mm to 1 cm, and the exposure period is from 30 s to 5 min.

What happens during a session from a biological point of view

For example, during an acupuncture session aimed at eliminating pain, after the needle is inserted, muscle stimulation begins, which sends a signal to the central nervous system and thereby releases endorphins (morphine-like substances produced in the body during pain and stress), which block pain signals into the brain. So nothing supernatural: the ancient method of treatment has now received scientific substantiation.

Since the needles used for treatment are quite thin (thickness comparable to a human hair), the acupuncture procedure is not painful. The moment of the injection itself may cause some discomfort. Mild numbness and slight itching may also occur.

The undoubted advantage of acupuncture over drug treatment is that drugs are often addictive, which forces you to increase the dose, and acupuncture has a therapeutic effect without harmful consequences.

Contraindications to acupuncture

• skin diseases
• pregnancy
• malignant tumors

Cauterization

In ancient China, local heating or moxibustion was often used in combination with acupuncture. Moxibustion enhances the renewal of qi flow at those acupressure points where heat is applied.

Smoldering moxa is used as a cauterizing agent - dry and ground wormwood (sometimes with the addition of other medicinal herbs), rolled into a cigar. It is lit, and the flame is either brought closer to the biological points or removed. It is not the beneficial properties of wormwood that are used, but its ability, after special processing, to give the optimal temperature (60-70 °C) at the moment of smoldering.

The standard wormwood cigar produced in China looks like a small firecracker, its length is 20 cm, diameter is 2 cm. One such cigar is enough for several sessions.

Cauterization has an antispasmodic, sedative effect on the body and can even stop physiological aging.

Diseases for which cauterization is effective

• gynecological disorders
• rheumatism, arthritis
• insomnia
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
• diseases of the respiratory and genitourinary systems
• colds and flu
• cerebral palsy
• post-stroke conditions
• bruises, subcutaneous bruises, internal hemorrhages
• metabolic disorders, etc.

Cauterization will quickly relieve pain of various origins; will help a hot-tempered and irritable person calm down; eliminates cramps and calms nerves.

How to perform cauterization

The cigar is set on fire and the smoldering end is brought to the desired point at a distance of 1.5-2 cm. The criterion for the correctness of the chosen distance from the surface of the body will be a pleasant warmth spreading from the point throughout the body. There should be no burning sensation. If it is too hot, the cigar should be moved a little away from the surface of the body.

Each point is cauterized for 2-3 minutes, maximum 5 minutes.

Prevention of colds requires 3-5 sessions, treatment of an existing cold requires 7-9 sessions. Preventive cauterizations can be done every other day; it is better to treat an acute illness with daily sessions.

Before starting cauterization of the next point, it is good to pre-lubricate the ju-therapy area with Vietnamese “Star” or any available essential oil (for example, with eucalyptus or pine needle extract) and do a light massage. In this case, the cauterization effect will increase.

Instead of holding the cigar motionless over the point, you can slowly make circles over the surrounding area.

Cauterization of the longevity point

This point - tzu san-li - is located on the front side of the leg, below the kneecap. Place three fingers (2nd, 3rd and 4th) under your knee - you will find the horizontal level of the longevity point. Now set the width of the big toe on the right foot to the right of the central meridian of the bone, on the left foot to the left. These will be the points of longevity. You need to warm up the longevity points once a day for 10 minutes. It is advisable to carry out 2-3 procedures with an interval of 3-4 days.

Warming up should be done only in the first 8 days of each lunar month, since it is believed that it is on these days that the body is able to achieve harmony and strengthen resistance to various diseases, thereby helping to prolong life.

An important part of zhenqiu therapy, that is, acupuncture, is.

Moxibustion in Chinese medicine

Cauterization methods

Cauterization is performed either using a smoldering cigar made from wormwood leaves, or with a smoldering tourniquet.

Artemisia leaf cigars

Cauterization carried out three ways:

1. thermal effects;
2. the so-called “pecking” method;
3. thermal influence with constant movements on a certain surface around a given point (“ironing”).

Thermal impact

The first of these methods, i.e. thermal effect consists of bringing the smoldering end of the cigar close to the skin and gradually moving it away until the patient feels a sensation of pleasant warmth in certain tissues.

Burning with a cigar

The minimum distance between the end of the cigar and the surface of the skin should not exceed 1.5 cm, the procedure lasts 5 - 10 minutes. This method is indicated in cases where a certain calming effect is desired (for example, for pain in the abdominal area).

Method of “pecking” cauterization

Second method - “pecking” cauterization consists of a continuous alternation of movements of the cigar up and down at a given point. It is used to achieve a stimulating effect in cases of collapse and paralysis.

The duration of the procedure is from two to five minutes. The strongest acceptable sensation is burning heat, but not pain.

Ironing method

Third method - “iron” is as follows. Bringing the end of the cigar closer to the skin, they begin to move it over a relatively large area of ​​the body, like an iron. In this case, even very close approach of the smoldering end of the cigar to the skin does not cause a burn. The method is indicated for a large group of diseases: psoriasis, neuroderma, widespread eczema.

It can relieve pain caused by stomach or intestinal spasms. Application duration is 10-20 minutes.

The widely used wormwood cigars were proposed by Dr. Zhu Lian in 1951 (read more: Acupuncture in Chinese Medicine).

Purpose of moxibustion in Chinese medicine

First of all, acupuncture and moxibustion in Chinese medicine are intended to cause strong or weak irritation.

Acupuncture and moxibustion in Chinese medicine

The first of them have an inhibitory effect on the excited nervous system. They are used for excessively increased functional activity of certain internal organs, bones, and tissues.

Sometimes the patient experiences uncontrollable vomiting, which does not stop even after the complete eruption of the stomach contents. This is explained by the weakening of the regulatory function of the higher part of the central nervous system under the influence of pathological changes.

In this case, the urgent application of strong irritation easily has an inhibitory effect on the excited part of the nervous system and leads to the cessation of vomiting.

Mild stimulation has a stimulating effect on the nervous system, enhancing its function, thereby stimulating the body's resistance.

This leads to increased blood circulation. According to the concept put forward by Dr. Zhu Lian, the action of the excitatory and inhibitory methods is based on reflex influences on the central nervous system by transmitting impulses from peripheral receptors to it.

Traditional Chinese medicine originated relatively long ago, more than 2000 years ago. Even in those days, people prevented and completely cured various diseases using the basic techniques and knowledge of Chinese medicine. The basis of this medicine is that diseases arise due to an imbalance of vital forces, which indicates that the body is irrationally using energy resources.

Chinese medicine focuses its efforts on treating not the organ itself that has been affected by the disease, but the entire organism as a whole. Traditional Chinese medicine does not involve surgical interventions, as it is aimed at the body as a whole. Chinese diagnostics is based on a general examination of the patient, that is, an assessment of the complexion and tongue, how the person breathes, and so on. In addition, the Chinese carry out tapping and questioning about complaints, on the basis of which the disease is determined.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is considered one of the main treatments in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This method is based on the impact of needles on the vital points of the body. In ancient times, such needles were made of bones or bronze, but nowadays needles are made of steel. They have different lengths, sharpness and thickness. Massage must be done at the needle insertion sites. The needle must be inserted with both hands and rotated along the axis. By using this method, pain is relieved, and balance is restored in the body, which was previously disturbed.

During the period of acupuncture procedures, you should avoid eating sweet foods, alcohol, coffee and medications. Acupuncture has some contraindications, namely, this procedure should not be performed during an exacerbation of a chronic disease or infectious disease.

Cauterization

In traditional Chinese medicine, moxibustion involves heat. Usually this method of treatment is performed by burning wormwood, from which special cones of different sizes are made. The effectiveness of this procedure lies in the deep and shallow action of heat. Heat that is on the surface has a sedative effect, and deep heat has a tonic effect.

In the first case, large cones are used, but the grass burns slowly. In the second, small wormwood cones are used, but the combustion is enhanced. In this case, burns on the skin should not be allowed. No more than four small cones are applied to the point during toning. The time for this procedure depends on each person, primarily on his state of health.

The advantages of this method are improved blood circulation and the functioning of the endocrine glands, pain stops, the secretion of gastric juice returns to normal and acidity is regulated, harmful substances are removed from the body faster, and metabolism returns to normal. After cauterization, there may be fever, diarrhea, poor appetite and mood for 2 days. A few days after the procedure, the first positive results will become noticeable.

Acupressure

Chinese medicine has another direction - acupressure. It is based on the influence of fingers on vital points. Pressure is applied with a fingernail or fingertip. It is used in the treatment of digestive organs, headaches, high blood pressure, joint diseases, and inflammation of the respiratory system. After acupressure, the patient’s pain goes away, blood circulation and metabolism improves, cells are cleansed of toxins, and muscle tension is relieved. At the same time, there is cheerfulness and fullness of strength and energy.

Traditional Chinese medicine is very rich in knowledge and accumulated experience in the treatment of many diseases. Its undoubted advantage is the use of natural and natural methods of treatment.

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Moxibustion treatment

We have already noted that moxibustion treatment is associated with acupuncture, both in modern literature and in extant sources, and that both methods are often combined and used simultaneously. This explains why the clinical trials we looked at in the previous chapter also included moxibustion treatment.

The moxibustion treatment process is also known by the older name moxibation. The word comes from the Japanese plant mogusa (latinized moxa), similar to artemisia vulgaris, a type of wormwood, and the Latin word yoke (to burn or scorch).

As the origin of the word suggests, acupuncture points used to be simply cauterized with “cauterization herb,” that is, a medicinal herb. Currently, the affected points are simply heated, although the term moxibustion is still widely used. In my opinion, the term moxotherapy is more appropriate in this case.

According to Professor Yuara, this method of treatment most likely has an earlier origin than pricking with stone needles, although the opposite point of view is found in modern Chinese publications. Traditionally, therapeutic moxibustion developed mainly in the northern regions of China. Based on this, Yuar concludes that Stone Age man used cauterization to relieve rheumatic pain, which more often occurred in the damp cave that served as his home and in colder climates.

Of course, the healing power of warming fire has been known from very early times. And in the oldest collection of medical knowledge, “The Yellow Emperor’s Canon on Internal Medicine,” we find references to the cauterization method as a perfectly developed procedure.

In addition, any method of treatment with heating requires knowledge of the points of influence on the human and animal body. Some points are excluded from moxibustion treatment; they can only be used for acupuncture and vice versa. Both ancient and modern works provide a list of these “forbidden” points.

In the old days, points chosen for therapeutic effects were also cauterized with red-hot iron rods. Today this procedure is used only in veterinary surgery. In addition to iron rods, other means of cauterization were used, usually from the rolled leaves of medicinal plants (mulberry, ginger, aconite, wormwood, etc.). Points of irritation were either cauterized or heated with smoldering leaves twisted into stick shapes. details regarding therapeutic moxibustion are taken from contemporary Chinese publications.

1. One session requires three to five wormwood cones or balls; they can be set on fire and applied simultaneously to different points on the surface of the body, or set on fire and applied one after another to the same point. In cases of chronic diseases, the dosage may be increased.

2. The stick burns for 4-5 minutes. If you want to get the effect of sedation, the stick is held above the corresponding point on the body surface. This procedure can be used, for example, to develop protective inhibition in the cerebral cortex. To achieve a tonic effect, the surface of the skin is lightly tapped with a smoldering stick, preventing overheating of the point on which the therapeutic effect is applied. This is the so-called “pecking method”.

3. In the case of moxibustion treatment with a ginger cone, a ginger leaf is first placed on the treatment point, and then the cone is placed on top of it. If the ginger leaf dries out, it should be replaced with a fresh one. Generally speaking, this method is used for abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting and for rheumatic pain in the limbs.

4. In the case of cauterization treatment through garlic, a clove of fresh garlic is placed on the points undergoing therapeutic irritation. A small hole is made in the garlic clove and the cone is placed on top. Generally speaking, this method is used as an anesthetic and in certain cases to treat pulmonary diseases (asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis).

5. When treating with salt cauterization, the point of application of the therapeutic effect is covered with table salt, and the cone is placed on top. If the salt overheats, it is replaced. This method is usually used for abdominal pain, nausea and diseases caused by organic hypofunction. The purpose of the procedure is to compensate for the “lack of energy” in the affected organ.

Cauterization with cones and sticks should be dosed, it depends on the part of the body that is being treated. For example, in the case of irritated points on the head, the usual dose is based on heating for 3-5 minutes using only sticks and not cones. Other recommended dosages are as follows: on the chest - 3-5 minutes of constant heating with cones or 3-10 minutes with sticks; on the body - 5-20 minutes of constant warming with cones or the same amount of time with sticks; on the back - 3-10 minutes of constant warming with cones or the same amount of time with sticks.

When performing moxibustion, the correct position of the patient’s body is important to provide optimal impact on points on the body surface. Modern publications warn against burning the patient's skin, and thus the old, scarring method is now abandoned, as is cauterization with sulfur. Care must be taken to ensure that no sparks fly during the treatment session; Windows should also be opened to prevent smoke from accumulating when lighting the cone or stick. The fact that smoke sometimes appears is the only drawback of this method of therapy.

Once the session is completed, any visible marks that may remain on the surface of the skin, in the worst case a slight redness, soon disappear. Even if a blister appears, it is pierced with a sterile needle and lubricated with medicinal ointment.

The former method of direct cauterization left ugly scars on the skin, traces of which can still be seen today among older generations in China and especially in Korea.

Modern medical science considers therapeutic cauterization as a method of stimulating the skin as a result of its heating and, probably, exposure to chemical compounds contained in medicinal plants (garlic, ginger, etc.). This opinion is shared by many old school doctors, including Wang Xiaotai, who was trained in both traditional and modern healing methods.

We already know that the internal organs respond to the vasodilatory effect of stimulating the skin. This is explained by the close relationship between these organs and special areas of the skin: any disease of the internal organs causes pain in the latter. On the contrary, any stimulation of certain areas and points on the surface of the skin excites the muscles and blood vessels and affects the corresponding internal organs. This functional relationship explains the effectiveness of moxibustion from a therapeutic point of view. The only slight difficulty is to reconcile traditional moxibustion points with the theories of modern medicine and combine them into one general system.

Chinese moxatherapy: burn away your diseases

Many of us believe that the concept of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is synonymous with acupuncture, especially since even the Chinese term “acupuncture” (Zhen Jiu) literally translates as “acupuncture and moxibustion” (the word “moxibustion” is derived from the Japanese "mogusa" (wormwood)).

In ancient China, placing acupuncture needles was rarely practiced without treating patients with moxibustion, which involved burning certain herbs over acupuncture points. Today, moxatherapy is surprisingly successfully used simultaneously with acupuncture in the treatment of diseases ranging from bronchial asthma to arthritis. To do this, the leaves of wormwood (Artemesiae Vulgaris) are dried and burned using one of several methods.

The most common form of moxa use is the non-contact method of treatment using a wormwood cigar. The dried wormwood is compacted and wrapped in special paper in the form of a cigar-shaped stick. It can be held in one place, moved in circles, or brought to a specific acupuncture point with the movement of a sparrow pecking at crumbs. The cauterization practitioner places his or her finger near the point being stimulated to provide a comfortable level of heat and protect the patient from the unlikely risk of burning.

The tip of the cigar is kept at a distance of 1-3 centimeters from the surface of the skin, which depends on the patient’s well-being. Wormwood sticks can be used independently to stimulate acupuncture points or brought to points where acupuncture needles have already been inserted. This simultaneous use of moxibustion with acupuncture needles enhances the therapeutic effect.

Wormwood cigars are mainly used to treat a deficiency of yang energy in the body. This type of energy controls movement and heat, which is why Yang deficiency manifests itself in the symptoms of Cold. The patient may feel cold or complain of cold extremities. For the very weak and for people with severe Yang deficiency, moxatherapy is chosen as the main treatment due to the fact that it actually adds “Yang Qi” to the body. Yang energy deficiency may also manifest itself as urinary incontinence or loose stools, although these symptoms should be carefully examined by the practitioner as they may have other causes.

Another popular use of moxa sticks is to perform a baby's breech turn. The cigar is held to the outer edge of the little toes of both feet of the pregnant mother for 15 to 20 minutes a day. Best results are achieved when treatment begins at 34 weeks of pregnancy. Moxibustion therapy is stopped after fetal reversal. Stimulating Yang results in movement, and prolonged moxibustion can cause the embryo to return to breech presentation. Reversing the buttocks using moxibustion therapy is a very common practice in Chinese medicine and has been used successfully for centuries.

Another form of cauterization is heating the needle. In this case, a small roll of dried wormwood is attached directly to the end of the acupuncture needle. The wormwood is then set on fire and burns slowly, like an incense stick. Heat penetrates through the needle and is transferred deep to the acupuncture point. This infusion of heat provides instant relief from rheumatic muscle and joint pain and is commonly used to treat arthritic pain.

Ginger moxatherapy combines the therapeutic properties of moxibustion and ginger, one of the most popular herbs in Chinese medicine. The TCM practitioner cuts a 1-2 centimeter thick piece of ginger and makes tiny holes in it. Dried wormwood leaves are rolled into a cone 1-3 centimeters in size. Ginger is placed on the navel of a patient suffering from diarrhea or abdominal pain. The cone is placed on the ginger and carefully lit with a small flame.

Ginger with a burning piece of moxa is left on the navel until the patient sweats and the navel area turns red. When a cone burns out, a new one is added. The ginger slice should be changed after burning 5 moxa cones. In addition to relieving digestive problems, heating with ginger is also beneficial in treating joint pain.

Contact moxatherapy is a method in which dried herbs are rolled into a small cone (about the size of a grain of rice) and burned directly onto the skin. To fix the cone on the body, you can apply Vaseline. Wormwood is lit by lightly touching the top of the cone with the end of a burning scented candle. Tweezers are used to remove the cone when the heat becomes too intense.

Contact moxatherapy is commonly used to stop heavy menstrual bleeding. Women suffering from excess bleeding need to place moxa cones at the corner of the big toe nail. Moxa is only burned two-thirds to prevent scarring or blistering of the skin. During one procedure, 3-5 cones are burned on each thumb. In this, as in the vast majority of cases, contact cauterization brings relief. Western technologies can offer only minor assistance.

Traditional asthma treatment requires burning wormwood cones directly on the upper back. With this treatment, the cones are burned completely and can actually lead to some scarring.

Moxibustion treatment, like acupuncture, is a complex and varied therapy. TCM practitioners can choose from a variety of methods and use those that suit their individual healing style.

Cauterization (Thermopuncture, Moxotherapy)

Thermopuncture (cauterization, moxotherapy)– this is one of the methods of reflexology (cauterization or warming), which consists of a thermal effect on biologically active points of the body. This practice originated many years ago in Eastern medicine and is called “zhen-ju” treatment in Chinese (where “zhen” is acupuncture and “jiu” is thermopuncture).

This method involves the use of heat sources where the thermal effect may be limited in area. Thermopuncture is carried out in various ways: non-contact or remote, contact or distant, as well as stimulation with hot needles or by heating needles already installed at the acupuncture point.

When is thermopuntura used?

Along with other methods of reflexology, thermopuncture can act as an independent method of treatment, or as an auxiliary one - in combination with other practices or in addition to drug therapy.

By influencing the meridians and biologically active points, this method is well suited for the treatment of various chronic ailments, as well as certain critical conditions. In addition, thermopuncture is a fairly effective preventive measure and is widely used in rehabilitation measures.

Thermopuncture helps in treating a wide range of allergic syndromes, various types of pain, many neuroendocrine skin diseases, and some psychosomatic and neurogenic disorders. This practice is also used to normalize blood pressure, improve blood circulation, to rejuvenate the body, calm the nervous system and for problems associated with vegetative-vascular dystonia.

In accordance with the teachings of traditional Chinese medicine, symptoms that arise due to lack of energy or cold (regular colds, inflammatory diseases of bones and joints) are perfectly amenable to the effects of thermopuncture.

The essence of the thermopuncture method

The method of thermal exposure is based on the principle of gradual, continuous heating of the skin at reflexogenic points and tissues adjacent to these points. Thermopuncture using low temperatures over a short period of time produces a weak stimulating effect.

By changing the temperature and duration of irritation, the therapeutic result occurs. Therapy is carried out through the activation of the functions of various systems and internal organs, which are interconnected with acupuncture points that act as objects of manipulation.

In ancient times, sulfur powder, a burning wick, and red-hot metal sticks were used to perform the thermopuncture procedure. In eastern countries, smoldering moxas have always been widely used. They were made from various dried herbs (juniper, wormwood, other medicinal plants), folded into a tube and wrapped in thin paper, forming something like a cigar. In this situation, it is not so much the healing properties of herbs that are of great importance, but their ability to create the required temperature (about sixty or seventy degrees) during the smoldering period.

Thermopuncture procedure

After a thorough diagnostic examination, and in accordance with each specific ailment, a reflexology specialist determines the method, number and duration of procedures. Doctors from China say: the longer the course of moxibustion therapy, the more effective it is.

The minimum duration of thermal treatment is about ten sessions, the frequency of which is from daily procedures to two sessions per week. The duration of each exposure is approximately twenty minutes or about half an hour.

When carrying out therapy using thermopuncture, it is necessary to strictly follow some rules:

• do not expose the cauterized areas of the body to wetness for ten days;
• do not drink alcohol for two months;
• do not overcool;
• don't overeat.

Types of distant cauterization:

• Until the affected area becomes red. During stable stimulation of an acupuncture point, the heat emitter is placed at such a distance from the skin that the patient feels a very noticeable warmth in this area of ​​the body. The duration of this procedure is from two to five minutes. In this case, irritation of biologically active points occurs gently.
• Until a blister forms. The ironing action involves heating not just an acupuncture point, but also a fairly large area of ​​skin due to the non-stop movement of the heat emitter at a close distance from the skin, parallel to the area of ​​the body that is being heated.
• Before the burn appears. Direct contact cauterization is used quite rarely due to the risk of burns. This type of thermopuncture consists of placing various substances on biologically active areas, which provide thermal stimulation during combustion.

The more significant the damage to the skin in the acupuncture area, the more noticeable and effective the result of therapy. Cauterization is performed using wormwood balls of different sizes, which are determined by a specialist. The impact on one point is carried out from five to ten times and is determined by the type and degree of the specific disease.

After the session, water bubbles begin to form around the acupuncture area within about half an hour, which disappear within three days. After ten days (rarely twenty, but no more than twenty-seven), redness forms around the biologically active point - this indicates that the place is inflamed and will soon ooze.

There is nothing wrong with this, and everything happens as it should. The discharge may be in the form of ichor or purulent in nature. This process is determined by the severity of the disease and lasts one or two months. From the moment inflammation appears, you should apply a bactericidal patch to the area one to two times a day and do this until the wound closes. In its place, a keloid scar may remain, which persists for approximately ten years.

“Diseases that cannot be cured with herbs can be cured with needles, and in turn, those ailments that cannot be treated with needles can be cured with cauterization,” say Eastern experts in juju therapy.

Burning technique with wormwood cigarette

Nowadays, a convenient method of thermal influence on biologically active points is widely practiced using tiny wormwood cigarettes (about five millimeters in diameter, about ten millimeters in length) connected to heat-resistant pads, the thickness of which is about three millimeters.

The smoldering end of the cigar emits infrared radiation (wavelength from one to five and a half microns), which is directed to specific biologically active points. Such thermal irritation entails a local increase in skin temperature to 43-45 degrees Celsius, but a burn does not form.

There are three main ways to perform cauterization:

• 1. Sedative (calming) – static warming. The end of the cigar, which is smoldering, is brought to the patient’s skin until a feeling of warmth occurs. The duration of the procedure is from fifteen to twenty minutes.
• 2. Exciting (tonic) – piercing effect. The smoldering end of the cigar is either brought to the surface of the skin or removed from the acupuncture point. The duration of the session is two or three minutes.
• 3. Harmonizing – ironing thermopuncture (continuous movement of a wormwood cigarette along a biologically active area). The smoldering end is placed at such a distance from the skin that the patient feels pleasant warmth. The duration of the procedure is from fifteen to twenty minutes.

The thermopuncture technique practiced by Chinese doctors involves remote cauterization. A cigar made from wormwood is set on fire and slowly rotated over the affected area of ​​the body. At times, to enhance the result, the wormwood cone is placed on a piece of ginger or a clove of garlic.

The cauterization technique, which is popular in Japan and Korea, is a distant method. Medicinal plants are rolled into small balls and placed directly in the acupuncture area, after which they are set on fire using an aroma stick.

Contraindications to thermopuncture

This method of therapy has virtually no side effects and has a very small list of contraindications. You should not resort to heat treatment:

• in the presence of benign or malignant tumors;
• for diseases associated with fever;
• for acute mental disorders;
• in acute conditions that pose a direct threat to human health and life (myocardial infarction, acute respiratory failure);
• for some skin diseases.

Due to the fact that this method of reflexology has a fairly noticeable effect on the entire body, it is not recommended for use by infants, pregnant women and elderly people over 75 years of age.

Zhen-Jiu treatment method (Acupuncture and moxibustion)

In ancient times, the main method with which Chinese doctors treated patients, “Zhen-ju,” originated. What is it? “Zhen” means acupuncture, “jiu” means moxibustion.

The art of acupuncture

Tradition connects the appearance of acupuncture with the name of the famous sage Fu-Xi, who lived at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. Tradition attributes to him the first observation of the heavenly bodies and the invention of the doctrine of yin and yang - the two principles of all things in the Universe. According to legend, he taught people to build houses and bridges, catch fish with a net and care for five domestic animals - a horse, a bull, a chicken, a pig and a ram. Fu-Xi was a great healer. He drew up instructions on how to avoid cold in winter and sweltering heat in summer, and how to maintain healthy air and good blood in the body. But his main achievement in medicine was the creation of the doctrine of vital channels and active points located on the human body.

Historical parallels: The estimated life time of Fu-Xi, the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, coincides with the life time of the well-known Egyptian patron of healing, Imhotep (p. 35). Like him, Fu-Xi was not only a doctor, but also an astrologer and a builder.

“In ancient times,” says the legend, “when China was ruled by Fu-Xi, versed in many sciences, one of his subjects had a headache.” This man became so ill that he could not find peace either day or night. One day, while cultivating a field, he accidentally hit himself on the leg with a hoe and noticed a strange thing: the headache went away after this blow. Since then, local residents began to deliberately hit themselves on the leg with a piece of stone when they had a headache. Having learned about this, the emperor tried to replace the painful blows with a stone with injections of a stone needle, and the results were good. Later it turned out that such injections, applied to certain places on the body, help not only with headaches, but also with other diseases. It has been observed that exposure to certain points of the body leads to relief from pain or illness. For example, squeezing the central fossa of the upper lip helps lift the patient out of a state of fainting, and inserting needles at certain points at the base of the first and second fingers cures insomnia.

Historical parallels: Methods of influencing active points of the body are also known in the medicine of other nations. Residents of South Africa, wanting to be cured of many diseases, scratch certain points on the body with a shell; Arabs, when treating radiculitis, cauterize part of the ear with a heated metal rod; Eskimos inflict injections with a sharpened stone.

Many discoveries have been made in the field of biology and medicine, but one complex mystery has not been solved for several thousand years. This is the mystery of the “life channels” running along the surface of the body.

Each channel is associated with a specific internal organ. The channels of the body, like the points on them, are invisible, but they really exist, since there is a constant mutual dependence between them and the internal organs. The impact on internal organs through these points using acupuncture and moxibustion is the basis of one of the main methods of treatment in Chinese medicine. The first literary data on the use of this method date back to the 6th century. BC They are set out in the “Canon of the Internal” (“Nei-ching”, around the 2nd century BC) - one of the oldest medical books in China.

Historical parallels:

In modern medicine of the East and West, the doctrine of vital channels and active points located on the surface of the human body is widely used. With the help of various instruments in the area of ​​active points (often called BAT - biologically active points), electrical and magnetic phenomena were discovered, as well as radiation carrying certain information. Modern science tends to consider the qi energy concentrated at these points as a certain type of matter - electrical, magnetic, acoustic, light.

The first needles were made of stone. Later they began to make them from silicon or jasper, from bone and bamboo, from metals: bronze, silver, gold, platinum, stainless steel. There were 9 needle shapes; among them were cylindrical, flat, round, triangular, spear-shaped, needles with a sharp and blunt end.

Such needles were not only intended for acupuncture, they also served as surgical instruments. For example, a sharp “arrow-shaped” needle was used to open abscesses; a needle with a round end was used to split muscles during operations; a thin needle with a blunt end was used to treat those patients who were afraid of injections: instead of an injection, they simply pressed on the appropriate points. To treat children, “skin” needles were made, with which shallow, superficial injections were made. Modern needles are usually made of silver or high grade stainless steel. When introduced, they do not destroy tissue because they have a very thin rod.

Cauterization

The active points were affected not only by cauterization. This method is sometimes mentioned in Chinese literature under such poetic names as “wonderful thunder needle” or “night torch hunt.” In the old days, it was believed that cauterization should cause a burn. “Irritation is without, effect is within” - says an old Chinese proverb. Cauterization was performed using a hot metal stick, lit sulfur powder, and crushed pieces of garlic.

Modern doctors usually use moxa (wormwood) for treatment, which gives

smoldering only pleasant warmth. It is traditionally believed that the effectiveness of moxibustion increases with the shelf life of moxa. For example, for the treatment of a disease that arose 7 years ago, moxa was recommended, which was stored for at least 3 years. Cigarettes and burning cones were stuffed with dried and tightly compressed wormwood; sometimes other medicinal plants were added to it. Moxibustion as a method of preventing and treating diseases has become widespread in Japan, Korea, Vietnam and many other Eastern countries.

Teaching the art of Zhen-Jiu

Comprehension of the art of “zhen-jiu” was very difficult and required a long time. The student had to study not only the location of active points on the “life channels”, but also the complex relationships between them. “You need to take a needle as carefully as approaching a tiger,” says an old Chinese proverb.

The first state institution where traditional medicine was taught - the Imperial Medical School - arose in China only in the Middle Ages. The school had 20 students, 1 teacher and assistant, 20 instructors and 20 needle makers. Of great importance for teaching was the creation of the first two bronze figures, which were cast in full human height under the direction of the physician Wang Wei-i in 1027. All the points and their names were marked on the surface of the figures. Each point corresponded to a deep channel for needle insertion. The outside of the figure was covered with wax, and the inside was filled with water: if the student inserted the needle correctly, a drop of water appeared on the surface of the figure. A year earlier, in 1026, Wang Wei-yi completed work on the Atlas of Points, which became the first officially accepted manual on acupuncture. From the 13th century Copying of figures began, the method of acupuncture went beyond China and began to spread to other Asian countries, then penetrated into Europe and America. In Russia, the first report about it was made in the late 20s. XIX century

Traditional Chinese medicine is also widespread in the modern world. In 1980, the World Health Organization recognized acupuncture as a scientifically proven method and recommended its use in the treatment of various diseases.

How to remove a herniated disc in China: a review of treatment methods

Treatment in China should not be considered only from the point of view of traditional techniques and minimally invasive procedures. Chinese clinics have all the necessary equipment and competent specialists who perform complex surgical operations according to generally accepted international standards. This balanced approach ensures more effective treatment results.

Non-surgical treatment methods

Traditional Chinese Medicine

The first stage of treatment is designed to eliminate pain and muscle tension. For these purposes, the following procedures are prescribed:

• acupuncture;
• acupressure;
• vacuum therapy;
• stone therapy;
• spinal traction.

After completing the first stage of therapy, the patient’s blood circulation is normalized, metabolism is activated, nutrition of disc tissue is provided, inflammation and pinched nerve endings are eliminated.

As a result: pain, muscle spasms and a feeling of numbness in the upper and lower extremities disappear without a trace.

The second stage is aimed at eliminating swelling, formed around compressed nerve roots. For these purposes, procedures are prescribed that have a warming effect:

• cauterization with wormwood cigars;
• warming up;
• paraffin therapy.

At the last stage, restorative therapy is carried out with the help of special gymnastics and herbal medicine.

Cost of treatment

ProcedurePrice

Minimally invasive treatment methods

Minimally invasive surgeries are gentle procedures that provide less intervention in the body than open surgeries used for the same purpose. Thanks to the use of endoscopic instruments, after the operation it is possible to preserve the spinal column intact.

Main advantages:

• leave virtually no scars;
• bleeding is minimized;
• local anesthesia;
• fast rehabilitation.

You can get up and walk within a couple of hours after the operation. The hospitalization period lasts no more than 5-7 days.

Needle Knife	The most effective and popular method of treating spinal diseases. Applicable only in China. The needle knife allows you to make accurate punctures with a diameter of 0.4–0.8 mm without damaging the nerve canals.
Hydroplastics	The manipulation is carried out using small punctures, through which a special solution is supplied into the disc cavity under high pressure, removing the affected tissue.
Radiofrequency ablation	A probe with electrodes is inserted into small punctures and heated to a high temperature. The hernia is destroyed by exposure to heat.
Laser vaporization	A relatively new method of treatment through heat. Helps reduce the volume of the hernia.
Laser reconstruction	It differs from the two above in that during the operation the cells of the cartilage tissue are stimulated, which promotes the rapid growth of cartilage tissue that fills the cracks and voids of the disc.

Spinal surgery

Microsurgical discectomy

Discectomy is performed using a microscope and laser. The intervention is performed through a small incision through which tissue from the core of the damaged vertebra is removed. The result is decompression and release of the spinal nerve roots.

The operation is performed under general anesthesia for several hours. Relatively safe for elderly patients.

In the recent past, it was unsafe to perform a complex operation to remove a hernia of the cervical spine, but with the advent of endoscopic microsurgery, such procedures do not pose any danger.

The likelihood of nerve damage during surgery and inflammation in the postoperative period is minimized.

The operation involves replacing a damaged disc with an artificial (movable implant). All actions of the neurosurgeon are controlled using an operating microscope or endoscope. To shorten the rehabilitation period, a laser reconstruction procedure is prescribed.

Patients begin to get up and start walking on the second day after surgery. Sutures are removed on the tenth day. You can return home in two weeks - on your own, without a cane, crutches or other means of support.

Reflexology is a healing system based on the principles of reflexology, carried out through various effects on body tissues, controlled and implemented through the central nervous system.

Considering the terminological confusion, the identity of such terms as “acupuncture”, “acupuncture”, “acupuncture”, “acupuncture”, we consider it necessary to propose the following abbreviated unified terminology and classification.

Classification of reflexology

According to the place of influence, reflexology is classified as follows:

Corporal - on points of the body;

Auricular - on the points of the auricle;

Cranial - to points and areas of the head;

Periosteal - irritation of the periosteum;

Plantar (pedopuncture);

Palmar (manopuncture, Su-Jok);

Nasal - on the points of the nose:

• - exonasal;
• - endonasal;

Oral - on points of the mucous membrane of the cheeks and lips. And others.

According to the method of influence, reflexology is divided into the following types.

Mechanical:

• - pressoreflexotherapy - pressure on surface mechanoreceptors;
• - acupuncture (classical acupuncture) - introduction of needles to influence all types of mechanoreceptors and nociceptors;
• - microneedling - prolonged introduction of microneedles, buttons;
• - tsuboreflexotherapy (Japan) - micropressure reflexotherapy, that is, the application of metal balls to the area of ​​certain points, prolonged pressure on mechanoreceptors;
• - peri o steel needle;
• - superficial - irritation with a lot of needle roller, hammer;
• - vibration (vibromassage) - mechanical vibrations with a frequency of 50-200 Hz for 20-30 minutes;
• - ultrasonic;
• - needle application;
• - vacuum - cupping massage.

Electrical, or electropuncture, is the effect of direct or alternating current in continuous or pulsed mode on all points and zones:

• - electroreflexotherapy - superficial electrical stimulation;
• - transcutaneous electrical stimulation of nerves is one of the methods of analgesic electrical stimulation in areas of skin projection of pain;
• - electroacupuncture, or electroacupuncture, - deep electrical stimulation of points through needles;
• - Ryodaraku method - a method based on the Ryodaraku phenomenon of increased electrical conductivity of certain points in the area of ​​​​the hands and feet;
• - Voll method.

Electromagnetic (radiant) - bioenergy therapy:

• - laser reflexotherapy (laser puncture)
• - magnetic reflexotherapy;
• - microwave resonance reflexology;
• - electrostatic reflexology - the use of an electrostatic field and spark discharge.

Thermal - exposure to temperature:

• - thermoreflexotherapy - non-contact heating of points and zones, impact on thermoreceptors;
• - thermal burn reflexology - local cauterization in the area of ​​points, ju-therapy, moxa therapy;
• - thermal acupuncture - heating through needles inserted into points, influencing mechano-, thermoreceptors and nociceptors;
• - cryoreflexotherapy - cryogenic influence;
• - cryo-needling therapy.

Medicinal or pharmacopuncture:

• - aquapuncture - administration of distilled water, isotonic solutions;
• - procaine blockades;
• - administration of medications to trigger points;
• - serum reflexology;
• - administration of drugs to the “herald” points and the “agreement” points;
• - neurotherapy - the method of “scar” injections;
• - mesotherapy - multiple intradermal injections in the areas of ZakharyinGed;
• - Edagawa technique - injection of solutions into muscle tissue (for muscle spasms);
• - osteopuncture - injection of drugs into the periosteum, etc.

Combined for bioactive points and zones:

• - electrophoresis, microelectrophoresis;
• - hydrotherapy;
• - aeroionotherapy.

Implantation:

• - Catgut;
• - other threads.

Minor bloodletting, etc.

Indications and contraindications for reflexology

Indications

Reflexology is widely used for the following diseases and conditions:

• diseases of the peripheral nervous system (radiculitis, neuritis, paresis, paralysis, neuralgia);
• neuroses (neurasthenia, hysteria, logoneurosis, nocturnal enuresis);
• functional hyperkinesis (tics, blepharospasm);
• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• initial manifestations of atherosclerosis, endarteritis, rheumatic vasculitis;
• vegetative-vascular paroxysms of peripheral origin (sympathoganglionitis, solaritis, Raynaud's disease, migraine, Meniere's disease);
• endocrine disorders (hypothalamic syndrome, thyrotoxicosis, diabetes, menopause);
• vasomotor-allergic conditions (urticaria, Quincke's edema, vasomotor rhinitis);
• bronchopulmonary diseases (bronchitis, bronchial asthma);
• gastrointestinal pathologies (dyskinesia, ulcers, erosion);
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system of metabolic, rheumatic, traumatic origin;
• skin diseases (neurodermatitis, eczema, etc.);
• diseases of the ENT organs (rhinitis, sinusitis, otitis, tonsillitis, etc.).

In addition, there is evidence of the positive effects of reflexology in a number of other diseases.

• Residual effects of cerebrovascular accident.
• Epilepsy.
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinsonism.
• Progressive muscular dystrophy
• Polio.
• Cerebral palsy.

Contraindications

• Neoplasms of any nature and any location.
• Acute infections, fever.
• Chronic infections (tuberculosis, brucellosis) in the acute stage.
• Organic diseases of the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys in the stage of decompensation.
• Sudden exhaustion.
• Infancy and old age (over 75 years).
• Psychoses.
• Acute pain syndromes of unknown origin.
• Pregnancy.
• Condition after heavy physical activity, running, hot bath.

It should be borne in mind that some patients cannot tolerate certain types or any of the reflexology methods. They may develop vascular reactions up to shock and collapse, as well as allergic reactions in the form of local skin rashes at the site of exposure or generalized processes such as anaphylaxis or toxic-allergic dermatitis. To avoid this, it is necessary to carefully examine the patient's medical history.

Some patients are resistant to reflexology procedures. In the aspect of traditional oriental medicine, primary resistance depends on the “energy deficiency” of the patient. This condition is more common in elderly, weakened patients, with infections, intoxication, and alcoholism.

Body weight, vascular sclerosis, biochemical blood parameters, etc. matter. Secondary resistance is detected some time after the start of treatment. It may occur due to too intensive and/or prolonged treatment. In such cases, it is more advisable to carry out an intermittent course of treatment. The effectiveness of treatment largely depends on the patient's previous condition. The doctor must try to determine the individual characteristics of the patient, his reactivity, immunity, functional state of the nervous system, and analyze each manifestation of the disease. When choosing the appropriate points, one should take into account the patient’s age, physiological cycles (menopause, menstrual cycle, pregnancy), and previous treatment.

Basic methods of reflexology

Currently, various methods of reflexology are used to influence acupuncture points. The effectiveness of treatment methods depends on their compliance with the patient’s condition and pathological disorders. This is possible only with a correct assessment of the patient’s condition, correct diagnosis from the perspective of Western and Eastern medicine, and good knowledge of the capabilities of individual treatment methods. Complex treatment using various reflexology methods is most effective, so it is advisable to use a combination of different methods during one session.

WARMING AND CAUSTERING

Warming and cauterization (thermoreflexotherapy, ju) is one of the main methods of treatment in Eastern traditional medicine, along with the method of classical acupuncture.

Due to the climatic conditions of most of the territory of Russia and the high frequency of colds, thermopuncture should find the widest application in our country.

Warming up is a moderate thermal effect on an acupuncture point. cauterization - a strong thermal effect on an acupuncture point with the development of a local burn of the 1st - 3rd degree. The classic method of exposure in Eastern medicine is the use of wormwood cigars or cones.

In modern reflexology, other methods of thermal influence on acupuncture points are also used, causing a local increase in skin temperature to 45 ° C: infrared radiation, mustard plasters, hot air, hot steam, which with the help of cone-shaped devices can be directed to the area of ​​the acupuncture point in a narrow stream, etc. However, their advantages over traditional Eastern methods of heating (wormwood cigars or cones) are questionable.

Mechanism of action

The mechanism of action of thermoreflexotherapy cannot be considered completely studied. From the point of view of Western medicine, heat exposure causes irritation primarily of heat receptors (thermoreceptors), which leads to the formation of bradykinin, a local vasodilator reaction. Afferent impulses in the area of ​​the acupuncture point are accompanied by reactions at the segmental and pituitary-hypothalamic levels. These reactions have an adaptive-trophic orientation and include the efferent reaction of the pituitary-adrenal-adrenal system in the form of an adaptation syndrome, which is based on a neuro-reflex reaction with the subsequent connection of the humoral-endocrine link. The reaction from the vascular system manifests itself in the form of a short-term narrowing and then dilatation of blood vessels during the procedure, a slowing of the pulse, and a slight increase in blood pressure.

Long-term use of thermopuncture with high or low blood pressure leads to a certain extent to its normalization.

M. Kimura et al. (1988) experimentally established that heating, along with other therapeutic effects, stimulates regional immune activity. With a mild degree, heating causes moderate skin irritation (corresponding to 1st degree burn), which has a therapeutic effect for 3-5 days. Stronger heating and cauterization cause a 2-3 degree burn with scar formation, the duration of action is up to 3-4 weeks. When cauterized, the bioactive substances released act on chemoreceptors.

Thus, heating and cauterization have a complex, often multiphase local and general effect, and the main one is the stimulating nature of the action. Much less often, thermopuncture has a sedative, inhibitory effect, for example, reducing inflammation from insect bites and skin diseases.

From the point of view of oriental medicine, any heating and cauterization has a tonic effect that enhances vital energy. Compared to classical acupuncture, warming acts more slowly, but over a longer period of time.

Methodology

For thermopuncture, various heat sources are used with the possibility of a limited-area thermal effect of a distant or contact type.

Remote heating

Remote heating is indicated for arthritis, glenohumeral periarthrosis, lumbago, dyspepsia, menstrual irregularities and many other conditions. The main method of distant thermopuncture is heating with cigars, which are made from wormwood, previously dried in the shade and crushed.

Wormwood cigars come to our country from various eastern countries, most often from China. However, they are relatively expensive, so many specialists make them themselves. To do this, collect leaves of common wormwood, or Chernobyl, Artetisia vulgaris from the chrysanthemum family. The leaves of wormwood contain essential oils, carbohydrates, protein substances; in folk medicine they are widely used for gynecological diseases, hemorrhoids, epilepsy and other pathological conditions. This type of wormwood grows everywhere in our country in the middle zone. It should be borne in mind that other types of wormwood (wormwood, Artetisia absintus, known from bitters, absinthe, wormwood, Artetisia cina, etc.) are not used for the manufacture of wormwood cigars and cones.

Method of distant warming. The cigar is lit and placed over the selected acupuncture point or area at a distance of approximately 2 cm. The duration of the procedure is until a feeling of warmth and hyperemia appears, usually 15-30 minutes.

Wormwood does not burn, but smolders. The smoldering end of a wormwood cigarette emits infrared radiation, which has a predominant thermal effect on tissue. The procedure causes a pleasant sensation of warmth and creates the possibility of gradual and prolonged warming of the skin and underlying tissues without the formation of a burn (the temperature of the heated areas of the skin can increase after a few minutes to 43-45 °C without the formation of a severe burn or scar).

There are 3 types of effects during disgant thermopuncture: stable, intermittent (“pecking”, tszyu) and ironing.

With stable exposure, the heat emitter is installed at such a distance from the surface of the skin in the acupuncture area that the patient experiences a pronounced sensation of warmth in this area. The duration of the procedure is 5 - 10 minutes or more. Has a strong irritating, inhibitory effect.

Intermittent (“pecking”) exposure consists of rhythmically approaching bioactive points and moving the heat emitter away from them, obtaining a short-term sensation of burning heat. The duration of the procedure is 2-5 minutes. Has a mild irritating, stimulating effect. Often used for flaccid paralysis, arterial hypotension and syncope.

The ironing effect involves heating not only the acupuncture area, but also a relatively large area by continuously moving the heat emitter at a close distance from the skin, parallel to the area of ​​the body being heated. Since with this method the smoldering end of the cigar is constantly in motion, even when it approaches the skin significantly, a strong burning sensation and burn does not occur. This method has a calming effect to a certain extent and is especially effective for various skin and allergic diseases: neurodermatitis, eczema, baldness, as well as for pain syndromes, muscle tension, cramps, etc.

Direct (contact, thermal burn) thermoreflexotherapy

The most widely used are cones made, like cigars, from dried and crushed Chernobyl wormwood. In Japan, China and other eastern countries, such crushed wormwood is known as moxa; it is sold in the form of a wooly, brown mass, packaged in large plastic bags or paper boxes. You can use homemade moxa from collected, dried and crushed wormwood leaves.

The following variants of contact thermopuncture are distinguished: application directly to acupuncture points and contact indirect heating through a layer of salt.

The application directly to acupuncture points of various substances (moxa) in the form of a cone, which when burned have a thermal effect, is as follows.

Before the procedure, a cone-shaped cast is formed from wormwood, usually the size of a small pea or slightly larger. The smallest cone is comparable in size to a grain of wheat, the largest - to the size of a bean. It is more advisable to use small cones. The cone formed in one way or another is placed on the skin and set on fire. For ignition, in order to avoid burns, it is better to use flameless matches, sacrificial sticks, used in the East in Buddhist temples instead of candles (xiang sticks). There are 2 options for direct cauterization: with and without scar formation.

In the method with scar formation, before the procedure, to enhance the irritating effect, the area of ​​the point is lubricated with garlic or onion juice. The lit cone is left at this point for as long as possible, preferably until it burns completely. After removing the first cone (you can simply drop it with tweezers into a tightly closed metal container with water), the next cone is placed on the point and set on fire, repeating the entire procedure 5-10 times. This method usually results in a II-III degree burn with the formation of a blister and subsequent scarring within 2-3 weeks.

In ancient times, it was believed that only such cauterization - with the formation of a bubble with serous contents (ju-chuan) - could have a therapeutic effect.

Currently, this method is used by oriental specialists for chronic diseases, in particular for bronchial asthma, etc. They burn points in areas covered by clothing. Do not use points on the hands, face or other open areas of the body.

Direct cauterization without scar formation is carried out in a similar, but more gentle manner. The skin is preliminarily lubricated with Vaseline, the cone is removed after approximately two-thirds have burned - when the patient experiences a slight burning sensation. After removing the first cone, you can repeat the procedure with the next cones, 3-6 times in total. Heating with a large number of cones is less commonly used, sometimes up to 50-100 per point. This method does not cause severe burns or scars. Used for chronic diseases of the deficiency type and diseases caused by cold, for example, chronic diarrhea, chronic bronchitis, rhinitis, and colds. in Japan, various variants of direct contact cauterization are used to remove warts. Cauterization of the largest wart causes the smaller warts located around it to disappear without cauterization. In addition, this method is used to remove calluses and enhance hair growth in case of focal baldness (hair grows around the cauterization site).

Contact indirect heating through a layer of salt (a clove of garlic or ginger) with a hole with a diameter of 2 mm. In all these methods, a layer of substance is placed on the skin, on which a lit cone is placed on top. The cone is removed after the skin around it turns slightly red. If the patient feels a strong burning sensation before redness, a small sheet of paper is placed on the skin under the layer. If the skin does not turn red after burning one cone, add the next one.

This method is used for deficient type abdominal pain, nausea, etc.

In Japan, the method of indirect contact cauterization is used to induce labor. As the experience of Japanese specialists shows, even in cases where the administration of oxytocin is ineffective, moxibustion causes labor pains, and therefore obstetricians often invite specialists in Zhen Ju therapy.

In addition, they use this method in children for irritability, seizures and nocturnal enuresis, as well as for the treatment and prevention of exacerbations of chronic diseases.

It is more advisable to carry out thermopuncture for chronic diseases. This method is effective in the treatment of skin diseases, in particular with symptoms of exudation (for example, weeping eczema), alopecia.

Clinical experience shows that thermopuncture is also effective in the treatment of arterial hypotension, bronchial asthma, cholecystitis, arthritis, sciatic neuritis, as well as headaches.

Comparing the indications for heating and classical acupuncture, we can say that heating is more indicated for chronic diseases, acupuncture - for acute ones. Warming is more often used in patients with a weak constitution, in weakened patients, and acupuncture is preferable for excess syndromes. Acupuncture is best done in the morning, and acupuncture in the evening.

Contraindications

Contraindications to thermopuncture are the same as to classical acupuncture.

Reflexology methods should not be used in cases of severe exhaustion, after a long illness, in cancer patients, with abdominal pain of unknown etiology, severe diseases of the cardiovascular system, chronic progressive infectious diseases and some other conditions.

Moreover, due to the stimulating nature, heating and cauterization are especially contraindicated at high temperatures, severe hemoptysis, pregnancy, and acutely developed disease.

Warming and cauterization can be combined with other methods. Most often they are combined with classical acupuncture.

SUPERFICIAL ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY

Superficial acupuncture (piJi, “pi fu”) involves influencing acupuncture points, biologically active zones and areas with a roller, multi-needle hammer or a bunch of needles. Various types of superficial acupuncture are a variant of rapid superficial acupuncture with one needle, which can be carried out by quickly applying a series of injections with a regular acupuncture needle. However, this method of influence is unproductive, time-consuming and technically complex, so this method is used relatively rarely. Typically, the method of superficial acupuncture described below using a multi-needle hammer, a bunch of needles or a roller is used instead.

The method of superficial acupuncture was known in ancient China and is described as a special type of superficial acupuncture - “yang-tsi”. At first it was used mainly in children, so it was also known as children's.

It is now widely used in adults. We use it in almost all patients as an introductory or final procedure during a session of classical acupuncture and other methods of reflexology. Less commonly, superficial acupuncture is used as monotherapy.

Mechanism of action

Superficial acupuncture causes mechanical irritation in the corresponding points and areas, which leads to an increase in the electrical conductivity of the skin and increased local blood circulation. In addition, the impact on acupuncture points and biologically active zones, reflexively associated with the corresponding functional systems, causes changes in the corresponding centers of their regulation.

Indications and contraindications

Superficial reflexology is prescribed for a very wide range of diseases.

It is especially indicated for chronic processes, neuroses, vegetative-vascular dystonia, nocturnal enuresis, etc. Most often, superficial reflexology is combined with other types of reflexology. In this case, superficial multi-needle acupuncture is used as an introductory procedure or at the end of the session. The method is also used in cases where, for some reason, classical acupuncture or other treatment methods are contraindicated (for example, in pediatric practice).

The use of superficial reflexology is contraindicated only for local skin changes. It is undesirable to use this method for acute pain syndromes.

Multi-needle hammers are used. In some cases, special tubes with needles can be used. There are holes in the tube only for the needle tip to pass through. Irritation is carried out by lightly tapping the required areas with the working surface of the tube. Another method of multi-needle irritation has also been developed - needle application (Kuznetsov I.I., 1981), in which the effect on certain skin areas is carried out by applying flexible plates of various sizes with needles attached to them (1-16 pieces per 1 cm2). The pressure of the needles on the skin can be adjusted by pumping air into the rubber coupling that fits on top of the needle applicator. Rollers used in superficial acupuncture are usually made of special hard stainless alloys. You can also use rollers with more needles or plastic rollers, but they sometimes give a less pleasant feeling than the more expensive carbide rollers.

Method of influence

Superficial acupuncture with a multi-needle hammer

The procedure for irritation with a multi-needle hammer consists of rhythmic tapping on certain acupuncture points and skin areas.

Mild irritation is not accompanied by severe pain; after the procedure, a slight, unstable erythema appears on the skin.

Moderate irritation is accompanied by slight pain, which goes away immediately after the session. Severe persistent erythema is characteristic.

Severe irritation is accompanied by severe pain. After the session, in addition to persistent erythema, petechiae and pinpoint hemorrhages appear at the treatment sites, disappearing after a few days.

Extreme irritation is used very rarely. The impact is close to the threshold of pain tolerance. The patient can hardly bear the pain and may ask to stop the procedure. The skin reaction is more pronounced than with severe irritation.

Mastering the multi-needle stimulation technique requires quite a lot of training. The doctor’s hand should be quite flexible, trained not only in terms of speed, accuracy, but also the force of impact with a multi-needle hammer.

The frequency of beats can be worked out using a metronome - from one beat per 2 s to two beats per 1 s (120 per min). You should also pay attention to the strictly perpendicular direction of the blows. In this case, the handle of the hammer must be held with sufficient force, elastically - otherwise its head easily deviates to the side and the needles scratch the skin. At the same time, the hand should not be overly tense during training - otherwise its mobility sharply decreases, it quickly gets tired, and the blows become uneven in strength and frequency.

Superficial acupuncture with a bunch of needles

Irritation with a bunch of needles is a type of superficial acupuncture using several needles connected in a bunch, usually mounted on a long handle. Irritation with a bunch of needles is carried out in certain zones, describing tracks of various shapes: longitudinal, transverse, ring-shaped, oval, etc. The shape of the track depends on the zone. The distance between the tracks and the impacts on the track is on average 5-10 mm.

Often a series of blows is used in the same area, corresponding to the location of the acupuncture point. Start with 20 and increase to 40-50 strokes by the end of the course of treatment. In children, elderly and debilitated patients, mild to moderate irritation should be used. In the area of ​​the head, face, neck, and abdomen, intense irritation is not used.

Superficial acupuncture with a roller

Areas of biologically active zones are treated with special rollers that have a mechanical irritating effect on the skin. The roller is applied to the corresponding areas with light pressure, and the direction of movement of the roller can correspond to the paths of the venous and lymphatic tract or the lines of skin tension (Langer's lines). Irritation is carried out until hyperemia appears in the area of ​​influence.

Indications, contraindications and complications

Superficial acupuncture in the cervical-collar, paravertebral and some other areas as an introductory or final procedure is indicated for almost all diseases. It is especially effective for neuroses, vegetative-vascular dystonia, chronic bronchitis, other chronic pulmonary diseases, nocturnal enuresis, gynecological chronic diseases, gastritis, gastric ulcers, etc.

Contraindications are the same as for classical acupuncture. At the same time, superficial acupuncture should not be carried out in the area of ​​​​changed skin, warts, especially with pronounced pigmentation, with a tendency to bleeding, or hemophilia. Complications are recorded extremely rarely. If the rules of asepsis are violated, irritation and infectious and inflammatory changes in the skin are possible. In this case, treatment should be interrupted and the skin in the affected area should be treated with 76% alcohol. With strong and super-strong exposure in weakened patients, vegetative reactions and fainting are possible.

Impact zones

The scope of application of superficial multi-needle acupuncture is the same as that of most reflexology methods. Depending on the indications, irritation with a bunch of needles can be carried out both on the affected and on the symmetrical healthy side. It is recommended to start the procedure on the healthy side, using varying degrees of irritation. The most commonly used zones are the following.

Collar area. The effect is indicated for chronic cerebral circulatory failure, vegetative-vascular dystonia, neuroses, cervical osteochondrosis, muscle-tonic syndromes in the cervical-collar region, etc. Used for spondylogenic pain, local muscle-tonic syndromes.

Sections of the spine. Paravertebral at the level of the thoracic region they act in chronic pulmonary processes, chronic bronchitis; at the lower thoracic and lumbar levels - for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver; in the sacral zone - for gynecological diseases.

"Panty zone" - for nocturnal enuresis, gynecological diseases.

ACUTE MASSAGE

Acupressure is a type of reflexology in which a targeted therapeutic effect on the organs and tissues of the body is carried out through mechanical stimulation (pressure and other massage methods) of certain acupuncture points.

The method was known and recognized as one of the main methods of treatment in China already in the 1st-2nd centuries. BC Currently, it is widely used both independently and as a component of general or segmental massage, as well as in combination with other reflexology methods.

Mechanism of action

The mechanism of action of acupressure massage is fundamentally different from the mechanism of action of Western massage, in which improvement of blood circulation and lymphatic drainage plays an important role.

From the point of view of Western medicine, acupressure leads to a decrease in the electrical conductivity of the skin in the area of ​​the massaged acupuncture point. This causes changes in the functional activity of the corresponding replication centers in the corresponding functional systems.

Impact on local points during pain increases the threshold of pain sensitivity in the corresponding receptive field and, thus, reduces the sensation of pain.

Kneading local areas of hypertonicity in various degenerative-dystrophic processes (Cornelius's nodes, Schade's nodes, etc.) also plays an important role in eliminating the closed pathological circle of relationships in the pathogenesis of these processes, therefore, treatment with acupressure in these patients is pathogenetic in nature.

From the point of view of Eastern medicine, acupressure normalizes the circulation of energy locally (when affecting local points), in the corresponding meridian and organ (when massaging important meridian points) or in the body as a whole (when affecting general points)

There are many types of acupressure (self-massage, yoga, shiatsu, etc.). differing in techniques and/or strength of influence.

Carrying out acupressure involves the use of basic techniques of classical massage (stroking, rubbing, kneading, vibration). transformed into special techniques depending on the anatomical features of the acupuncture zone and the goals of the intervention. In addition, pinching, pressing, piercing and other techniques are used.

Rubbing is performed in the same way as stroking, but with more pressure. More often, circular, stable rubbing is used in the area of ​​the point. A roller forms in front of the finger sliding over the skin.

Kneading is carried out by grasping the muscles with your fingers, pulling them back, kneading them. In this case, the technique of pushing, piercing, finger pricking, grabbing, etc. is used.

The thrusting method involves rotating, gradually deepening movements of the fingertip or nail until a strong painful sensation appears, reminiscent of the phenomenon of the intended sensation in acupuncture. When applying pressure with a fingernail, stronger sensations are obtained, close to the “de qi” phenomenon (finger-needle method).

Vibration can be intermittent or continuous. In this case, a series of rhythmic oscillatory movements are made with the tip of the index finger. in which vibration occurs in the massaged tissues.

Pressure (acupressure) is carried out by applying pressure to the area of ​​the point with the tip or joint of a finger, usually until a painful sensation appears. This technique is used for pain syndromes caused by excess, stagnation of energy in any area of ​​the paranasal sinuses. The nature of the impact during acupressure can be inhibitory or stimulating.

The inhibitory method is characterized by impact on one or several acupuncture points, slowly increasing intensity, longer duration of exposure, depth during pressing or piercing.

The stimulating (stimulating) method is characterized by a quick short impact sequentially at a number of points using one or more successive techniques described above. The force of the finger impact is sufficient to irritate the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscles to obtain the intended sensations without irradiation. The frequency of movements is high, the duration of impact on the point is 30-40 s. The number of massaged points per session is 8-10 or more. The impact on all points can be repeated, but no more than 2 times.

Massage can be performed on the same day as physiotherapeutic procedures, but it is advisable to prescribe them after the massage in order to use the background. caused by massage, to enhance the effect of physiotherapeutic procedures and not cause depression of the reflex sphere. In weakened patients, between acupressure and physiotherapeutic procedures there should be enough time for the patient to rest (2-3 hours).

MICRONEEDLEFLEXOTHERAPY

Microneedling reflexotherapy is one of the types of acupuncture, intended for long-term (prolonged) effects on acupuncture points. Known in China as intradermal acupuncture "pi-nei-zhen", "pi-nei-zhen").

Mechanism of action

The focus of chronic aseptic inflammation around the microneedle causes irritation of receptors and, as a consequence, activation of neuroendocrine adaptation mechanisms, normalization of the functional activity of the corresponding organs and systems.

Prolonged irritation of receptors in the area of ​​an acupuncture point by microneedles creates a long-lasting dominant that switches the flow of pathological impulses to itself, causes a break in the pathological circle, helps to “slow down” the focus of pathological hyperactivity and thereby creates conditions for reducing pain, hyperkinesis, attacks of bronchial asthma, vegetative-vascular and other violations.

A comparison of the mechanism of action of classical acupuncture and micro-acupuncture showed that with classical acupuncture, rapid response mechanisms are activated in the form of an antinociceptive subsystem of neurons associated with opiate neurons. With microneedling, the folding antinociceptive system is activated more slowly.

Microneedles are made from a single piece of wire (0.1-0.3 mm in diameter) of the same material as conventional acupuncture needles, that is, from special grades of stainless steel, silver, gold, etc.

Procedure technique

The technique for inserting microneedles is somewhat different from the technique for inserting conventional needles. After appropriate preparation of the skin, the needle is taken with sterile eye or ordinary tweezers, like a pen, and inserted subcutaneously. It is very important that the needle is located subcutaneously, and not intradermally (this is too painful when inserted) and not intramuscularly or in close proximity to the tendons (can lead to curvature of the microneedle). When inserting a needle into points on the scalp, hair is first removed from an area of ​​1 cm 2 or the needles are fixed with a special bioglue; microneedles are also introduced onto the body if there is pronounced hair growth. After insertion, the microneedle is fixed with adhesive tape. The microneedle can also be fixed with a special bioglue.

Depending on the indication, one to six needles can be inserted for varying times. Steel needles can remain in tissues for 1-7 days, silver or gold - 2-3 weeks.

As an additional method, microneedling is often used in combination with a course of classical acupuncture. Long-term exposure of microneedles enhances and consolidates the resulting effect of acupuncture therapy. In such cases, there are 2 options.

Introducing microneedles after a session, for example, classical acupuncture, for 1-2 days or more, that is, until the next session. This alternation continues throughout the entire course of treatment (10-15 sessions).

Introduction of microneedles after completion of the main course of reflexology to consolidate the achieved result (maintenance therapy) or to prevent relapse of the disease. In this case, the patient periodically irritates the acupuncture points by pressing his fingers on the microneedles, which is especially important for stopping incipient attacks, for example, bronchial asthma, trigeminal neuralgia, facial hemispasm, etc.

Contraindications

Contraindications to the use of microneedling are limited only to skin diseases in the area where microneedles are supposed to be introduced (inflammation, boils, other pustular skin diseases, scars, traumatic lesions, etc.). Microneedling therapy should not be combined with radiotherapy, electroreflexotherapy and physiotherapy on the area where microneedles are inserted.

Complications

The most common complication may be a bend, or bend, of the microneedle shaft in the tissue. The most serious complication is needle fracture. This can happen when using low-quality needles. Infection in the microneedle area is rare.

PLATE APPLICATION

Plate application is one of the methods of prolonged reflexology.

Empirical metal therapy has been used in Europe since the time of Paracelsus.

The basis for the use of this type of treatment was obviously the belief in the powerful power of metal. Its practical application has yielded certain positive results.

Mechanism of action

When applied to the skin, metal has a dual effect - local and general.

The local effect occurs due to mechanical irritation of the receptors and due to the formation of microcurrents at the metal-tissue interface; the general effect is explained by the penetration of metal ions into the body.

Plates made of red copper, gold, silver (999 fineness), high-grade stainless steel and zinc are most often used.

The application of copper plates has the greatest therapeutic effect in cases of copper deficiency in the body, as well as in pain syndromes due to its analgesic effect.

Silver is used to accelerate tissue regeneration (with delayed wound healing, gastritis, cystitis, vaginitis, etc.), for obesity, connective tissue pathologies of various origins and fluid retention in the body. It also has a regulating effect on the functions of the nervous system, skin and genitourinary organs, therefore, it can be used for various diseases of these systems. The use of silver in vegetative dysfunctions (hypothalamic syndrome, vegetative-vascular dystonia, ganglionitis), hysterical neurosis, consequences of a stroke, etc. deserves special attention.

Applications of lead plates have found application in diseases of the skeletal system (ossification disorders due to rickets, long-term non-healing fractures, osteoporosis of bones), exudative diathesis, chronic dermatitis, skin keratoses, baldness, and diseases of the spleen.

In some cases, it is advisable to use plates made of dissimilar metals, in particular copper and zinc. The application of such plates generates an electric charge of a certain magnitude (its magnitude, other things being equal, depends on the size of the plates), which significantly enhances the therapeutic effect.

Copper and zinc plates are preferable for application to bioactive points that form transverse channels between paired meridians, or to bioactive exit and entry points of neighboring meridians, which allows restoring the functional balance of the meridians.

Methodology

The essence of this method of reflexology is to apply well-polished metal circles made of copper, stainless steel, silver, gold and other metal with a diameter of 2 to 30 mm and a thickness of 1-3 mm to the acupuncture zones. Recently, ebonite plates with a thickness of 1-1.5 mm and a diameter of 5 mm have been used. In the center they have some thickening, which makes them closer in shape to balls. The plates are secured with adhesive tape. The duration of application is 3-5 days, then a 2-3-day break is taken to avoid skin irritation with the adhesive plaster.

Indications and contraindications

Indications for the application of metal plates are considered mainly chronic diseases (for example, osteochondrosis and its neurological manifestations, neuritis, neuropathies, myositis, lesions of individual joints, bronchial asthma, diseases of the liver and other internal organs, hypertension, etc.), pain syndromes in childhood and old age, as well as in pregnant women.

The application of metal plates to bioactive points is rarely used as an independent method of treatment. It is preferable to use it in between courses of classical acupuncture, in the treatment of children and particularly sensitive individuals.

Contraindications are the same as for microneedling and tsubo therapy. As a rule, they are limited to local skin changes.

The effectiveness of metal therapy, the simplicity, and safety of the method suggest that it will be developed in various forms in the future, including in reflexology.

CRANIAL REFLEXOTHERAPY

Cranial reflexotherapy (scalporeflexotherapy, craniopuncture) is the effect of acupuncture needles, electric current and other methods on special areas located on the scalp.

Cranial reflexology is a relatively new technique of reflexology.

The first publications appeared in 1972 in China. A year later, the Austrian Society of Acupuncture received a copy of an article entitled “Scalp Needle Therapy” in Chinese, which described the history of the method, its anatomical and physiological basis and the localization of the most important areas of the scalp for treatment. Subsequently, reports of this method appeared in other countries. The peculiarity of the method is that it affects linearly located areas of the scalp, and not individual acupuncture points, as with classical acupuncture. The location of these zones to a certain extent coincides with the anatomical projection of the brain structures whose functions are targeted.

Mechanism of action

The mechanism of action of cranial reflexology is currently not clear enough. It is believed that when exposed to areas of the scalp, receptors are irritated and afferent impulses occur (mainly nociceptive and protopathic) involving the structures of the medulla oblongata, subcortical nuclei, cerebral cortex and subsequent influence on various body systems.

Method of influence

There are various methods of cranial reflexology.

The classic method is to target the area with one long needle. For this purpose, stainless steel needles with a diameter of 0.3-0.4 mm and a length of 6-13 cm are used.

Cranial reflexology with a thick needle has the most powerful effect.

It is very important that the needle is sufficiently elastic and well sharpened.

The needle is inserted horizontally, subcutaneously or under the aponeurotic helmet to a depth of 3-5 mm. It can be administered vertically, using the injection method, in order to quickly and less painfully pass through the skin.

After passing through the skin, the needle is taken by the handle and advanced further with jerking movements in combination with a very fast but small amplitude rotation of the needle (30-900) alternately in both directions.

Due to the difficulty of inserting needles to the required depth, another technique can be used - sequentially introducing shorter needles into selected areas (herringbone pattern). This method has a gentler effect than classic cranial reflexology with one needle, and is better tolerated by patients. For this method, use regular acupuncture needles 5-7 cm long.

They are introduced in pairs at a distance of 5 mm horizontally or at an angle of 300 towards each other along the entire zone. For one session, 4-8 needles are taken, depending on how the patient tolerates the procedure.

Once the needles are inserted, they should be stimulated in various ways. If the procedure is well tolerated, you can rotate the needles with a small amplitude (30-900) clockwise and counterclockwise for 0.5-2 minutes. Stimulation is repeated after a 5-minute pause. For electrical stimulation, a current of 20-50 μA is used with a frequency of 1-20 Hz, less often - 40-127 Hz, 30 s per point.

The duration of the session is 20-30 minutes. After removing the needles, the skin is treated with a 76% alcohol solution.

In addition to the described technique, microneedling is used using 3-7 microneedles along the described areas of the scalp, leaving the needles for 3-7 days.

In recent years, laser treatment has also been used on scalp areas, emphasizing the painlessness and effectiveness of this method.

For acute and subacute diseases, cranial reflexology is carried out daily or every other day, for chronic diseases - after 4-7 days. Number of sessions - 10-25. Courses of treatment are repeated 2-3 times with breaks between them of 7-10 days. Cranial reflexology, if necessary, can be combined with other treatment methods, including classical acupuncture, auriculoreflexotherapy, etc.

Indications and contraindications

The scalpotherapy method is effectively used for a wide range of diseases, such as the consequences of head injury, acute cerebrovascular accidents, hyperkinetic syndromes, parkinsonism, epilepsy (especially Jacksonian), visual disorders, diseases of internal organs, etc.

In severe cases, cranial reflexology should be carried out after the acute period has been relieved and the patient’s condition has been stabilized. MHome authors talk about the high effectiveness of cranial reflexology, especially when combined with auricular therapy, supplemented by the administration of drugs, electrical stimulation and the use of laser or extremely high-frequency therapy.

Many leading reflexologists believe that cranial therapy has a direct effect on the cortical structures of the brain, unlike other methods of reflexology, which have an indirect effect on the cortex.

Contraindications to the use of cranial reflexology are the same as to other methods of reflexology. The most common adverse reactions occur in the form of paleness, headache, and fever. Hyperhidrosis, other autonomic reactions, and short-term fainting are possible. In such cases, the session time must be reduced.

LA3EROREFLEXOTHERAPY

Laser reflexotherapy (helium-neon laser therapy, phototherapy) affects various parts of the body, blood vessels with continuous monochromatic polarized red light with a wavelength of 630-900 nm or a semiconductor laser.

Mechanism of action

The monochromatic coherent beam of a helium-neon laser has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic; vasodilating, sedative, immunocorrective, hypocoagulative, stimulating metabolic and regenerative processes.

One of the most important features of non-damaging intensity laser radiation is stimulation of the immune and endocrine systems.

Depending on the power of exposure, there are 3 stages of irradiation:

• 1 - local increase in temperature, effect on thermoreceptors, reversible stage;
• II - dehydration, reversible stage;
• III - protein coagulation, irreversible changes in case of overdose.

There are 2 types of lasers.

• Helium-neon lasers with a short wavelength - 630 nm (6328 angstroms). They penetrate shallowly.
• Semiconductor lasers with longer wavelengths - 800-1500 nm (8000-15,000 angstroms). Penetrates most deeply.

There are devices in which both modes are possible.

Indications and contraindications

Indications for the use of laser therapy are as follows:

• skin diseases and lesions of the mucous membranes (eczema, psoriasis, neurodermatitis, postoperative wounds, herpetic rashes, anal fissures);
• tinnitus, dizziness, Meniere's disease;
• discogenic radicular syndrome;
• chronic salpingoophoritis;
• chronic pneumonia, bronchitis;
• arthrosis, periarthritis, epicondylitis;
• stomatitis;
• nocturnal enuresis;
• tunnel syndromes (Roth disease, carpal tunnel syndrome);
• trigeminal neuralgia.

Contraindications are common to all types of reflexology. In addition, it is impossible to influence the retina of the patient and the doctor.

Acupuncture and moxibustion are two different therapeutic approaches that treat various diseases:

1. Acupuncture is the treatment of a disease by influencing biologically active points of the body by sticking (entering) various types of needles into them.

2. Moxibustion methods are the process of burning the moxa plant (wood) over specific acupuncture points of the body. "

Although acupuncture and moxibustion are often used together to treat ailments ranging from various internal ailments in the body to gynecological and pediatric diseases, acupuncture and moxibustion are two different therapeutic approaches in the treatment of various diseases.

Acupuncture treats diseases by puncturing acupuncture points on the body with various types of needles. But when cauterizing, certain moxa plants (wood) are set on fire and held over certain points of the body. Despite the differences in the equipment and materials used, the end result of the treatment and prophylactic procedures is similar.

Stimulating the body's major acupuncture points and channels improves the circulation of qi and blood through vital channels. The expected results often come quickly, with virtually no side effects.

The places where needles are inserted or heat (moxibustion) is applied are known as acupuncture points. By concentrating all your attention on certain points, you can get different effects and responses in the corresponding parts of the body. The discovery of these points and their stimulation led to the creation and implementation of the theory of channels and collaterals. Previously, acupuncturists believed that irritation (stimulation) with a needle at a certain point would affect other parts of the body in a given area. Impact on different acupuncture sites will also lead to similar results. Thus, acupuncturists studied the relationship between these points and developed the theory of channels and collaterals.

The vertically arranged "mainways" were described by ancient physicians as "canals", while the major and minor branches of these "canals" were designated "collaterals". In general, this network can be defined as consisting of 12 channels, 15 collaterals and 8 emergency (auxiliary) channels. This network extends throughout the body and connects various points of the body.

The points that form this network have been studied and discovered one by one during the long history of acupuncture and moxibustion. Archaeological excavations and historical data show that impressive results were obtained at the very beginning of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). The earliest advances in acupuncture and moxibustion were recorded by Shima Qian in Shiji (Historical Records), a Han Dynasty historian. Confirmation of this fact is presented in the work “Biography of Bian Que,” a man who brought patients out of coma using the method of acupuncture (acupuncture).

Acupuncture and moxibustion have been popular treatments for thousands of years as a method of preventing and treating disease. These methods are an important and integral fact of Chinese medicine.

Thermopuncture (cauterization, moxotherapy)– this is one of the methods (cauterization or warming), which consists of a thermal effect on biologically active points of the body. This practice originated many years ago in Eastern medicine and is called “zhen-ju” treatment in Chinese (where “zhen” is acupuncture and “jiu” is thermopuncture).

This method involves the use of heat sources where the thermal effect may be limited in area. Thermopuncture is carried out in various ways: non-contact or remote, contact or distant, as well as stimulation with hot needles or by heating needles already installed at the acupuncture point.

When is thermopuntura used?

Along with other methods, thermopuncture can act as an independent method of treatment, or as an auxiliary one - in combination with other practices or in addition to drug therapy.

By influencing the meridians and biologically active points, this method is well suited for the treatment of various chronic ailments, as well as certain critical conditions. In addition, thermopuncture is a fairly effective preventive measure and is widely used in rehabilitation measures.

Thermopuncture helps in treating a wide range of allergic syndromes, various types of pain, many neuroendocrine skin diseases, and some psychosomatic and neurogenic disorders. This practice is also used to normalize blood pressure, improve blood circulation, to rejuvenate the body, calm the nervous system and for problems associated with vegetative-vascular dystonia.

In accordance with the teachings of traditional Chinese medicine, symptoms that arise due to lack of energy or cold (regular colds, inflammatory diseases of bones and joints) are perfectly amenable to the effects of thermopuncture.

The essence of the thermopuncture method

The method of thermal exposure is based on the principle of gradual, continuous heating of the skin at reflexogenic points and tissues adjacent to these points. Thermopuncture using low temperatures over a short period of time produces a weak stimulating effect.

By changing the temperature and duration of irritation, the therapeutic result occurs. Therapy is carried out through the activation of the functions of various systems and internal organs, which are interconnected with acupuncture points that act as objects of manipulation.

In ancient times, sulfur powder, a burning wick, and red-hot metal sticks were used to perform the thermopuncture procedure. In eastern countries, smoldering moxas have always been widely used. They were made from various dried herbs (juniper, wormwood, other medicinal plants), folded into a tube and wrapped in thin paper, forming something like a cigar. In this situation, it is not so much the healing properties of herbs that are of great importance, but their ability to create the required temperature (about sixty or seventy degrees) during the smoldering period.

Thermopuncture procedure

After a thorough diagnostic examination, and in accordance with each specific ailment, the specialist determines the method, number and duration of procedures. Doctors from China say: the longer the course of moxibustion therapy, the more effective it is.

The minimum duration of thermal treatment is about ten sessions, the frequency of which is from daily procedures to two sessions per week. The duration of each exposure is approximately twenty minutes or about half an hour.

When carrying out therapy using thermopuncture, it is necessary to strictly follow some rules:

• do not expose the cauterized areas of the body to wetness for ten days;
• do not drink alcohol for two months;
• do not overcool;
• don't overeat.

Types of distant cauterization:

• Until the affected area turns red. During stable stimulation of an acupuncture point, the heat emitter is placed at such a distance from the skin that the patient feels a very noticeable warmth in this area of ​​the body. The duration of this procedure is from two to five minutes. In this case, irritation of biologically active points occurs gently.
• Before a blister forms. The ironing action involves heating not just an acupuncture point, but also a fairly large area of ​​skin due to the non-stop movement of the heat emitter at a close distance from the skin, parallel to the area of ​​the body that is being heated.
• Before the burn appears. Direct contact cauterization is used quite rarely due to the risk of burns. This type of thermopuncture consists of placing various substances on biologically active areas, which provide thermal stimulation during combustion.

The more significant the damage to the skin in the acupuncture area, the more noticeable and effective the result of therapy. Cauterization is performed using wormwood balls of different sizes, which are determined by a specialist. The impact on one point is carried out from five to ten times and is determined by the type and degree of the specific disease.

After the session, water bubbles begin to form around the acupuncture area within about half an hour, which disappear within three days. After ten days (rarely twenty, but no more than twenty-seven), redness forms around the biologically active point - this indicates that the place is inflamed and will soon ooze.

There is nothing wrong with this, and everything happens as it should. The discharge may be in the form of ichor or purulent in nature. This process is determined by the severity of the disease and lasts one or two months. From the moment inflammation appears, you should apply a bactericidal patch to the area one to two times a day and do this until the wound closes. In its place, a keloid scar may remain, which persists for approximately ten years.

“Diseases that cannot be cured with herbs can be cured with needles, and in turn, those ailments that cannot be cured with needles can be cured with cauterization,” say Eastern experts in juju therapy.

Burning technique with wormwood cigarette

Nowadays, a convenient method of thermal influence on biologically active points is widely practiced using tiny wormwood cigarettes (about five millimeters in diameter, about ten millimeters in length) connected to heat-resistant pads, the thickness of which is about three millimeters.

The smoldering end of the cigar emits infrared radiation (wavelength from one to five and a half microns), which is directed to specific biologically active points. Such thermal irritation entails a local increase in skin temperature to 43-45 degrees Celsius, but a burn does not form.

There are three main ways to perform cauterization:

1. Sedative (calming) – static warming. The end of the cigar, which is smoldering, is brought to the patient’s skin until a feeling of warmth occurs. The duration of the procedure is from fifteen to twenty minutes.

2. Exciting (tonic) – piercing effect. The smoldering end of the cigar is either brought to the surface of the skin or removed from the acupuncture point. The duration of the session is two or three minutes.

Wormwood cigar, or moxa, has been used in Chinese medicine for a long time. It is used to treat a variety of diseases. The procedure of moxibustion with moxa is one of the most effective in China and is called ju therapy. This treatment method is based on the knowledge of oriental doctors about biologically active points and the unique properties of wormwood.

What are wormwood cigars?

The wormwood cigar is made from wormwood. This herb for ju-therapy was not chosen by chance, because the leaves of the plant, during the combustion process, create the temperature regime necessary to influence biologically active points of a person. It does not create a spark, which eliminates the possibility of burns. In addition to heat, moxa produces smoke, which has antibacterial properties and has a beneficial effect on the body. This procedure is carried out strictly according to indications, and it can be done by contacting any Chinese medicine center.

More about Ju-therapy

In Eastern medicine, there are several types of thermal effects on acupuncture points, including distant thermopuncture, which is carried out with a wormwood cigar. Here, the heat emitted by moxa is aimed at stimulating the bioactive points of the body. With this effect, the skin area heats up to 43-45 ° C, without causing a burn. Today, any Chinese medicine center is able to offer several types of moxotherapy.

Cauterization with a cigar is divided into contact and non-contact. In the first case, the smoldering end of the cigar interacts with the patient's skin. The procedure here is carried out both with and without scar formation. In the scarless method, smoldering moxa is placed on the surface of the dermis. If there is a slight burning sensation, the burning cigar is replaced with a new one. If cauterization is performed with the formation of a scar, then the moxa on the body burns completely, and after it local hyperemia remains. Upon completion of the procedure, the remaining ash is removed from the body, and the epidermis is lubricated with butter mixed with salt.

With the non-contact cauterization method, a slice of garlic or ginger is placed on the patient’s skin (in some cases, salt is added), and a smoldering cigar is placed on it. The gasket material is selected depending on the disease.

Moxibustion with moxa can also be carried out at a certain distance (3-5 cm) from the human body. Here, the active points are affected not only by pleasant heat, but also by combustion products. This treatment has a positive effect on the skin and muscle tissue.

Using the above methods, not only the “longevity point”, which can be found under the kneecap of both legs, is cauterized, but also other biologically active areas of the body. Acupuncture points are determined by a doctor using palpation. They feel the most intense pulsation and pain. They are located on the surface of the entire body (on the head, limbs, torso) and are responsible for the functioning of one or another organ.

Ancient Chinese medicine assumes that every disease is caused by a series of events, therefore, with this method of treatment, the cause of the disease is affected. First of all, immunity increases and the full functioning of all organs is restored.

Indications for the procedure

Wormwood cigar is used for diseases of “cold” and “deficiency”. Moxa is used for colds and to relieve pain in the abdomen, stomach and joints. They also treat ailments in the back and lower back. Thermopuncture helps relieve pain during menstruation, and is also useful in cases of inadequate functioning of the “qi” of the spleen and blood.

Cauterization with moxa is indicated for skin diseases and pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. Wormwood cigar is prescribed by Chinese doctors for the gag reflex, diarrhea and arthritis. Ju therapy helps with tuberculosis and the presence of pulmonary nodes. Sometimes cauterization is also performed after sunstroke, especially if it is accompanied by loss of consciousness.

There are many indications for performing this measure, and only a specialist can decide whether the procedure should be performed, based on the condition of the body, the degree of development of the disease and the presence of contraindications.

Burning with wormwood cigars: contraindications

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to resort to distant thermopuncture. Thus, the patient’s fever and fever are contraindications to the procedure. In this situation, the urine turns a deep yellow color and the stool becomes excessively dry. There is a rapid pulse, and the tongue becomes bright red with a yellow coating. The procedure is not performed in the presence of acute inflammation and poisoning.

Do not burn with wormwood cigarettes on the head, in the area of ​​the nose and eyes, in places where fresh wounds, scars and other injuries appear. Do not use moxa in the area of ​​lymph nodes and on sunmiga points. The procedure is prohibited for people with high blood pressure and pregnant women in the abdominal area. Cauterization is contraindicated for persons with blood and vascular diseases, or with hot bile. This technique cannot be used if the functioning of the sensory organs is impaired.

If the event is carried out using a wick, then it is positioned in such a way that it does not roll off and burn the patient. When using ginger or garlic, the wick should not burn for long to avoid causing a blister on the body.

When performing juju therapy, specialists look at the weather. Moxibustion with moxa is not done in wind, snow or rain. The ban on this event also applies to the 1st, 15th, 18th and 18th calendars. In addition, active points located on the right ribs are not cauterized in the fall, while on the left - in the spring. In summer, acupuncture points in the navel area should not be touched, and in winter, the lumbar region should not be treated.

If the cause of a person’s illness has not been established, then a trial session of juju therapy is performed. If your health worsens, no further procedures are performed.

Biologically active points

Moxibustion with wormwood cigars is carried out on two types of acupuncture points, these are:

• Areas that directly affect the disease. Painful sensations when pressed are observed in this area. They are located in the area of ​​arthritic lymph swirls on the bone tissue. This includes areas near wounds, malignant formations, swelling and various types of growths.
• Biologically active points, the location of which only a doctor knows. As a rule, they are located in areas of circulation of the bile ducts, lymph, wind, blood and mucus.

A positive result directly depends on the point chosen for the procedure. The right place has a beneficial effect on the movement of blood and wind, helps eliminate and relieve tension, pain, helps strengthen memory, and improves mental functioning. Saturates the stomach, kidneys and the entire body as a whole with warmth. A positive effect is also observed in dead tissue.

According to Eastern science, the first vertebra, if you look at it according to the European scheme, it will be the seventh, is the point of the wind. If the wind is in the channel of life, then the patient may be bothered by headaches, rapid heartbeat, and arrhythmia. Confusion of thoughts, hysteria, body tremors, tinnitus, deafness, muteness and sleep disturbance are observed. The most beneficial effects are observed when this point is stimulated in old age.

The second vertebra, also called the bile point, is used in the treatment of jaundice. This area helps stabilize blood pressure, reduce the formation of bile and blood. Cauterizing this place is useful in the presence of a goiter.

The third vertebra is considered the mucus point. Its work is stimulated to treat diseases of the pulmonary system and heart. Cauterization of this area is indicated in case of poor mucus production, if nausea occurs and there is a malfunction of the stomach. Stimulate this point during nasal congestion and swelling.

Affects the functioning of the anterior lobes of the pulmonary apparatus. Activation of the point has a beneficial effect on “heavy” breathing, wet cough, and asthma. Stimulation of the point eliminates swelling that occurs due to unstable functioning of the pulmonary system.

The fifth vertebra affects the pathology of the posterior lobes of the pulmonary system, and the sixth is called the “vessel of life.” Stimulation of the seventh vertebra improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Next, in a certain sequence, are the points of the diaphragm, liver organ and spleen, as well as the active stomach, renal system, intestines, organs, both dense and hollow, bladder, menstruation and sperm.

Cauterization technique

Moxibustion therapy has been curing many diseases for many centuries. Wormwood cigars do not always consist of 100% wormwood; sometimes other medicinal plants are added to their composition. The basis of wormwood cigar therapy is the infrared rays emitted by the smoking end of moxa. Their wavelength ranges from 1-5.5 microns, and the burning temperature of wormwood cigars fluctuates around 825 °C.

The first step is to prepare the wick or wormwood cigars for moxotherapy. Wormwood leaves are thoroughly dried and dust is removed from them. The remaining parts of the plant are rolled into the shape of cigars with a diameter of 2 cm and a length of 20 cm. If the treatment is carried out with a wormwood wick, then the dry grass is rolled into a small ball. What to choose for treatment - a wick or a cigar - is decided by the doctor, based on the patient’s health condition.

The “zu san li” point and other active zones are usually cauterized with moxa at a distance of 3-5 cm. At this time, the patient feels warm. If the procedure is performed with a wick, then it is placed directly on the skin and wait until the patient does not feel pain. One point is affected by only one wick or cigar. A layer of ginger (garlic or salt) is placed under them.

Cauterization with a wick has a greater therapeutic effect than the procedure performed with cigars.

Methods of remote moxibustion with moxa

Wormwood cigars have found their application in the treatment of many diseases. This procedure is aimed at stimulating thermoreceptors, which are located in a particularly sensitive area of ​​the skin.

Moxibustion is carried out using three methods. These are heat, pecking and ironing.

In turn, thermal cauterization can be carried out in several ways, these are:

1. The wormwood cigar is located at a distance of 1.5-2 cm from the skin, where it is aged for 5 to 30 minutes. In this way, neuralgia, diseases of the dermis and pathologies of the digestive system are treated.
2. A small hole is made in a piece of ginger 0.5 cm thick, the diameter of which is 0.5 cm. This plate is placed on the active point. The cigar is set on fire and removed at a distance of 1.5 cm from the ginger slice. If a burning sensation occurs, the moxa is removed from the body for about thirty seconds, and then the therapy continues. The signal for the end of the session is red and moist skin. This therapy treats diarrhea, arthritis, and vomiting.
3. Cut a plate from a clove of garlic and place the smoldering cigar at a distance of 1.5 cm from it. The session is carried out until the skin becomes slightly red. This is how tuberculosis is treated.
4. Fill the navel with table salt to the surface of the abdomen. Place a slice of ginger root on top. Perform a cauterization ritual over it at a distance of 1.5 cm. It is recommended for coma, diarrhea, strong gag reflex, sunstroke.

Ironing cauterization with a wormwood cigar is carried out directly above the diseased area of ​​the skin, at a distance of one centimeter from it. Session duration is up to 15 minutes. This method is safe and does not injure the skin. Prescribed for paralysis and diseases of the dermis.

Before performing pecking ju therapy, the patient must give a sign if they feel a tingling or burning sensation. When such symptoms appear, lift the cigar upward with the burning end for a couple of seconds, and then continue the procedure. The pug moves up and down during the session. The duration of the procedure is 2-5 minutes. With this method of cauterization, you can act on two points alternately, transferring the wormwood cigar from one active area to another.

About the benefits of using wormwood cigars

Moxibustion therapy has the most beneficial effects on the human body. During the session, the patient feels a slight pleasant warmth. As a result, blood circulation improves and lymph flow increases.

During the procedure, each bioactive point (including the longevity point) is purposefully stimulated, which has a positive effect on the vital channels. Energy and strength are activated. The functioning of internal organs is restored.

In addition, wormwood, when exposed to the body, emits not only heat, but also smoke, which has antiseptic properties, which is very useful for diseases of the skin and diseases of muscle tissue.

This procedure helps cure many diseases. These are pathologies of the nervous system, mental disorders, tumors, epilepsy, various wounds, as well as spinal impingement. Moxa is also effective in the treatment of gynecological diseases, as well as in cases of reproductive dysfunction.

Price

Moscow has become widespread. Cost of cauterization with wormwood cigarette in clinics:

• "TAO" - 1200 rubles.
• “Yellow Emperor” - 1600 rubles.
• "ABC-medicine" - 540 rubles.
• “Stolichnaya” - 1200 rubles.
• “Amrita” - 500 rubles.
• "BISS" -1200 rubles.
• "Euromedservice" -1150 rubles.

Chinese medicine in Moscow is the cheapest in the clinical hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation; here, one cauterization procedure will cost the patient 330 rubles.