On PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18829443
NOTE: See this and other abstracts on the Research Page, which will be growing by leaps and bounds.
The Art of Moxibustion |
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"Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms can reduce quality of life and impair daily functioning. This study examined the effects of Korean hand acupuncture therapy (HAT) and hand moxibustion therapy (HMT) on symptom severity in Korean women with PMS. This quasi-experimental pilot study based on the khi, yin, yang, and the five elements theory used a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Experimental groups received 10 sessions of either HAT or HMT treatment. Outcome measures included menstrual symptom severity as measured with the Menstrual Symptom Severity List and skin temperature change measured with Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging. Both experimental groups had significantly reduced overall PMS symptom severity scores following therapy as compared to women in the control group. The HMT but not the HAT group showed improved flow of khi and balanced skin temperature in symmetric body areas. HAT and HMT may be effective strategies for women to reduce PMS symptoms." On PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18829443 NOTE: See this and other abstracts on the Research Page, which will be growing by leaps and bounds.
1 Comment
Clay may well be one of the first medicines every used by human beings. No wonder, then, that it continues to enjoy an excellent reputation for its nutritional and detoxifying properties. English resources concerning the origins of Korea's "red earth" are difficult to find, however it is said to be a rare substance from the mountain pine forests of Korea. Reportedly, it contains an aluminum silicate rich in magnesium, potassium, iron and copper. As an ionic emitter of far infrared rays, it has been adopted for use in high end hair care appliances and, in traditional medicine, in health devices such as the Sunny Moxa Device (pictured left) and wet/dry fumigation chairs (above). Many far infrared heat devices, such as this moxa burner and the more widely known Biomat, include tourmaline, another far infrared emitter said to stimulate cellular metabolism. The combination of moxa smoke and heat with far infrared heat may well be of extra benefit. It would be wonderful to find a substantive English language resource regarding this aspect of Korean moxibustion practice. For those who missed it in the first post, here's a home fumigation product/technique: Lessons 1-5 (Mandarin)Lessons 6-13 (Mandarin)Lessons 14-19 (Mandarin)Lessons 20-24 (Mandarin)Lessons 25-30 (English)(This appears to be student experimentation. Repeated applications of moxa would probably generate the desired results.) These aren't moxibustion treatments, however they do involve the use of fire and heat - a lot of it. Korean Sook supplies are available in the U.S. from KM Supplies. If anyone knows of another supplier, please feel free to list it in the comments section.
In some other videos, we see this done with one hand so that the other hand can monitor the patient's pulse. This alternative method may be more approachable in the early stages of building dexterity.
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WhereforeA moxibustion resource for Asian medicine and bodywork practitioners. For informational purposes only. Categories
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"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought."
Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) "Sawada Ken (1877-1938) stands out in recent history as one of the most skilled and famous practitioners of acupuncture and moxibustion. Few know that he used moxibustion almost exclusively, never having acquired an acupuncture license. Nevertheless, Sawada's approach to treatment has been widely emulated by Japanese acupuncturists."
- Japanese Classical Acupuncture: Introduction to Meridian Therapy by Shudo Denmei, Translated by Stephen Brown "Some relatively modern Japanese moxibustion specialists, such as Isaburo Fukaya, who practiced for over sixty years, Takeshi Sawada, who inspired a whole generation of practitioners with his uniquely brilliant and powerful treatments and Seiji Irie, the leading proponent of Fukaya's style, studied the Chinese classical literature extensively and many of their techniques derived from their study of the classics."
"Toward the end of his sixty years of practice, Fukaya wrote more than ten volumes almost exclusively concerning the use of moxibustion and little, if any, mention of acupuncture." Excerpted from Japanese Acupuncture: A Clinical Guide by Stephen Birch and Junko Ida |