Kerokan atau Guasa

Skin Scraping Kerokan

Skin Scraping is also named Gua Sha, 刮痧

Skin Scraping is one of the traditional Chinese natural therapies. It is based on the skin theory of traditional Chinese medicine: by using tools such as jade, ox horn or cupping jars with liniment on, scraping and rubbing repeatedly the relevant parts of the skin, to dredge the channel, and activate blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis. Regular Skin Scraping is helpful to adjust the qi, relieve fatigue, and improve one's immune system.

Origins

Skin scraping tools

Skin scraping therapy has a long history and emerged in the Paleolithic Age. When getting sick or losing instinct sense, people rubbed or scrabbed certain parts of the body with hands or stones, and sometimes it really alleviated the symptoms.

Through long-term practice and experience accumulation, method of curing with stones had formed and gradually developed into a therapy. The Chinese character "痧"(sha) comes from "沙"(meaning sand), referring to a symptom. After the scraping, man's skin might show red, black and blue spots like sand, there comes the name "Gua Sha". TheSha bump should fade in 2~4 days. If this process is slower than predicted, poor blood circulation is indicated and the practitioner should ascertain whether there is a deficiency of blood, qi, yang or organ disease.

the sha bump

Principle of Skin Scraping

It's easy to understand that by scraping along meridians, positive stimulation is created. This can help the yin qi and stomach qi play their roles, dredge the stasis points and improve the circulation, so the possibility for disease dropped and immune function are enhanced.

In fact, early in the Ming Dynasty, the physician Zhang Fengkui described the theory, pathogenesis and the symptom of Sha in his Book. In his view, toxic factors enter the body through mouth, nose or pores, and damage the body. Condition became fierce as it goes deep into the body and accumulates more.

Skin scraping therapy uses tools to scrap the surface of the meridian points till the red spots emerge on the skin. This red or black and blue are considered as toxin. Through sweating, the toxins of Sha will be excreted, and the purpose of healing is achieved.

In addition to traditional scraping therapy, new therapies for losing weight, dispelling freckles and so on have appeared to meet the need of the new era. Due to the development of the modern technology, tools of scraping have become more suitable for specific part of the body and the techniques more reasonable as well. Combined with the techniques of massage, skin scraping has become the massage without direct touching, acupuncture without needle in the body, and cupping without cupping jars, as we can observe its effectiveness.

Living in a fast-tempo society, modern people face with sub-health, high pressure, this natural therapy of skin scraping is attracting more eye balls. Easy to implement with low cost and high effectiveness made it the choice of more people longing for healthy life.

Pijit or massage

Massage

Massage is also named Tui Na, 推拿

Brief introduction

Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Massage therapists typically use their hands and fingers for massage but may also use their forearms, elbows and even feet. Massage may range from light stroking to deep pressure techniques.

In a typical massage therapy session, you undress or wear loosefitting clothing. Undress only to the point that you're comfortable. You generally lie on a table and cover yourself with a sheet. You can also have a massage while sitting in a chair, fully clothed. Your massage therapist should perform an evaluation through touch to locate painful or tense areas and to determine how much pressure to apply.

If you want, your massage therapist may use oil or lotion to reduce friction on your skin. Tell your massage therapist if you might be allergic to any ingredients.

A massage session may last from 15 to 90 minutes, depending on the type of massage and how much time you have. No matter what kind of massage you choose, you should feel calm and relaxed during and after your massage. Pain that's more significant than momentary discomfort could indicate that something's wrong. If a massage therapist is pushing too hard, ask for lighter pressure. Occasionally you may have a sensitive spot in a muscle that feels like a knot. It's likely to be uncomfortable while your massage therapist works it out. But if it becomes painful, speak up.

Brush aside any thoughts that massage is only a feel-good way to indulge or pamper yourself. On the contrary, massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and well-being, whether you have a specific health condition or are just looking for another stress reliever. You can even learn how to do self-massage or to engage in massage with a partner.

Massaging tools in Qing dynasty

History of Massage

Massage therapy dates back thousands of years. References to massage appear in writings from ancient China, Japan, India, Arabic nations, Egypt, Greece (Hippocrates defined medicine as "the art of rubbing"), and Rome.

Massage became widely used in Europe during the Renaissance. In the 1850s, two American physicians who had studied in Sweden introduced massage therapy in the United States, where it became popular and was promoted for a variety of health purposes. With scientific and technological advances in medical treatment during the 1930s and 1940s, massage fell out of favor in the United States. Interest in massage revived in the 1970s, especially among athletes.

Common types

There are many different types of massages, including these common types:

Swedish massage. This is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration and tapping to help relax and energize.

Deep-tissue massage. This massage technique uses slower, more forceful strokes to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, commonly to help with muscle damaged from injuries.

Sports massage. This is similar to Swedish massage but is geared toward people involved in sport activities to help prevent or treat injuries.

Trigger point massage. This massage focuses on trigger points, or sensitive areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse.

Benefits of massage

Massage is generally considered part of complementary and alternative medicine. It's increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations.

While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some studies have found massage helpful for:

Stress

Managing anxiety and depression

Pain

Stiffness

Blood pressure control

Infant growth

Sports-related injuries

Boosting immunity

Cancer treatment

massage for baby

Despite the benefits for specific conditions or diseases, some people enjoy massage because it involves caring, comfort, relief and creating deep connections with their massage therapist.

However, massage isn't a replacement for regular medical care. Let your doctor know you're trying massage and be sure to follow any standard treatment plans you have.

Cautions

Vigorous massage should be avoided by people with bleeding disorders or low blood platelet counts, and by people taking blood-thinning medications such as warfarin.

Massage should not be done in any area of the body with blood clots, fractures, open or healing wounds, skin infections, or weakened bones (such as from osteoporosis or cancer), or where there has been a recent surgery.

Although massage therapy appears to be generally safe for cancer patients, they should consult their oncologist before having a massage that involves deep or intense pressure. Any direct pressure over a tumor is discouraged. Cancer patients should discuss every concern about massage therapy with their oncologist.

Pregnant women should consult their health care provider before using massage therapy.

Illustrations of Tuina Manipulations

Four massage techniques

Herbal medicine

Herb Medicine

Herb Medicine is also named Chinese medicinal herb, 中草药, 中草藥

Introduction

Chinese herbal medicine is a major part of traditional Chinese medicine, which focuses on restoring a balance of energy, body and spirit to maintain health rather than treating a particular disease or medical condition. Herbs are used to restoring balance by nourishing the body.

Chinese herbal medicine is not based on western conventional concepts of medical diagnosis and treatment. Practitioners attempt to prevent and treat imbalances of body, for those having cancer or other diseases, they employ complex combinations of herbs, minerals, and plant extracts.

Chinese herbal medicine uses a variety of herbs, in different combinations, to restore balance of the body (see Astragalus, Ginkgo, Ginseng, Green Tea, and Siberian Ginseng). Herbal preparations are said to prevent and treat hormone disturbances, infections, breathing disorders, and a vast number of other ailments and diseases. Some practitioners claim herbs have the power to prevent and treat a variety of cancers. (see Astragalus, Ginkgo, Ginseng, Green Tea, Siberian Ginseng).

In China, there are over 3,200 kinds of herbs, 300 minerals and animal extracts, and over 400 formulas used. One herbal formulation may consist of 4 to 12 different ingredients, being taken in the form of teas, powders, pills, tinctures, or syrups.

Different forms of herbal medicine

In Chinese herbal remedies, there are one or two herbs that are said to have the greatest effect on the disease. The other herbs in the formula treat minor aspects of the problem, lead the formula to specific parts of the body, and help all the herbs work more efficiently.

Origins and history

Native cultures of countries all over the world have traditionally used herbs to maintain health and treat illnesses. Chinese herbal medicine developed along with Chinese culture from tribal roots. By 200 BC, traditional Chinese medicine was firmly established, and by the first century AD, a list of medicinal herbs and herbal formulations had been developed.

The classic Chinese book on medicinal herbs was written during the Ming Dynasty (1152-1578) by Li Shizhen. It contained nearly 2,000 herbs and extracts. By 1990, the latest edition of The Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China listed more than 500 herbs or extracts and nearly 300 complex formulations.

The processing of Chinese herbs

As Western conventional medicine spread to the East, some traditional Chinese medical practices gradually being regarded as folklore. Since 1949, the Chinese government has supported both traditional and Western medicine use. Chinese herbal medicine became so wide-spread in the United States that in the 1970s in which year president Richard Nixon visited China. Today, practitioners with oriental medicine license from more than 30 states and more than 25 colleges practice in the United States.

Modern utilization

With the increasing popularity of herbal use, many Chinese herbs are sold exclusively and also in formulas. In the United States, Chinese herbs and herbal formulas can be purchased in health stores, some pharmacies, and from herbal medicine practitioners.

Before choosing a mixture of herbs, traditional Chinese practitioner will typically ask the patient about symptoms and do an overall examine, usually focusing on the skin, hair, tongue, eyes, pulses, and voice, in order to detect imbalances in the body.

Dimensions of herb

Herbs are classified into two major dimensions: - temperature characteristics of the herb, namely hot, warm, cold, neutral, and aromatic; - taste property of the herb, namely sour, bitter, sweet, spicy, and salty.

The various combinations of temperature and taste give the herb specific properties that can influence the yin andyang of the body. For example, sour, bitter and salty tastes are related to yin, whereas acrid, sweet are attributed to yang. There are herbs that can warm, cool, tonify, and move stagnation, etc. It is also important to understand the multi-quality of the herbs. They always combine several tastes and temperatures and may affect one even to twelve organ systems.

Warm herbs can be used for individual suffering from heat disorders. To keep the equilibrium standard of human body, corresponding herbs should be used together. Likewise, cool herbs can be used with people with cold syndromes while the overall property of the mixture is warm. Neutral herbs are those neither hot nor cold, so they are considered gentle herbs and rarely exist in the pharmacopoeia.

Chinese herb medicine

As for the tastes, sour constricts or consolidates. Herbs of sour taste are often indicated for use in protracted cough, chronic diarrhea, seminal and urinary incontinences, leakage or spermatic fluid, and other conditions related to hypo-metabolism (under-performance). In traditional Chinese medicine, they are seen as deficient or cold syndrome.

Bitter possesses the function of clearing heat, purging the bowels, lowering the qi, improving appetite and drying dampness or wetness. Bitter herbs are commonly used in fire-heat patterns, such as the acute stage of infectious disease, and the patterns of damp-heat or damp-cold, such as arthritis or leucorrhoea.

Sweet has the function of toning, improving, moistening and harmonizing many of the important systems of the body, including the digestive, respiratory, immune and endocrine systems. Sweet tastes also relieve urgency and inhibit pain due to the constrictive action of muscles. They are commonly used for treating deficiency patterns such as dry cough, and dysfunction of the gastro-intestinal tract such as spleen and stomach disharmony.

Spicy disperses, circulates qi and vitalizes blood. This group of herbs can stimulate the sweat glands to perspire, circulate qi, activate the function of meridians and organs and vitalize blood to promote blood circulation. As a whole, spicy herbs have the overall effect of activating and enhancing metabolism. Spicy herbs are commonly used in the treatment of external patterns (catching a cold), when the function of the meridian and organs is weakened and circulation of blood has been impeded. In TCM terminology, this is the stage of qi stagnation and blood cloudiness.

Salty herbs have the function of softening firm masses and fibrous adhesions. The salty taste purges and opens the bowels. Salty agents are often indicated in sores, inflammatory masses, cysts, and connective tissue proliferation.

The unique characteristic of Chinese herbal medicine is the degree to which formulation is done. In other forms of herbal medicine, especially western herbal medicine, herbs are often delivered singly or combined into very small formulas of herbs with the same function. In contrast, Chinese herbalists rarely prescribe a single herb to treat a condition. They create formulas instead. A formula usually contains at least four to twenty herbs.

Herbal formulas can be delivered in all manners of preparation. Pre-made formulas are available as pills, tablets, capsules, powders, alcohol-extracts, water-extracts, etc. Most of these formulas are very convenient as they do not necessitate patient preparation and are easily taken.

Method of preparing herbal medicine

Decoction is the traditional method of preparing herbal medicine. A decoction is a concentrated form of tea. The practitioner weighs out a day's dosage of each herb and combines them in a bag. A patient is given a bag for each day the herbal formula will be taken. The herbs are then boiled in water by the patient at home. The boiling process takes from 30-60 minutes and the resulting decoction will be consumed several times during the day.

Another modern way of delivering herbs is through granulated herbs, which are highly concentrated powdered extracts. These powders are made by first preparing the herbs as a traditional decoction. The decoction is then dehydrated to leave a powder residue. Practitioners can then mix these powders together for each patient into a custom formula. The powder is then placed in hot water to recreate the decoction. This eliminates the need to prepare the herbs at home, but still retains much of the original decoction's potency.

Accupunture

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is also named 针灸, 針灸

Today, acupuncture, in one form or another, is practiced in dozens of countries by thousands of acupuncturists on millions of people and their animals. According to the National Institutes of Health, in the U.S. alone, there are currently more than 10 million adults that have used acupuncture at some time in the past, or are using it currently.

People go to acupuncturists for treatment of AIDS, allergies, arthritis, asthma, Bell's palsy, bladder and kidney problems, breast enlargement, bronchitis, colds, constipation, cosmetics, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, drug addiction (cocaine, heroin), epilepsy, fatigue, fertility problems, fibromyalgia, flu, gynecologic disorders, headaches, high blood pressure, hot flushes, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, nausea, nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting), pain, paralysis, post traumatic stress disorder, PMS, sciatica, sexual dysfunction, sinus problems, smoking, stress, stroke, tendonitis, vision problems, and just about anything else that might ail a human being.

Acupuncture Basic Theory

Acupoints

So what is it? As one of the oldest healing practices in the world, acupuncture is a family of procedures that originated in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which is based on the concept that disease results from disruption in the flow of qi and imbalance in the forces of yin and yang. As part of TCM, acupuncture aims to restore and maintain health through the stimulation of particular points on the body (called acupoints) by a variety of techniques, involving the shallow insertion of needles through the skin at acupoints along primary channels and meridians that crisscross the body.

Traditional Chinese medicine says that good health is associated with the balance of qi, an energy force that flows through the body. Qi can be hindered or helped by yin and yang--opposing forces that, when balanced, work together harmoniously. Acupuncture is intended to remove blockages in the flow of qi to keep yin and yang in balance. There are many different kinds of acupuncture, with different kinds of needles, different insertion points, different techniques, and the use of various accompaniments such as electricity or moxibustion.

Acupuncture Really Works

In China, acupuncture is used to alleviate postoperative pain. Medical experts believe that inserting needles into the body at precise points can stimulate nerves that cause the brain to release its natural pain-killing chemicals.

Experiments have proved that acupuncture can strengthen the central nervous system and especially reinforce the action of the sympathetic nervous system and cerebral cortex which control all the tissues and organs of the human body. For instance, acupuncture can regulate heartbeat, body temperature, blood pressure and respiration; relieve muscle spasm and numbness; treat disorders of exocrine and endocrine secretions; and promote secretion of the glands.

One of the key benefits of acupuncture emerging from various studies is that it has few, if any, side effects. Relatively few complications from the use of acupuncture have been reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in light of the millions of people treated each year and the number of acupuncture needles used. In the United States, acupuncture has already been considered part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Modern view on Acupuncture

The U.S. National Institute of Health has endorsed acupuncture for treating certain types of nausea, vomiting and pain, such as the nausea sort of sickness that a patient suffers when given an anesthetic for surgery, or treated with chemotherapy, or the nausea and vomiting that accompanies pregnancy, or postoperative dental pain. We have come to the very clear-cut decision that treatment under these circumstances really works.

Acupuncture

It is clear that today many people around the world believe acupuncture is an effective medical treatment for such a vast variety of disorders. This belief in acupuncture's effectiveness is based on experience and scientific experiments. However, one principal concern in evaluating acupuncture's effectiveness has been the so-called placebo effect-the possibility that beneficial outcomes derives not from the treatment itself, but from the patients' belief that it works. Medical experts have already implemented studies proving that there's physiological mechanism of acupuncture that goes beyond belief.

Acupuncture is also widely employed in easing cravings and withdrawal pain of heroin addicts. Forty percent of the drug courts in the United States use acupuncture as part of their therapy. In the Miami system alone, there are approximately four hundred treatments per day.

Some countries such as Sweden, the doctors have achieved success with acupuncture in treating the effects of stroke. Those stroke patients getting acupuncture along with physical therapy did a lot better than those getting only physical therapy.

Jenis bekam

Cupping

Cupping is also named 拔罐, 拔火罐, 火罐

Cupping therapy is a treatment in which a cup sucked to the skin to create local stimulation for disease treatment and prevention. The secret is the negative pressure created by consuming the air inside the cup with fire or other methods.

Cupping therapy, also known as "Jar Suction Therapy" or the "Horn Method" in ancient China, was recorded as early as in Fifty-Two Prescriptions, a silk book unearthed in Emperor Ma's tomb during the Han Dynasty. Discussions can be found in the TCM literature of other dynasties. Cupping was primarily used to drain stagnant blood and pus from carbuncles and ulcers during surgery. However, with medical progress, not only have the materials and methods of cupping therapy improved, but the scope of its indications has also greatly increased. Clinically, it often employed in conjunction with of acupuncture and moxibustion.

Types of Cups

Cups are made from a wide variety of materials, among which three types are most common used.

1. Bamboo Cups A section of firm bamboo, 3~6 cm in diameter and 6~9 cm in length, is cut to form a short cylinder. One end is used as the base; the other as the opening at the top. The rim of the cup should be made smooth with a piece of sandpaper. Bamboo cups are easily made with handy, raw materials; they are light, economical, break-resistant, and suitable for boiling. These are the good points, but the drawback is that they are prone to crack from dryness which causes air leakages that weaken their suctioning force.

bamboo cups

2. Glass Cups These cups are shaped like a ball with smooth, open mouth. There are three different sizes: large, medium, and small. They can also be substituted with wide-mouthed cans. The glass cup is transparent, therefore, the skin in the cup can be visualized to help determine the appropriate treatment time. However, one disadvantage of glass cups is that they can shatter and are easily broken.

glass cups

3. Suction Cups Presently, suction cups, for the most part, are made of plastic. Each cup has a fitting on the crown where a suctioning device is attached to remove the air. Sometimes, different sized rubber-bag suction cups are also used, Suction cups are convenient, break-resistant, safe, and the suction force can be easily regulated with very simple adjustments. Nowadays, due to these advantages, they are widely used.

suction cups

Methods of Creating Suction inside the Cup

The following are popular ways of creating the negative pressure required for a cup to fix itself to a specific treatment area as the result of suction:

1. Fire Cupping Method

With this method, negative pressure is created by introducing an ignited material inside the cup to consume the air, thereby making the cup suck itself onto the skin. The following details pertain to different ways of creating suction using fire.

fire cupping method

A. Fire-Twinkling Method Light an alcohol soaked, cotton ball held with a clamp or forceps or use a strip of paper; place it inside the cup, quickly turn it around in one to three circles and take it out immediately and press the cup on the selected area; the cup will attached itself to the skin. Presently, this is the most common used method and since no fire is retained in the cup it is relatively safe. However, caution should be taken to avoid scalds or burns by over-heating the mouth of the cup.

B. Fire-Throwing Method An alcohol soaked cotton ball or piece of paper is ignited and placed into the cup. After a short time, the cup is rapidly placed firmly against the skin on the desired location. Since there is burning material inside the cup which is apt to drop down and burn the skin, it is often applied to the lateral side of the body.

C. Alcohol-Firing Method Place one to three drops of alcohol into a cup (only a small amount should be used, to prevent it from dripping out of the cup and burning the skin. ), turn the cup to distribute the alcohol evenly on the surface of the walls. Promptly place the cup on the area to be treated after igniting the alcohol for a few seconds.

D. Cotton-Sticking Method Stick an appropriate-sized alcohol soaked, cotton ball on the inner wall of the cup; ignite the cotton ball and quickly place the cup on the area to be treated. With this method, the cotton ball should not be soaked with too much alcohol, otherwise the skin would be burned when the burning alcohol drops down.

2. Water Suction Method

With this method, the negative pressure is created when boiling water draws the air out of the cup so that it can attach to the skin. Generally, a bamboo cup is chosen to put in the boiling water or herbal liquid for several minutes; then the cup is grasped with clamped, with the mouth facing downwards. The cup is immediately placed on the selected location and attached to the body surface.

3. Suction Cup Method

A suction cup is placed firmly on the chosen area, where a device is used to withdraw the air. When a sufficient amount of negative pressure is produced, the cup will attach itself to the skin. The negative pressure can be adjusted according to the quantity of air withdrawn, to regulate the suction force.

Application of Cupping

1. The Cup-Retention Method This could also be called the cup-waiting method, as it involves keeping the cup on the selected location for 10~15 minutes before removal. This method is commonly used in clinic to treat general diseases.

2. Mobile / Moving Cupping This is also known as "sliding cupping". A lubricant should be applied to the skin over the treatment area prior to using this method. Once suction has been created, the cup is held and slid across the skin until it becomes rosy and congested, or even blood stagnation is seen. It's suitable for treating large, thickly-muscled areas such as the back, lumbar region and the thighs.

3. Flash / "Kiss" Cupping This method is done by rapidly placing and removing the cup repeatedly over the same place. It's extensively used to treat a variety of diseases, especially in situations where it is inadvisable to use retention cupping, such as with kids and on the cheeks of young ladies.

4. Pricking and Cupping Therapy This is also referred to as collateral-pricking and cupping. After disinfecting the treatment area, it is punctured with a three-edged needle to cause bleeding, or tapped it with a plum-blossom needle; the cup is then applied to induce more bleeding. This method may be used to treat all kinds of illness. Generally speaking, the cup is retained for 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Needle-Retention Cupping Sometimes referred to as needle cupping for short, this method is done by applying a cup over the center of the site where a needle has been inserted. The cup is removed when the skin turns rosy, congested and blood stagnation appears. This method combines cupping with acupuncture.

6. Medicinal Cupping There are actually two methods involved here. One is to boil a bamboo cup in an herbal decoction for 10 to 15 minutes and place it on the affected area; the other is to put the herbal decoction in the suction cup and apply it to the affected location. The prescription is made according to the illness, for example, herbal medicinal with the properties of dispelling wind and promoting blood circulation, such as Qiang Huo (Rhizoma et Radir Notopterygii), Du Huo (Radix Angelicae Pubesecentis), Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis). Hong Hua (Flos Carthami), Ma Huang (Herba Ephedrae), Ai Ye (Folium Artemisiae Argyi), Chuan Jiao (Pericarpium Zanthoxyli), Mu Gua (Fructus Chaenomelis), Chuan Wu (Radix Aconit) and Cao Wu (Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii), can be selected for treating wind-cold-damp syndrome.

The Actions and Indications for Cupping

Cupping therapy has the action of warming the meridians, invigorating qi and blood circulation, relieving blood stagnation, alleviating pain and swelling and dispelling damp and cold. With this extensive range of indications, it's commonly applied for wind cold-damp bi syndrome, lumbar pain, shoulder and back pain, aching low extremities, soft tissue sprains and contusions, common colds, headaches, cough, asthma, stomachaches, abdominal pain and dysmenorrhea.

Cup Removal

When removing a cup, it should be held in one hand, while the index finger and thumb of the opposite hand, presses the skin around the mouth of the cup, to break the seal created by the suction. In this way, the air is let in and the cup is released. If the strength of suction is too strong, it should not be pulled forcibly, to avoid injuring the skin.

Precautions

A. Generally, large, thickly muscled areas are selected. Patients should be comfortably positioned. It should be noted that cups are prone to drop off bone edges and hairy areas. To avoid the loss of suction, which will result in the cups falling off, patients should remain still when manipulating the cups.

B. Using cups of different sizes is determined by the cupping location. Flash cupping should be used on areas that are difficult for cups to stick.

C. Precautions should be taken to avoid scalding the skin. Prolonged retention and overheating of the mouth of the cup may cause blisters to arise. In the event that this occurs, small blisters should be covered with sterile gauze to avoid scraping; bigger ones should be aspirated with a sterile syringe, followed by the application of a disinfectant or sterile gauze. If there is purple or even black agglomeration left, the warm towel can be used; or we can press the local area, in order to promote the blood circulation, and relieve the symptom.

D. Cupping is contraindicated on patients with skin allergies, ulcers, or edema, as well as on the precordium and places supplied with large blood vessels. It is also contraindicated for those that have high fevers accompanied by convulsions, and on the abdominal and sacral areas of pregnant women.

Moxa fungsi dan type

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is also named 艾灸

Moxibustion therapy literally means the burning of moxa. It is a therapy that can prevent and treat diseases with heat stimulation on acupoints or related parts of the body.

Moxa, the leaf of Artemisia Argyi, from the compositae family, is a perennial, herbaceous plant. Moxa is produced in all parts of China, yet the name of Jin Moxa, comes from the Jin Zhou area, where it is most famous. Due to its special aroma, bitter and pungent flavor and warm nature, as well as it's flammability and moderate heat, moxa surely is an ideal option——just as both Ben Cao Gang Mu (The Compendium of Materia Medica) and Ming Yi Bie Lu (The Great Physician’s Additional Records) mentioned, "Moxibustion can be applied in various diseases."; With dry, moxa leaves pounded and purified, fine, soft, moxa wool is thus made; and after being dried in the sun it is stored for future use. The reason for using old, dry moxa wool instead of fresh new wool, is that the latter contains so much volatile oil that when burned it gives off too much heat. So the best choice is moxa that has been dried for an extended period of time.

The Functions of Moxibustion

a. Warm the Meridians to Dispel Cold

Moxibustion can warm the meridians to dispel cold. Clinically, it is applied for all diseases caused by cold obstruction, blood stagnation and blockages of the meridians, such as cold-damp arthralgia, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, stomachache, epigastric pain and cold herniation.

b. Supporting Yang to Strengthen the Original Qi

It has been widely applied to many serious diseases due to insufficiency, sinking or depletion of yang qi. Among them are enuresis, rectocele, prolapse of the genitalia, menorrhagia, leukorrhea, and chronic diarrhea, just to name a few.

c. Remove Blood Stasis and Dissipate Pathological Accumulation

Moxibustion, with its heat, has the effect of keeping the actions of Yin qi and stomach qi in balance, and in turn, it dispels blood stasis and dissipates pathological accumulation. In the clinical setting, it is commonly used to treat diseases related to qi and blood stagnation, such as the early stages of acute mastitis, scrofula and goiter.

d. Prevent Disease and Maintain Health

Moxibustion on Zusanli (ST36) or other points, has the function of preventing diseases and maintaining health. It was called reverse moxibustion in ancient China, while nowadays, it is known as healthy moxibustion, which means maintaining the habit by doing moxibustion even though one enjoys good health. This method can invigorate healthy qi and strengthen the immunity to keep one full of vitality and increase longevity.

Moxibustion with Moxa

**1. Muxibustion with Moxa Cones (Zhuangs)**

Moxa-cones refer to burn moxa wool that has been shaped into small cones and placed on various parts of the body to treat illnesses. Moxibustion can be done with moxa cones made of moxa wool, on various parts of the body. Making moxa-cones is fairly easy, pure moxa wool is lain on a table where it is shaped and formed into different sizes—— small ones, the size of a grain of wheat, medium-sized ones, about half the size of a jujube date, and large ones, that are about the size of an olive. A moxa cone, is also known as a zhuang.

Moxibustion with Moxa Cones

Moxibustion with moxa-cones is subdivided into direct and indirect moxibustion.

a. Direct Moxibustion

When a moxa cone is placed directly on an acupoint area and ignited it is called direct moxibustion. It is subdivided into scarring moxibustion, and none-scarring moxibustion. The former leaves a festering burn that left scars, while the latter does not produce such a strong stimulation, usually leaves no scars.

b. Indirect Moxibustion (Jian Jie Jiu):

This method, also known as moxibustion with material insulation, involves some form of insulation between the core and the skin, so that there is no direct contact. Various materials are used for insulation, however, those most common medicinal substances used are ginger, salt, garlic, and monkshood cake.

① Ginger Moxibustion (Ge Jiang Jiu)

Fresh ginger is cut into slices, each about 2~3cm wide and 0.2 ~0.3cm thick. Several needle holes are then punched into the slices that are then placed on the acupoints/areas selected. The moxa cone is then placed on top of the ginger slice where it is ignited and burned. When the cone has burned completely, and the ash is removed, it is replaced with another one and the procedure is repeated until all the cones required are finished. Usually, the local skin in the area being treated will become rosy, which is the desired effect. This method can warm the spleen and stomach to stop vomiting and disperse cold to relieve pain. Thus, it is indicated for symptoms related to cold, such as vomiting, abdominal pain, joint pain, etc.

ginger moxibustion

② Garlic Moxibustion (Ge Suan Jiu)

Garlic cloves are cut into slices, each about 0.2 to 0.3 cm thick, then holes are punched into them (Note: garlic-mash may also be used). The garlic is then placed on the acupoints/areas selected and moxa cones are ignited and burned on top of them as described above. This method effectively eliminates heat and toxins, and it is also useful for killing parasites, so it is often used to treat scrofula, tuberculosis, and the early stages of skin ulcers and local swellings. It can clean away the heat evil or detoxify, and has a pesticidal function.

③ Salt Moxibustion (Ge Yan Jiu)

This method is also known as Shenque (CV8) moxibustion, as it is usually done on the umbilicus. First, the umbilicus is filled with salt to the level of the skin, followed by placing a large-sized moxa cone on top of the salt (or a slice of ginger); it is then ignited and burnt. When consumed, the ash is removed, and it is replaced with another until all the cones required have been consumed. Since this method is effect for restoring Yang collapse, it is used for treating yin/cold disorders, vomiting and diarrhea, and flaccid type wind-stroke. For example, when treating flaccid type wind-stroke, continuous moxibustion is applied until the patient's vital signs are steady——that is, his/her pulse can be palpated and the extremities have become warm.

④Monkshood Cake Moxibustion (Fu Zi Bing Jiu)

A cake of Monkshood is approximately 3cm in diameter and 0.3cm in thickness, and it is made of Monkshood powder mixed with alcohol. It is punched with several holes, and placed on the affected area where moxa cones are placed on top of it to be ignited and burnt. This method is useful for warming and strengthening the kidney-Yang and thus it is adopted to treat impotence, spermatorrhea, premature ejaculation, infertility and ruptured abscesses resistant to healing.

2. Moxibustion with Moxa Sticks

Moxibustion with moxa sticks refer to make the moxa sticklike, and applied on certain parts.

Moxa sticks are made in the following manner: Tightly roll 24 grams of soft, pure argyi wool with a sheet of soft, thin paper (26cm by 20cm). Roll it into a column approximately 1.5 inches in diameter, and then wrap it with soft, tough mulberry paper. A "pure moxa stick" has thus been made after sealing each end with glue. A "medicinal herbal moxa stick" is made by combining 6 grams each of the following special ingredients, and pounding them into a powder: Rou Gui / Cortex Cinnamom , Gan Jiang / Rhizoma Zingiberis , Ding Xiang / Flos Caryophylli, Du Huo / Radix Angelicae Pubescebtis, Xi Xin / Herba Asari, Bai Zhi / Radix Angelicae Dahuricae, Xiong Huang / Realgar, Cang Zhu / Rhizoma Atractylodis , Mo Yao / Myrrha, Ru Xiang / Olibanum and Chuan Jiao/ Pericarpium Zanthoxyli.

moxibustion with Moxa sticks

Moxibustion with moxa sticks includes two kinds: suspended and pressing moxibustion.

a. Suspended Moxibustion (Xuan Qi Jiu)

This method is done by holding the moxa stick over the acupoint / area during the treatment. Note: The end of the moxa stick should not make contact with the skin. It is sub-divided into mild-warming, sparrow-pecking and waving moxibustion.

① Mild Moxibustion (Wen He Jiu)

One end of a moxa stick is ignited and held over an acupoint / area. The distance between the end of the stick and the skin should be about 2 or 3 centimeters. The intention here is to bring warmth to the treatment area, so the patient should not feel any burning sensations, The practitioner should place their index and middle fingers on the sides of the affected area to feel the heat, so that they can determine and adjust the appropriate distance between the end of the stick and the patient's skin to avoid burning for patients in a coma or who have delayed / impaired sensory perception.

② Pecking Moxibustion (Que Zhuo Jiu)

With this method, the distance between the ignited end of a moxa stick and the patient's skin is not fixed. Instead, as its name indicates, it is moved up and down over the point / area like a pecking bird.

Pecking Moxibustion

③ Waving (Painting) Moxibustion ( Hui Xuan Jiu)

When using this method, though the end of the moxa stick is kept 2 or 3 centimeters above the skin, it is moved back and forth or circularly.

Waving Moxibustion

b. Pressing Moxibustion (Shi An Jiu)

This method of moxibustion is done by pressing the burning end of a moxa stick, partitioned off by several layers of cloth or cotton paper, on the acupoints to allow the heat to penetrate the skin and muscle. After the fire is extinguished, it should be ignited again and repeated. The third Chapter of Shou Yu Shen Fang (The Magic Prescription) not only recorded this method, but also mentioned that it is useful for treating patients until they feel warmth in the abdomen, with sweating, then the patients will be healed. Taiyi moxa stick and Thunder-Fire Moxibustion is commonly used.

3. Warm-Needle Moxibustion (Wen Zhen Jiu)

Warm-Needle moxibustion is actually a combination of acupuncture and moxibustion. During the manipulation, after the arrival of qi, while the needle is still retained in the point, affix a small section of moxa stick (about 2cm long) on the needle's handle, and then ignite the moxa stick from its bottom. When the moxa stick burns out, remove the ash and take out the needle. This method is used when both retaining needles and moxibustion is indicated.

Warm-Needle Moxibustion

4. Moxibustion with a Moxa Burner (Wen Jiu Qi Jiu)

The mild-moxibustioner is a special instrument used for moxibustion. There are two kinds: the box and the canister. Both are commonly used in clinical practice. To use, place put some argyi wool, either alone or together with the special ingredients previously mentioned, into the box or canister. Ignite the argyi wool and make sure its lid is properly secured. Then, place it on the acupoints or affected area of the body to be treated. The desired effect is to make the local skin warm and flushed. This method of doing moxibustion is especially useful for children and other individuals who are afraid of being burnt by an open flame.

Moxibustion with a Moxa Burner

Order of Moxibustion

On this subject, explicit dissertations were given by the ancestors.Qian Jin Yang Fang • Zhen Jiu (Invaluable Prescriptions for Emergencies——Acupuncture and moxibustion) recorded moxibustion ought to be conducted on the yang aspect first, followed by the yin; and the upper area first, then the lower. Clinically, we should start moxibustion from the upper part of the body, to the lower part; first the yang aspect, then the yin aspect of the body. Initially, a small number of moxa cones should be applied; with additional treatment over a period of time, larger ones can be used. However, in special circumstances, these rules can be modified to coincide with the patient's condition.

Moxibustion Contraindications

A. In principle, patients with excess heat syndromes or with fevers due to yin deficiency are contraindicated for moxibustion. B. Scarring moxibustion is prohibited on the face and head, and areas close to large blood vessels. C. Moxibustion is prohibited on the abdomen and lumbo-sacral areas during pregnancy. D. Precautions should be taken with patients suffering from skin allergies or ulcers.

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