Clinical effects of fireless moxibustion

• Published in: Comprehensive Medicine Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 3 - 10
• Main Authors: Shiwa Satoko, Nagata Katsutaro, 杉岡 哲也, Otsuki Chika, Hirokado Yasumasa, 村尾 佳美, Yoshida Mari, Takahashi Kazuya, 野垣 健, Itou Chizuru, 大塚 理紗
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: International Foundation of Comprehensive Medicine 25.03.2021; 公益財団法人 国際全人医療研究所
• Subjects: autonomous control; chronic pain; complementary method; fireless moxibustion; セルフコントロール; 慢性疼痛; 火を使わない灸; 補法
• ISSN: 1341-7150; 2434-687X
• DOI: 10.32183/ifcm.19.1_3

【Objective】Acupuncture and moxibustion are ancient analgesic modalities. The two modalities are often grouped together as acupunctural/moxibustion medicine. However, acupuncture is a cathartic method, whereas moxibustion is a complementary method. Thus, the indications of the two modalities differ. Acupuncture is a relatively commonly performed modality, while the use of moxibustion is rarer. The reason for this is the risk of burns due to moxibustion's use of fire. In the present study, we developed a novel type of moxibustion (“Hot Q™”), which only increases the temperature to 50°C, thereby bearing no risk of burns. Additionally, the effects of such treatment were assessed.【Methods】The subjects (patients) were individuals who primarily complained of pain and had visited the clinics or acupuncture and moxibustion offices with which the members of the Study Group of Acupunctural Medicine were affiliated (n=14). Moxibustion was performed three times a week over a one-month period (12 times in total). The subjects'blood-stasis (Oketsu) score (Terasawa), hematologic functioning, hemodynamics, and pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score were examined before and after the treatments.【Results】A comparison of the aforementioned parameters before and after the treatment revealed that the subjects' pain VAS score and blood-stasis score improved. Additionally, their diastolic blood pressure in the lying position significantly decreased. There were no aggravated items that appeared in the hematologic examination and no patients experienced burns.【Conclusions】Since no patients experienced burns and the hematologic findings were normal, the procedure was deemed safe. A decreased pain VAS score, improved blood-stasis score, and improved diastolic blood pressure were observed. The examined type of moxibustion appeared to have analgesic effects, relaxation effects, and influenced the subjects'blood stasis. Thus, it may be an effective analgesic modality. Since moxibustion can be performed at home and without assistance, it might serve as a modality for the autonomous control of pain. 【目的】鍼灸は，古い歴史のある鎮痛方法である．一口に鍼灸と言うことが多いが，一般的には鍼が瀉法であるのに対し，灸は補法であり，その適応は異なる．また，鍼は比較的よく用いられるが，灸はそれほど多く用いられてはいない．それは，火を用いることによる火傷の心配があるという点が一因といえる．今回，温度が50℃までしか上がらず，火傷という危険性が少ない灸（「ほっとQ™」）を開発し，その効果について検討した．【方法】鍼灸医学研究会会員の所属する診療所，鍼灸院における愁訴（主に疼痛）を有した患者を対象とした．n＝14．1週間に3回の施灸を4週間（全12回）試行し，その前後で瘀血スコア（寺澤），血液検査，血行動態，疼痛VASを検討した．【結果】前後で比較し，瘀血スコア，疼痛VASが改善し，臥位の拡張期血圧が有意に低下した．悪化項目はなかった．火傷例もなかった．【考察】火傷はなく，血液検査からも安全であると考えられた．瘀血スコアの改善，疼痛VASの軽減，臥位拡張期血圧の改善が観られた．灸には，鎮痛作用，弛緩効果（リラクセーション効果），駆瘀血作用があると考えられ，鎮痛医療に有効な方法と考えられた．自宅でできる，一人でもできることから，疼痛に対してセルフコントロールの方法になりうると考えられた．