Tom Hurrle, L.Ac. practices acupuncture in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago. His style is Japanese Meridian Therapy, acupuncture based on refined palpation and delicate needle technique. It is both gentle and effective.

 

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Moxibustion

Moxibustion is the treatment of acupuncture points with warmth. Historically, it may predate the use of needles in Traditional Oriental Medicine. Moxa is a fluffy vegetable material made from mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris). Small amounts (1/2 rice grain size) are burned near an acupuncture point to be treated, creating pleasing warmth.

 In Japan, research has found that moxibustion increases the number of white blood cells, boosting immune function. It triggers a cascade of effects in the circulatory and lymphatic systems to raise immunity system-wide. It increases activity of the adrenal gland, warming the body. It is effective at relieving pain, reducing stress, and clearing congestion. In those who are weakened by chronic disease, age, and other stressors moxibustion builds vitality to support the body’s own healing capacity.

I often use moxibustion. It warms and invigorates circulation. It supports nourishment to improve immunity. Properly used, it will: warm any chronically cold person, relieve inflammation, reduce swelling. It is indispensable for treating pain. It is valuable in the treatment of infertility, and in preparation for childbirth.

A particular benefit is that moxibustion may be performed at home. Points are marked at the time of treatment; their home use prolongs the effect of treatment to speed recovery, reduce pain and raise vitality.  It is my job to reduce your need for further treatment.

I learned moxibustion from Robert Hayden, Junji Mizutani, Shudo Denmai, and others, and am grateful for it.

 

Effects of Moxibustion

Dr. Shimetaro Hara researched the effects of moxibustiuon. This summary of his work comes from Junji Mizutani, teacher of moxibustion and publisher of North American Journal of Oriental Medicine. See the last paragraph for his biography.

Even though his approach may have been somewhat

limited and his research was done in the 1920s, Dr. Hara’s

research on changes in the blood chemistry with direct

moxibustion was a valuable contribution still applicable

today. His conclusive findings are part of the explanation

of the therapeutic effects of moxibustion, and they are as

follows: 

1. There is an increase in white blood cells. The white blood

cell count begins to increase immediately after

moxibustion, and reaches a peak eight hours later. This

peak is maintained for 24 hours. The number declines

somewhat after three days, but it remains elevated for

four to five days after moxibustion. The white blood

cell count almost doubles with moxibustion, but when

applied continuously for six weeks, the increase is sustained

for up to 13 weeks after moxibustion is discontinued.

 

2. The phagocytic activity of the white blood cells increases.

For example, with typhoid bacilli the phagocytic activity

increases just 15 minutes after moxibustion. This

activity reaches a peak in two to three days, and gradually

declines after that. Phagocytic activity is greater

than normal for about a week after moxibustion but,

when moxibustion is applied continuously, the increase

in this activity continues for a longer period.

 

3. There is an increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin.

For subjects who had an average hemoglobin ratio of

78% just before moxibustion, the ratio increased steadily

to reach a peak of 90% in eight weeks. Applying

moxibustion continuously for 15 weeks, it takes 22

weeks for the red blood cell count to return to what it

was before moxibustion.

 

4. The sedimentation rate of red blood cells increases. 

5. Platelet count increases.

6. The speed of blood coagulation increases. 

7. Blood glucose count increases. 

8. Blood calcium increases.

 9. Serum complements increase.

 10. The capacity to produce antibodies increases.

 

Dr. Hara claimed that these experimental results were

produced by minute amounts of “histotoxins” (denatured

proteins), which stimulated an increase in blood constituents

and their activity. Furthermore, he enlisted the concept

of homeopathy to explain that, while large amounts

of “histotoxins” from big burns are harmful to the body,

minute amounts of this substance from the continuous

application of moxibustion was actually beneficial and

useful for maintaining health.

 

Shimetaro Hara, M.D. was born in 1883. He entered

the Kyoto Prefecture Medical Specialty School in 1901

and became a doctor. He began doing research around

1924 at the Public Health Section of the Kyushu University

Medical School. Starting with his study of

hematological effects after the injection of oxygen, he

went on to conduct moxibustion research including,

“the hematological effects of moxibustion.” After that,

he became a life-long advocate of moxibustion on ST36

as a method of health promotion and freedom from

disease. He practiced this method himself and proved

its remarkable effects by living to the age of 108. When

he passed away on June 18, 1991, he had been the oldest

living Japanese man for two months.