Guasha and moxibustion are both commonly used therapies in traditional Chinese medicine, but which one should be done first?
Should Guasha or Moxibustion Be Done First?
The order of guasha and moxibustion is generally determined based on the individual's constitution.
1. For individuals with excess syndrome: Moxibustion should not be done after guasha.
In general, individuals with excess syndrome should not have moxibustion done after guasha. This is because the skin is very fragile and prone to breakage after guasha, and there may be a slight lack of sensitivity to heat. Moxibustion has a tonifying effect, and adding tonification to an excess syndrome would be like adding fuel to the fire, so moxibustion should be avoided.
2. For individuals with cold syndrome and deficiency constitution: Guasha should be done first, followed by moxibustion.
For individuals with cold syndrome and deficiency constitution, using guasha in combination with moxibustion can have miraculous effects. It can warm the meridians, dispel cold, promote Qi circulation, tonify Yang, stabilize and raise Yang, dispel heat and toxins, promote blood circulation and resolve stasis, and prevent disease and promote health.
3. For individuals with weak constitution: Moxibustion should be done first, followed by guasha.
For individuals with weak constitution, it is more appropriate to use moxibustion first to replenish Yang Qi, promote the circulation of Qi and blood, and enhance personal constitution, followed by guasha.
Note:
Guasha and moxibustion have their own advantages and disadvantages for treating specific conditions. Therefore, whether to do guasha or moxibustion first should be based on the specific disease and individual constitution. It is recommended to consult an experienced Chinese medicine practitioner to diagnose the condition and determine the appropriate treatment method.
Should Guasha or Moxibustion Be Used First for Dampness and Cold?
For dampness and cold, it is recommended to do cupping first, followed by moxibustion.
In general, cupping is mainly used to dispel dampness, while moxibustion is mainly used to dispel cold. Guasha mainly promotes blood circulation. Therefore, to eliminate dampness and cold, it is advisable to do cupping first and then moxibustion. Cupping stimulates the acupoints or painful areas, allowing the accumulation of wind, cold, and dampness in the painful area to gather in one place. At this time, if moxibustion is used to warm and promote circulation, it can effectively expel the pathogenic factors in the painful area.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Guasha
1. Benefits
(1) Promotes metabolism and detoxification. The body undergoes constant metabolic activity every day, and the waste produced during metabolism needs to be eliminated in a timely manner. Guasha can scrape the "garbage" of metabolism to the surface of the body, deposit it in the pores under the skin, promote smooth blood flow, and restore natural metabolic vitality.
(2) Relaxes tendons and activates meridians. Nowadays, more and more people suffer from cervical spondylosis, frozen shoulder, and back pain due to long hours of sitting in the office. This is because when the "soft tissues" of the body (joint capsules, ligaments, fascia, etc.) are damaged, the muscles can be tense, contracted, or even spasm, leading to pain. If not treated in time, it can cause varying degrees of adhesion, fibrosis, or scar formation, exacerbating the condition. Guasha can relax tendons, activate meridians, and eliminate pain, helping to relieve muscle tension and promote recovery of the affected area.
(3) Adjusts the balance of Yin and Yang. Chinese medicine emphasizes the balance of Yin and Yang in the body. Guasha has a bidirectional regulatory effect on the body's functions and can improve and adjust visceral functions to restore balance.
2. Drawbacks
The drawbacks of guasha are usually due to not paying attention to contraindications and improper operation.
(1) Frequent guasha without moderation can cause damage to the skin and not help relieve fatigue, but increase the burden on the body.
(2) For individuals with weak Qi and blood, guasha can deplete Qi. Frequent guasha can cause symptoms such as mental fatigue, weakness, dizziness, making the body worse.
(3) For individuals with skin ulcers or other skin diseases, guasha is not a pleasure, but a torment. It can cause greater damage to already fragile skin tissue and even lead to infection, worsening the condition.
(4) For certain individuals with blood disorders or heart and liver problems, guasha should be avoided as it can cause greater harm to the body.
Precautions for Guasha
Precautions before Guasha
1. Guasha therapy requires exposed skin, and the skin pores are open during guasha. If exposed to wind and cold, the pathogenic factors can directly enter the body through the open pores, affecting the effectiveness of guasha and potentially causing new diseases. Therefore, choose a good treatment environment before guasha, with fresh and well-ventilated air, and pay attention to keeping warm and avoiding wind. Try to expose as little skin as possible.
2. Choose a comfortable position for guasha to facilitate scraping and prevent dizziness.
3. Guasha tools must be strictly disinfected to prevent cross-infection. Before scraping, carefully check the guasha tools to avoid scraping the skin.
4. The hands of the practitioner should also be disinfected.
5. Before scraping, explain the general knowledge of guasha to the patient to eliminate their fear and gain their cooperation to avoid dizziness.
6. Do not perform guasha treatment when the patient is overly hungry, too full, or extremely tense.
Precautions during Guasha
1. The scraping technique should be applied with even force, within the tolerable range, until sha (petechiae) appears.
2. For infants, young children, and the elderly, the scraping technique should be applied with gentle force.
3. Do not blindly pursue sha appearance with excessive force or prolonged scraping time. The amount of sha is influenced by various factors. In general, more sha appears in blood stasis syndrome and excess syndrome. Less sha appears in deficiency syndrome and cold syndrome. Taking too many medications, especially steroid medications, makes it difficult to produce sha. Obese or muscular individuals are less likely to produce sha. Yin meridians are less likely to produce sha compared to yang meridians. Sha is less likely to appear in a low room temperature.
4. During scraping, frequently ask the patient about their feelings. If dizziness occurs, such as mental fatigue, dizziness, pale complexion, nausea, cold sweats, palpitations, cold limbs, or decreased blood pressure and unconsciousness, immediately stop guasha. Comfort the patient and avoid panic, help them lie down, keep them warm, and offer warm water or sugar water to drink. If the symptoms persist, lightly press the water channel points with the corner of the guasha board, avoiding edema after pressing. Use draining scraping technique on Baihui (GV20) and Yongquan (KD1) acupoints. After the patient's condition improves, continue scraping Neiguan (PC6) and Zusanli (ST36) acupoints.
Precautions after Guasha
1. Guasha treatment promotes sweating and eliminates pathogenic factors through the sweat pores, which consumes some of the body's fluid. Therefore, after guasha, drink a cup of warm water and rest for a while.
2. After guasha treatment, to prevent the invasion of wind and cold, the skin pores need to close and return to their original state before bathing, which usually takes about 3 hours.
3. For some complex and critically ill patients, in addition to guasha treatment, other therapies should be used in conjunction, such as medication, to avoid delaying the condition.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Moxibustion
Benefits of Moxibustion
1. Many women nowadays have cold uterus, with cold hands and feet and irregular menstruation. This is mainly due to coldness in the body. In such cases, moxibustion can be regularly applied to Guanyuan (CV4) and Shénquè (CV8) acupoints to expel the body's coldness, solving the problem of cold uterus in women.
2. Many young people nowadays sit in the office for long periods of time and exercise very little, so their constitution is not very strong, especially for women. Moxibustion can not only treat diseases but also enhance the body's immune system. Therefore, when the body is weak, regularly moxibustion on Zusanli (ST36) can have a good improvement effect.
3. Many girls have skin problems such as spots, dark circles, and eye bags. These are mostly caused by hormonal imbalances. Moxibustion can help improve these symptoms and promote detoxification and beauty.
4. Many people nowadays suffer from neck pain due to long hours of using mobile phones and computers. Moxibustion on Fengchi (GB20) and Dazhui (GV14) acupoints can effectively relieve neck pain and shoulder stiffness.
5. Moxibustion can also treat colds. If a child has a cold, parents can moxibustion for fifteen minutes every night, which is very beneficial for the body.
6. When improper diet causes diarrhea and affects the stomach, moxibustion on Zusanli (ST36) and Zhongwan (CV12) can protect the spleen and stomach.
Drawbacks of Moxibustion
Moxibustion requires attention to timing, temperature, and duration. If not properly controlled, it can cause skin redness and serious burns, leading to blisters and suppuration due to high temperature.
The acupoints are connected to the internal organs, so not every acupoint can be moxibusted at will. Moxibustion at the wrong acupoints can cause discomfort in the body, especially for pregnant women, which can easily lead to miscarriage. Pregnant women should be especially cautious when undergoing moxibustion.
Some people may experience insomnia when they first start moxibustion. This phenomenon will disappear over time, so there is no need to worry.
Precautions for Moxibustion
1. Concentrate and persevere
When performing moxibustion, it is important to focus and not be distracted, to prevent the moxa stick from moving or not being applied to the acupoint, which can cause injury and waste time. For health maintenance moxibustion, long-term adherence is required. Occasionally moxibustion will not achieve the desired effect.
2. Pay attention to accurate body position and acupoints
The body position should be suitable for moxibustion needs, and it should also be comfortable and natural. The acupoint location should be accurate according to the prescription to ensure the effectiveness of moxibustion.
3. Fire prevention
Many modern clothing materials, such as synthetic fibers and down, are highly flammable. Therefore, during moxibustion, it is important to prevent fire. This is especially true for moxibustion with moxa sticks, which can easily roll off. After moxibustion with moxa sticks, it is advisable to extinguish them by placing the burning end into a bottle slightly larger in diameter than the moxa stick.
4. Keep warm and prevent heatstroke
Due to the exposed body surface during moxibustion, it is necessary to keep warm in winter and prevent heatstroke in hot temperatures. It is also important to regulate indoor temperature and use ventilation fans to ensure fresh air circulation.
5. Prevent infection
Due to the opening of sweat pores during moxibustion treatment, pathogenic factors are expelled through the pores. This process consumes some of the body's fluids. Therefore, after moxibustion, drink a cup of warm water and rest for a while.
6. Follow a proper moxibustion procedure
If multiple acupoints are moxibusted and scattered, they should be done in the order of back first, then chest and abdomen, and head and trunk before limbs.
7. Pay attention to moxibustion timing
Some conditions require attention to moxibustion timing. For example, in the treatment of insomnia, moxibustion should be performed before going to bed. Avoid moxibustion on an empty stomach before meals or immediately after meals.
8. Gradually increase the intensity for first-time moxibustion users
Pay attention to the amount of stimulation and start with a small amount and low dosage, such as using a small moxa stick or moxibustion for a shorter time. Increase the dosage later. Do not start with a large dosage.
9. Prevent dizziness during moxibustion
Although dizziness is rare, once it occurs, symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, pale complexion, palpitations, and sweating may appear, and even fainting may occur. If dizziness occurs, immediately stop moxibustion and lie down quietly. Additionally, moxibustion on Zusanli (ST36) with a gentle technique for about 10 minutes can help alleviate the symptoms.
10. Adjust moxibustion temperature
For individuals with dulled skin sensation or children, place the index and middle fingers on both sides of the moxibustion site to sense the temperature, ensuring that the temperature is not hot enough to burn the skin while still achieving a good effect.
