Moxibustion at Quze Acupoint: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Coronary Heart Disease

  The mortality rate of coronary heart disease is very high in China, and traditional Chinese medicine recommends using moxibustion to treat coronary heart disease at the Quze acupoint. Quze acupoint is one of the commonly used acupoints in the Hand Jueyin Pericardium meridian, and it has the effects of clearing heat, promoting digestion, and resolving stagnation, as well as clearing heat and detoxifying. So, how do we locate the Quze acupoint?

【Moxibustion at Quze Acupoint for the Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease】

  In the treatment of 37 patients with coronary heart disease angina pectoris using mild moxibustion, immediate therapeutic effects were obtained. The relevant indicators were measured before moxibustion, 15 minutes after moxibustion, and 5 minutes after moxibustion cessation. The local area of moxibustion was warm and comfortable, and the patients felt relief in chest tightness and comfort in the precordial area. Cardiac function and other parameters were improved. It has certain therapeutic effects on patients with coronary heart disease angina pectoris.

  For patients with spasmatic limb syndrome: Patients with spasmatic limb syndrome, characterized by painful and spasmodic muscle contractions and accompanied by abnormal numbness, achieved satisfactory therapeutic effects after acupuncture.

  It has inhibitory effects on acute ischemic myocardial injury: Acupuncture at the Quze and Geyu acupoints in animals (rabbits) has an inhibitory effect on the development of acute ischemic myocardial injury, and it has an inhibitory effect on the elevation of ST segment in rabbit electrocardiogram. After starting acupuncture, the ST segment potential value showed a natural decline trend. Compared with the control group, the Quze group had statistical significance.

【How to Locate the Quze Acupoint?】

  The Quze acupoint is located in the middle of the elbow crease, on the ulnar edge of the biceps tendon, with the elbow slightly flexed.

  The Quze acupoint is located in the anterior elbow region, above the elbow crease, in the concave area on the ulnar edge of the biceps tendon. It is located with the palm facing up and the elbow slightly flexed.

  1. Method of locating the acupoint:

  Locate the Quze acupoint in the anterior elbow region, above the elbow crease, in the concave area on the ulnar edge of the biceps tendon, with the palm facing up and the elbow slightly flexed.

  2. Anatomical position:

  On the ulnar side of the biceps tendon; where the brachial artery and vein are located; the main trunk of the median nerve is distributed here, and below the acupoint are the skin, subcutaneous tissue, median nerve, and brachialis muscle. The skin is innervated by the medial brachial cutaneous nerve, and the skin lines are deeper.

  In addition to the aforementioned cutaneous nerve, there is also the important basilic vein that originates from the ulnar side of the dorsal hand vein network, ascends above the ulnar side of the forearm, turns to the front below the cubital fossa, and receives the median cubital vein here, then it passes along the inner edge of the biceps tendon, enters the brachial vein through the deep fascia at the midpoint of the arm.

  The needle passes through the skin, subcutaneous fascia, and anterior fascia between the basilic vein and the median cubital vein, and directly punctures the main trunk of the median nerve and the deep surface of the brachialis muscle. This muscle is innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve.

  3. Layered anatomy:

  Skin → subcutaneous tissue → median nerve → brachialis muscle.

  It is innervated by the main trunk of the median nerve and is surrounded by the brachial artery and vein.