Where to apply moxibustion for lower limb edema

In this age where appearance is everything, in addition to face, body shape is also very important. Therefore, thin waists and long legs are popular among the public. However, it is not easy to have long legs. In addition to innate conditions, acquired efforts are also very important. Edema of the lower limbs has become a problem. In addition to edema caused by diseases, long-term standing or sitting will cause venous return disorders, thereby causing edema of the lower limbs. So how does moxibustion solve this problem? Let's learn about it below.

Lower limb edema is mostly related to spleen and kidney qi deficiency. Many people also have mild lower limb edema caused by varicose veins and venous reflux obstruction. This type of lower limb edema is mostly caused by blood stasis and obstruction of the collaterals. Edema is milder when you wake up in the morning and becomes more obvious in the afternoon or evening. This is often caused by sitting or standing for a long time, which aggravates venous return obstruction. For mild edema caused by non-serious diseases, you can try moxibustion and massage. If it is ineffective after three to five days, you should go to a regular hospital for treatment in time.

Moxibustion: Adding fuel to the body's little furnace

Traditional moxibustion has the effect of warming and nourishing the yang energy of the spleen and kidneys. To put it in an analogy, moxibustion is like adding firewood to the small stove in the body. Only when the fire burns strongly enough can the body work better. Otherwise, excess body fluids cannot be discharged smoothly through sweating or urination, resulting in excessive water remaining in the corresponding parts of the body, which is the edema we see. Moxibustion is particularly suitable for mild edema caused by deficiency of lung, spleen and kidney qi, especially edema of the face and lower limbs. In addition, moxibustion also has the effect of warming the meridians and dredge the collaterals, so it is also suitable for lower limb edema caused by venous reflux obstruction.

There are three commonly used moxibustion methods:

Moxibustion with moxa sticks: Light the moxa stick and then burn the acupuncture points. The moxa stick should be 1 to 2 cm away from the acupuncture points, and the heat should be tolerable. The commonly used acupoints are Qihai, Guanyuan, Mingmen, Dazhui and Zusanli. Moxibustion each acupoint for 5 to 10 minutes until the local skin turns red.

For moxa box moxibustion, put the moxa sticks of appropriate length into the moxibustion box, light it and place the moxibustion box outside the corresponding acupuncture points. Each time can be 15 to 20 minutes. Commonly used moxibustion sites include the navel (Shenque point), Qihai point, Guanyuan point, Mingmen point, Shenshu point, etc.

The method of moxibustion through objects is to first put medicine or a medicine cake made of medicine on the acupuncture point, then place the moxa cone on the medicine cake, and then light the moxa. This method can not only bring out the effect of moxibustion, but also bring out the yang-raising effect of the medicine. Commonly used moxibustion methods include moxibustion with aconite, moxibustion with salt, moxibustion with ginger, etc. Each acupoint should be moxibustioned 2 to 3 times, that is to say, place 2 to 3 moxa cones in sequence.