Table 1 Needling and acupuncture details
Warm needling acupuncture (needle + moxa stick) | |
|---|---|
Acupoints | Fenglong (ST40, bilateral), Zusanli (ST36, bilateral), Sanyinjiao (SP6, bilateral) |
Depths of insertion | Fenglong (ST40) for 1.0 to 2.0 cun, Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) for 1.0 to 1.5 cun (“cun” is a traditional Chinese measure using the width of a person’s thumb at the knuckle, whereas the width of the 2 forefingers denotes 1.5 cun and the width of 4 fingers (except the thumb) side-by-side is 3 cuns. Therefore, 1 cun may vary from person to person) |
Needle stimulation | Manual manipulation |
Responses elicited | De qi sensation |
Needle retention time | 30 min |
Needle specifications | Sterile single-use acupuncture needles of 25–40 mm in length and 0.30 mm in diameter; manufactured by Suzhou Medical Supplies Co., Ltd., Suzhou, China |
Moxibustion specifications | Small moxa stick, made of mugwort, with 1.5 cm length; manufactured by Suzhou Medical Supplies Co., Ltd., Suzhou, China |
Manipulation | (1) locate and sterilize the acupoints; (2) insert the needles and stimulate to elicit response; (3) attach a small moxa stick to the needle tail and light the moxa stick; and (4) retain needles with moxa sticks for 30 min |
Medicinal cake-separated moxibustion (medicinal cake + moxa cone) | |
Acupoints | Juque (RN14), Tianshu (ST25, bilateral), Pishu (BL20, bilateral), Xinshu (BL15, bilateral), Ganshu (BL18, bilateral), Shenshu (BL23, bilateral) |
Cake ingredients | Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae), Shan Zha (Fructus Crataegi), Yu Jin (Radix Curcumae), Da Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) and Ze Xie (Rhizoma Alismatis) |
Cake preparation method | All cake ingredients in the same quantities were collected, ground into powder, mixed well with vinegar, and made into round, thin cakes of 1.5 cm in diameter, 3 mm in thickness and 3 g in weight; manufactured by Suzhou Medical Supplies Co., Ltd., Suzhou, China |
Moxibustion specifications | Moxa cone, made of mugwort, with 1 cm in diameter; manufactured by Suzhou Medical Supplies Co., Ltd., Suzhou, China |
Retention time | 3 cones in total for 30 min |
Manipulation | (1) locate the acupoints; (2) place the herbal cake on to the acupoints; (3) place a moxa cone onto the herbal cake and light the moxa cone; (4) renew the moxa cone once it is fully consumed, with 3 moxa cones in total per acupoint; and (5) retain herbal cakes with moxa cones for 30 min |