Integrated Treatment of Acupuncture and Moxibustion--

'Gudang' Medicine
Author : Min, Jong oh

The philosophical and theoretical basis of acupuncture and moxibustion is the Yin-Yang /

Five Elements theory.

The integrated treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion is mentioned in Chapter 10 "The

Major Channels" in the Lingshu (The Spiritual Pivot) of the Huangdi Neijing (The Inner

Classic of the Yellow Emperor).

For thousands of years, moxibustion has been delivered together with acupuncture to

maintain the balanced equilibrium of Yin and Yang. Today, however, direct moxibustion is

rarely or partially used because most acupuncturists only rely on their needles. When used

in conjunction with traditional acupuncture, moxibustion achieves its desired, even surprising

and mysterious, therapeutic effect in most diseases.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

The mechanism of acupuncture is well understood in connection with the fact that electric

current flows through the human body.

The needle facilitates a good flow of human electricity.

That's why metal needles are used.

Nerve cells, physiologically speaking, receive, process and send information through

electrical signals. The muscle cells contract in response to them, and hence, these signals

are essential to the nerve and muscle cells.

How Does Moxibustion Work?

Moxibustion not only gives heat stimulation but also burns the skin to produce therapeutic

scars. These burns are a key to this scarring moxibustion.

Then, why do we have to create such burns? It is because the burns produce foreign

(heterologous) protein which in turn creates new blood. Indirect (non-scarring) moxibustion is
not enough because it only gives heat stimulation. Direct (scarring) moxibustion is, hence,

needed.

Acupuncture makes qi circulate in the body. Lack of blood, however, does not lead to

smooth flow of qi. That's why blood is required to be produced.

Moxibustion is a therapy to prevent and cure diseases by correcting physiological

malfunction through biological reaction triggered by first-degree burns on the skin or thermal

stimulation. Its greatest effect is making new blood which works as an electric power line to

transmit qi to every part of the body.

How Do Acupuncture and Moxibustion Work Together?

Acupuncture moves qi and moxibustion makes blood.

The former generates electric conduction whereas the latter builds power lines.

Now acupuncture and moxibustion should meet and become integrated in order to better

treat patients.

Then, what are the ideal acupuncture points? Firstly, one has to check out medical

symptoms by using traditional diagnostic techniques (inspection, auscultation and olfaction,

inquiring, and palpation). Secondly, one has to select the course of meridians and Zang-Fu

organs related to them. And lastly, one has to choose the Back-Shu points (the stream

points) and Front-Mu ones (the alarm points) before inserting needles.

And now, what are the ideal moxibustion points and moxa sizes? Moxibustion also follows in

the steps of acupuncture. Once moxibustion spots are determined along the channel points,

a small amount of moxa is placed on top of these Back-Shu and Front-Mu points, ignited,

and allowed to remain onto the point until it burns out completely.

History of the Integrated Treatment of Acupuncture and Moxibustion

In the past, big needles and a large amount of moxa were so painful that when performed

together, acupuncture and moxibustion could even exhaust patients to the point that a
continuous treatment was not able to be maintained. A number of diseases, however, could

not be cured only with an individual treatment.

Gudang, who had already known the difference between acupuncture and moxibustion in

terms of their efficiency through his decades-old clinical experiences, started to perform the

integrated treatment at his clinic with the conviction that moving both qi and blood must be a

very effective therapy. This courageous step could only be taken thanks to filiform needles.

These thin needles were no longer painful to patients so that a further treatment was

possible. While moxibustion was being performed, patients did not experience any pain

either due to a small, cone-shaped amount of moxa put on an acupuncture point in many

parts of the body. Moxibustion used in combination with needling began to reduce pain,

make obvious progress in treatment, and thus, attain an anticipated therapeutic effect for

patients. No side effects have been reported for decades. Surely, acupuncture and

moxibustion can be performed together. They should even be used in combination for the

sake of patients.

Conclusion

According to Kim Nam-Soo, also known as Gudang, who created the integrated treatment,

acupuncture and moxibustion are complementary to each other. Acupuncture needles

facilitate the flow of electricity in the human body. Only durable power lines guarantee a

smooth flow. Then, what are the electric lines in the body? As you know, there is iron dust,

the red blood cells, in the blood vessels. The vessels are, therefore, the power lines in the

body. Moxibustion leads to a smoother flow of blood which in turn facilitates the flow of

electricity.

The integrated medicine of acupuncture and moxibustion effectively strikes the balance

between Yin and Yang and has greatly contributed to a successful treatment outcome. I

firmly believe that this combined treatment is a sure, swift shortcut to the eventual integration

of the Oriental and Occidental medicine. The integrated treatment is now being performed in

Korea, China, the United States, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Japan. And

thousands of patients benefit from it every year.

Key Word :
Electricity , Yin&Yang Balance, direct moxibustion, heterologous protein, blood
homeostasis, integrated medicine, Antiaging