REDUCING ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE  BY MOXIBUSTION

Fujian Cooperative Group of Reducing Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate by Moxibustion, Fuzhou

We used moxibustion in treating 40 cases of higher rheumatic ESR, 10 males and 30 females, of whom the old and the middle-aged made up 77.5%. Most of the patients had a sort of pain in limbs and soreness in the waist. 5 cases had a low fever. According to the Westergren's method, the ESR levels were more than 15mm/hr in males and 20mm/hr In females. The method of treatment was: Treating arthralgia due to cold with moxibustion at Dazhui; treating arthralgia due to wind and dampness with moxibustion at Dazhui and Yanglingyuan. Each point was treated with moxibustion once a day for 30 minutes and 10 times as one course of treatment.

The result of treatment indicated that the changes in the ESR of 40 cases before and after moxibustion were: The total ESR l75Smm/hr with the average 43.95mm.''hr: reduced to the total ESR 900mm./hr with the average 22.5mm'hr. The mean rale of difference was 21.45mm/hr Statistically. P<0.001 showed a significant difference. The ESR was 1 T51 mm'hr with the average 47.1mm/hr before applying moxibustion to arthralgia due to wind and reduced to 617mm/hr with the average 25.79mm'hr after moxibustion. The mean rate of difference was 21.31mm/hr. The ESR was 480mm/hr with the average 40.mm/hr before applying moxibustion to arthralgia due to cold and reduced to 277mm/hr with the average 18.91mm''hr after moxibustion. The mean rate of difference was 21.09mm''hr. The ESR was 147mm/hr with the average 36.75mm/hr before applying moxibustion to arthralgia due to dampness and reduced to 56mm/hr with the average 14.0mm 'h after moxibustion. The mean rate of difference was 22.75mm/hr. In general, the symptoms would disappear after treatment. In 21 cases, the ESR returned to normal, taking up 52.5%. 15 cases had their symptoms apparently improved, whose ESR had, more or less, been lowered, taking up 37,5%, But 4 cases had no results, without any change in their ESR, taking up 10%.

Compiled by L'm Yuezhu