Objective : Moxibustion has been proved efficacious for many diseases, but isn´t widespread in the clinics due to a danger of skin burning, the smoke produced while burning a moxa combustion and so on. Therefore, another type of moxa that can be resolved these troubles is required. To improve the effect of moxibustion and develop the new thermal stimulating treatment, the performance of commercial moxibustion widely used are studied systematically and found out quantitatively.
Methods : We have selected two types (small-size moxa A(sMA), small-size moxa B (sMB)) among small-size moxaes used widely in the clinic. We examined combustion time, various temperatures, temperature gradient in each period during a combustion of moxa.
Results : 1. The combustion time in the preheating period appeared somewhat longer in sMA than in sMB.
2, The combustion time in the heating period appeared longer in sMA by 26% than in sMB.
3. The average temperature in the heating period was 37.6∼37.8℃ in sMA and 36.2∼36.8℃ in sMB and the maximum temperature measured at a center of contact surface in sMA was 48.6℃, higher by over 2.8℃ than that of sMB moxibustion.
4. The average ascending temperature gradient in the heating period was 0.08∼0.1℃/sec in both moxaes, and the average ascending temperature gradient of heating period in sMB appeared larger. The maximum ascending temperature gradient appeared higher in sMB, and the time reaching maximum ascending temperature gradient appeared much earlier in sMA than in sMB.
5. The combustion time in the retaining period was around 100 sec in sMA and around 275 sec in sMB,
6. The average temperature in the retaining period was 42.2∼46.0℃ in sMA and 39.3∼41.4℃ in sMB. The minimum temperature in the retaining period was over 38.80 in sMA but just 34.7℃ in sMB.
7. The average descending temperature gradient in sMA was -0.050∼0.067℃/sec and in sMB was-0.030∼0.037℃/sec.
8. The combustion time in the cooling period appeared longer over two times in sMA than in sMB, and the time which the cooling period (minimum temperature) finished at appeared later in sMB by 55 sec.
9. We classified the combustion process that the measured temperature rose over body heat(37℃) into the effective combustion period. The effective combustion time was 233.3 sec in sMA and 300.4 sec in sMB respectively, and was longer by about 29% in sMB. The average temperature and maximum temperature in the effective combustion time appeared higher in sMA. The time taken until the maximum temperature was reached was 225.1 sec in sMA and 244.5 sec in sMB, faster by about 20 sec in sMA.
The maximum ascending temperature gradient during the effective combustion period appeared larger about 1.4 times in sMB, but the time when the maximum ascending temperature gradient happened was faster in sMA.
Conclusion : It appears that sMB, compared with sMA, is proper if necessary to apply the long time and weak stimulus, because of the gentle stimulus during the relatively longer time. In contrast, sMA that the symmetrical combustion happened is proper if necessary to apply the short time and strong stimulus.
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