Digest Number 2813: shingles appearing after moxa? From: Andrea Beth Damsky abdamsky@...

[Guest guest]

Hi Andrea,

 

I had a teacher who taught that using moxa on acute damp-heat/heat-toxin

rashes that itched was " using fire to treat fire. " He also said that only

smoke-moxa sticks should be used, because the smoke will coat the skin and

treat/kill the heat toxin.

 

I have used moxa very successfully to treat poison oak rashes. What happens

is that they become intensely itchy while being moxaed and shortly

afterwards, but then in the next few hours or by the next day they are

significantly improved. They resolve much more quickly that untreated

rashes. I am not sure if this would still be the case if the rashes were

very severe - with boils and puss, etc or not, as I have not treated this.

Also Hua She Jie Yang Wan works very well to treat damp-heat/heat toxin

rashes in general, and works very well for poison oak. I even have patients

who keep it on hand to use it propholactically when they think they are

exposed.

 

My teacher also said it is important to use moxa on acute infections when

they are on the fingers and toes, as it increases circulation to that area,

even though the acute infection is hot. His teacher in China taught him

that, when they saw a patient with a severe acute infection of his toe.

Antibiotics were having a hard time reaching the toe to treat the infection,

and the western trained MDs were worried the patient might lose the toe. My

teacher and his teacher successfully used moxa to treat the infection -

whether by facilitating the circulation to the toe for the anitbiotic to

finally work or by the moxa actually treating the infection, I am not sure.

 

In terms of moxa bringing out a shingles infection - sounds possible given

that it is Spring, and stress and heat can increase the chances of shingles'

expression. Also, the original inguinal area pain being treated may have

been the first sign of the rash - the prodrome before the blisters appear.

If this is the case though, moxa may have only caused the rash to express it

self more quickly. It is possible it could help it to disappear more quickly

as well. I am not sure, as I have not treated active shingles. However, I

have treated several cases of what I thought was the shingles prodrome - but

since the rash never appeared, I am not sure!! Either way, Long Dan Xie Gan

Wan is always a great formula for Liver/GB damp-heat, and ban lan gen is an

excellent addition for all viral damp-heat/heat-toxin problems affecting the

Liver, as well as directly treating heat-toxin skin rashes and other skin

problems. Good for hepatitis as well.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Message 7

" "

Mon May 8, 2006 9:40am(PDT)

Re: shingles appearing after moxa?

 

Hi Carl,

 

I don't know where you're located and what your local weather is, but I find

shingles tends to appear in early spring, as liver energy is coming full,

and even

more strongly, with more severe cases, later in summer, with hot, damp

weather. It

is definitely a damp heat rash, and it does sound like yours is following

the liver

and gallbladder channels. Long Dan Xie Gan Tang is the recommended formula

for

active shingles outbreak, and it also responds well and quickly to

acupuncture -

surround the dragon technique, starting to needle where the rash first

appeared and

then secondly in the direction the rash is heading, and then space your

needles

about 1 cun apart all around the perimeter of the rash. I've had good

results with

this when the rash is in its first few days. Some texts recommend using

moxa for

shingles, and I have never done this. I hear it dries out the dampness in

the

rash, but I've been reluctant to add more heat to a rash that is already

hot.

 

If anyone's used moxa on shingles (or other hot rashes) with good success,

I'd

appreciate hearing your success.

 

 

 

 

 

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