Case study: How to treat infertility using moxibustion

How to treat infertility using moxibustion

Infertility

This is an exerpt from the book, ????? (Infinite Nourishing Moxibustion), written by Dr Namsu Kim.

Overview

The case study concerns infertility due to kidney deficiency.  The patient becomes married for about two years.  Her doctor diagnosed her with infertility.  Her husband had weakness in bronchial tube.  The patient presented with infertility, fatty abdomen, lower back pain, cold sensation in the lower abdomen, leucorrhea, cold hands and feet, and irregular and scanty menstruation.  The pulse was deep and slow.  The clinic encouraged the patient to receive treatments with her husband for better results.

Treatments

  • Prescription for husband:  basic acumoxa protocols + acupuncture (RN22, RN23, DU3, BL12, BL18, BL23)
  • Prescription for the patient:  basic acumoxa protocols + moxa (ST26, RN7) + acupuncture (SP6, SP9, RN14, BL18)

The patient received self moxa care with five cones size of half a rice grain everyday for two months.  She experienced significant improvement in lower back pain, cold sensation under the lower abdomen, leucorrhea, and irregular menstruation.  The patient succeeded in becoming pregnant after four months.

Acupuncture points

  • BL60 (??) has its literal meaning as a mountain, which is higher than the flatland.  It is the head that lies the highest in our body.  Though the acupoint is located on the posterolateral aspect of the foot ankle, its stimulation can be as effective as stimulation on the head.
  • BL40(??) is among the four command points.  It treats all that is related to lower back.  Both BL60 and BL40 can treat head and lower back together.
  • SI11(??) and BL43(??) can prevent any ailments that may arise after birth.  The acupuncture points are useful for any women who experience menstruation.  All the acupuncture point containing the letter, Heaven (?), have association with heart and brain.  
  • BL43 has relation with heart.  Women experience menstruation, and menstruation is blood.  Qi circulates blood. Heart fails to circulate blood. This is circulation disorder. There is upper back pain due to lack of circulation.  It is heart that is in charge of circulation.  Human beings are born with kidney essence. They die when the essense becomes depleted.  This is why we use BL23 nourish Kidney Qi.
  • Liver governs sinews.  Liver also stores blood and takes responsibility for detoxification.  There are no organs in our body that are not concerned with sinews.  The skin and sinews are where we put acupuncture needles.  LV3, or yuan source of liver meridian, governs sinews, stores blood and cleans for detoxification.  LV3 and LI4 are four gates, which we needle as if we were knocking at the door.  We needle LV3 first before putting more needles.  SP6(???) is necessary for women.  Women belong to Yin, and it is the point where three Yin channels meet.  It is an important point to treat women’s diseases.