お灸の豆知識

Hachibuky?: the Painless and Effective Treatment

1. One Moxibustion Neither Burns nor Scars

   When many people think of moxibustion, scary images of burning and scarring come to mind. They wonder what it can be used for or whether it even works. In fact, people have many negative preconceptions about moxibustion. But wait just a minute. No one likes burning, but one type of moxibustion, which came to Japan with the arrival of Buddhism 1500 years ago, contains a number of innovations to prevent burning. Furthermore, its continued use for 1500 years is a testament to its effectiveness.

   In order to avoid burning, there are two types of moxibustion: those involving indirect application of moxa and those involving direct application using special techniques. Indirect application consists of placing an item in between the moxa and the skin so the heat is felt indirectly. Slices of paper, loquat leaves, miso, salt, and garlic are among the items used in this treatment. Medicinal goods, which involve making a paper tube, stuffing it with moxa, and applying it to the skin with an adhesive, are already sold on the market.

   Since the olden days, however, professional moxibustionists have exclusively used direct moxibustion, as it is undeniably a more effective treatment than indirect application. Hachibuky? is a high recommended type of effective direct moxibustion which minimizes burning.

   Because Hachibuky? burns approximately 80% of the moxa, the burning moxa is extinguished and removed from the skin as soon as heat sensation is felt.

2. Fast Acting

   Hachibuky? is also fast-acting, especially for ailments such as knee pain or lower-back pain. Applying this treatment just once typically eliminates most of the pain. People who normally have trouble going up and down stairs due to knee pain typically felt dramatic relief on their way home after one treatment. Furthermore, people with strained backs would, having been treated with Hachibuky?, often forget their canes upon leaving the treatment center.

3. Special Features of Hachibuky?

   There is no cleaner treatment than moxibustion. Viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis-C are spread via blood or mucous membranes. Because moxibustion is used on the surface of the skin, there is no chance being infected by a virus.

   In addition, there are no side effects with Hachibuky?. Moxibustion was first started in China and has history of more than 3000 years. When Buddhism first came to Japan, during the era of Prince Shotoku, the monks responsible brought this treatment as well. Thus, moxibustion has a history of 1500 years in Japan alone. Not only professional moxibustionists, but average people have been using it since. If there were serious side effects, usage of this treatment would not have continued for such a long time. Indeed, a lack of side effects is the reason that people have continued to use Hachibuky?.

4. What Can Hachibuky? Be Used For?

   Hachibuky? can be used to treat various ailments. You might be surprised at its many different uses.

1.      Injuries

Knee pain, lower-back pain, sciatic nerve pain, stiff upper-back, stiff shoulders, elbow pain, tenosynovitis, rheumatism, foot pain, cramping, herniated disk, sprain.

2.      Internal Disorders
Asthma, bronchitis, cold, gastric inflammation, gastric ulcer, eating disorder, nausea, gastroptosis, duodenal ulcer, constipation, diarrhea, colitis, hepatitis, nephritis, pancreatitis, diabetes, menstrual pain, menstrual irregularity, endometriosis, palpitation, shortness of breath.

3.      Other
Headache, heaviness of the head, irritation, menopause, sleeplessness, stagger, eye fatigue, glaucoma, sinus infection, pain of the hip joint, trigeminal nerve pain, Bell’s Palsy, flagellation, cold sensitivity.

4.      Autonomic Nerve Imbalance
For some people, a checkup at the doctor’s might reveal little or no abnormalities, but they suffer from the following type of symptoms: loss of energy, depression, frustration, shortness of breath, palpitation, sleeplessness or poor quality sleep, headache, heaviness of the head, stagger, lightheadedness, paranoia, feeling faint, nausea, loss of appetite, hot flashes, and eye fatigue. Hachibuky? can help treat these symptoms.

5. How to Perform Hachibuky? Moxibustion

Items to Prepare

Moxa, stick of incense, ashtray, water basin, towel, magic marker (oil based).

Moxa can be bought at a drug store, and incense and magic markers are available at supermarkets.

Moxibustion Method

1.      Put a small amount of moxa on the table and press it together little by little until it is approximately 5 cm long. Take the clump and rub it between hands to make a string which is 5 cm long and 4 mm in diameter.

2.      Dip ring finger in water and lightly moisten skin.

3.      Break off a 7 mm piece from the string of moxa and place it on the surface of the skin. The adhesive power of water should help hold the moxa in place on the skin.

4.      Use the stick of incense to light the moxa with your right hand.

5.      Place the incense stick in front of you and moisten thumb and index finger of your left hand.

6.      Have the person receiving the treatment give a signal of “OK” as soon as they feel a burning sensation. At this signal promptly pinch-out the burning moxa firmly with moistened thumb and finger then remove it from the skin.

7.      Wipe fingers on a towel, and repeat the above procedure in the necessary areas.

6. Locating Tsubo

   The place where you should use moxibustion is called a tsubo. While there are a number of different ideas on how to locate tsubo, inexperienced users should follow the following advice:

1.      Tsubo is a place which hurts when pressed.

2.      Think of tsubo as a surface rather than a point. In other words, everywhere on the body which hurts when pressed is a tsubo. Mark each place that hurts with the oil-based marker, and then treat each area with Hachibuky?. For people who, using their fingers, are not sure whether a certain area is a tsubo or not, it is easier to determine with the help of a round pencil or similar object.

7. How to Cure Knee Pain

Outline of Treating Knee Pain

1.      Descend a staircase by starting with your good leg.

2.      With one finger, feel around the area(s) which hurt on your bad leg and mark the painful spots to be treated.

3.      Treat each point twice with Hachibuky?.

4.      Descend a staircase one more time starting with your good leg. Repeat steps 2 and 3.

5.      Repeat steps 2 through 4 and eliminate the painful areas one by one.

Treatment Areas for Lower Back Pain

Treat the areas which hurt when pressed from those shown in the diagram.

8. Hachibuky? in Literature

   As was mentioned above, Hachibuky? has a long history in Japan because it came over with the arrival of Buddhism. Consequently, many examples of Hachibuky? can be found in classical literature. In particular, a traditional poem by Fujiwara no Sanekata, found in the Goshui Wakash?, and a traditional poem by Izumi Shikibu, found in the Shinkokinsh?, talk of the authors’ love for their partners burning like the moxa in moxibustion. The poems share the common metaphor of describing love as moxibustion, with its positive effects on health and existence as a driving force behind life. It is our hope to revive this positive image that once existed in the Heian Period, the time that these poems were written.

9. Contact Information

Sayama Yojo Shinkyuin

5-2342 Sayama, Osaka Sayama-shi, Osaka, JAPAN

Tel: +81-72-367-7329 Fax: +81-72-367-1997

* A two minute walk from Osaka Sayama-shi Station on the Nankai-Koya Line.

Director: Sukeharu Fukunishi

Books written by Mr. Fukunishi:

Moxibustion Treatments to Perform at Home (Nittoushoin)

Tsubo Acupressure Treatment Using Pencils (Nittoushoin)

Assorted Stories of Moxibustion throughout Japanese History and Culture (Tosei-sha)