This work was supported by the 2022 &#34;Tianfu Qingcheng Plan&#34; Tianfu Science and Technology Leading Talents Project (Chuan Qingcheng No. 1090), the National TCM Clinical Excellent Talents Training Program (National TCM Renjiao Letter [2022] No. 1), &#34;100 Talent Plan&#34; Project of Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Hospital office [2021] 42), Special subject of scientific research of Sichuan Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2021MS539, 2023MS608). Sichuan Science and Technology Program (2023ZYD0050, 24NSFJQ0077), Science and Technology Development Fund Project of Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (22HL11).

The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Clinical Research Approval Committee of the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (KY2022027). Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects.
1. Preparation of materials
NOTE: See Figure 1 and the Table of Materials for details about materials used in this protocol.
<ol>
	<li>Use a utility knife to cut out five pieces of ginger, each piece ~0.4-0.6 cm-thick and 2-3 cm in diameter. Prick out five small holes in each piece with a cotton swab24.</li>
	<li>Take the moxa sticks apart, remove an appropriate amount of moxa, and knead them into a mass in the palm. Make a moxa cone with a bottom diameter of ~0.3 cm and a height of ~0.3 cm.</li>
</ol>
2. Preparation of the doctor
<ol>
	<li>Prepare a separate treatment room to avoid exposing the patient&#39;s privacy and keep the patient warm.</li>
	<li>Select cases according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria formulated in advance (see Table 1).</li>
	<li>Wear a clean white coat, medical surgical mask, and disposable operating cap.</li>
	<li>Disinfect hands before operation.</li>
</ol>
3. Subject preparation
<ol>
	<li>Ask the patient to empty their bladder, lie on the back, expose the abdomen, and relax.</li>
</ol>
4. Operation
<ol>
	<li>Locate the Shenque Acupoint (CV 8) according to the national standard: Nomenclature and location of meridian points25. Disinfect the skin for ~5 cm around the acupoint. 
	NOTE: The Shenque acupoint is in the upper abdomen, in the center of the umbilicus, located at the intersection of the anterior superior iliac spine level and the midline of the abdomen26 (see Figure 2).</li>
	<li>Cut a hole in the center of the treatment towel and lay it over the Shenque Acupoint to prevent the rest of the abdomen from getting cold and prevent burning of the skin by the burning moxa.</li>
	<li>Place the moxa cone on a piece of ginger and light it. With tweezers, transfer the ginger piece with tweezers from the operating table to the patient&#39;s Shenque Acupoint (Figure 3A,B).</li>
	<li>Place a new moxa cone on top of another piece of ginger and light it after 3 min. 
	NOTE: A moxa cone takes ~3-5 min to burn.</li>
	<li>Remove the ginger and moxa cone from the patient&#39;s Shenque Acupoint. When the cone burns out, replace it with a new one. Put the burnt-out moxa cone into water to extinguish it (Figure 3C).</li>
	<li>Repeat steps 4.4 and 4.5 4x. Then, finish the treatment. 
	NOTE: The entire treatment lasts for 5 days and must be performed once a day.</li>
</ol>

Assessing the Efficacy of Ginger Moxibustion in Diarrhea Management in COPD

<ol>
	<li>Venkatesan, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=GOLD+COPD+report:+2024+update.">GOLD COPD report: 2024 update.</a> Lancet Respir Med. 12 (1), 15-16 (2024).</li><li>Agusti, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Global+initiative+for+chronic+obstructive+lung+disease+2023+report:+Gold+executive+summary.">Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease 2023 report: Gold executive summary.</a> Eur Respir J. 61 (4), 2300239 (2023).</li><li>Quanying, H., Cuiling, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Expert+consensus+on+integrated+chinese+and+western+medicine+management+of+chronic+obstructive+pulmonary+disease+(2023+edition).">Expert consensus on integrated chinese and western medicine management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2023 edition).</a> Journal of Chinese General Practice. 26 (35), 4359-4371 (2023).</li><li>Wang, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Prevalence+and+risk+factors+of+chronic+obstructive+pulmonary+disease+in+china+(the+china+pulmonary+health+[cph]+study):+A+national+cross-sectional+study.">Prevalence and risk factors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in china (the china pulmonary health [cph] study): A national cross-sectional study.</a> Lancet. 391 (10131), 1706-1717 (2018).</li><li>Arasaradnam, R. P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Guidelines+for+the+investigation+of+chronic+diarrhoea+in+adults:+British+society+of+gastroenterology,+3rd+edition.">Guidelines for the investigation of chronic diarrhoea in adults: British society of gastroenterology, 3rd edition.</a> Gut. 67 (8), 1380-1399 (2018).</li><li>Schiller, L. R., Pardi, D. S., Sellin, J. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chronic+diarrhea:+Diagnosis+and+management.">Chronic diarrhea: Diagnosis and management.</a> Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 15 (2), 182-193.e3 (2017).</li><li>H&#246;genauer, C., Hammer, H. F., Krejs, G. J., Reisinger, E. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanisms+and+management+of+antibiotic-associated+diarrhea.">Mechanisms and management of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.</a> Clin Infect Dis. 27 (4), 702-710 (1998).</li><li>Vollenweider, D. J., Frei, A., Steurer-Stey, C. A., Garcia-Aymerich, J., Puhan, M. 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The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

The causes of diarrhea in COPD patients are various, including gastrointestinal infection, irritable bowel, antibiotic abuse, food factors (cold diet, lactose intolerance, excessive fat intake), drugs (laxatives such as magnesium sulfate and lactulose, dehydrating agents such as mannitol and sorbitol)6, Chinese medicinal herbs-natural herbs-are used worldwide and have significant effects on human glucose and lipid metabolism, intestinal inflammation, and oxidative stress30....

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms (dyspnea, cough, sputum production, or exacerbations) due to abnormalities of the airways (bronchitis, bronchiolitis) and/or alveoli (emphysema) that cause persistent, often progressive, airflow obstruction1,2. COPD has become a severe chronic disease with high morbidity, high mortality, high disability rate, and heavy disease burden. The &#34;China Lung Health Study&#34; shows that the incidence of COPD in people over 40 years old in China is 13.7%3. The total number of COPD patients in China is ~100 million. Acute exacerbations occur 0.5-3.5 times in patients with COPD each year and are the main cause of death in COPD patients. In 2013, the total number of deaths from COPD in China was 910,000, ranking third for a single disease, accounting for 31.1% of the total number of deaths from COPD in the world4.
Diarrhea refers to an increased frequency of bowel movements, thin stool, mucus, pus, blood, undigested food, urgent bowel movements, or even fecal incontinence. Precisely, diarrhea consists of more than three bowel movements per day, with the fecal water content greater than 85%5,6. Diarrhea is a common extrapulmonary complication in COPD patients and is usually accompanied by loss of appetite, bloating, fatigue, anxiety, and other discomfort. Studies have shown that the incidence of diarrhea in COPD patients during antibiotic treatment is ~5%-25%7. Diarrhea leads to water and electrolyte disturbances in patients and aggravates the risk of malnutrition in patients. It not only reduces the quality of life of patients with COPD but also impedes the recovery of respiratory function and affects the prognosis of COPD8,9,10. The management of diarrhea mainly includes antidiarrheic, oral or intravenous rehydration, probiotics, antibiotics (where there is evidence of infection)11,12,13,14, zinc treatment15, and diet therapy16,17. However, antidiarrheal drug treatment can only temporarily control the symptoms of diarrhea, which cannot be cured entirely. Other methods have a longer course of treatment, which increases the burden on patients. Therefore, an easily implemented non-pharmacological therapy is necessary for treating diarrhea in COPD patients.
Ginger moxibustion involves cutting fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) into thin slices, lighting moxa sticks on the ginger slices, and then placing moxibustion at specific acupuncture points. Moxa is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which can warm channels to dispel coldness Moxibustion can eliminate many uncomfortable symptoms through the warming meridian. It is effective in treating knee joint disease, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic atrophic gastritis, post chemotherapy nausea, and vomiting18,19,20,21. Ginger slices have the effect of dispelling cold22,23. In clinical practice, most COPD patients have diarrhea symptoms. Acute exacerbation of DOPD is usually triggered by infection; antibiotics can control the infection but tend to worsen diarrhea symptoms. Dietary adjustment, antidiarrheal drugs, and intestinal flora supplementation have some benefits for diarrhea, but they are not enough. Ginger moxibustion is an ancient traditional Chinese medicine technique, which has the functions of warming the body and dispelling cold, reconciling qi and blood, fueling health, and enhancing spleen and stomach function. It has been observed to have an outstanding effect on diarrhea in clinical settings. It is simple and easy to perform, has no apparent side effects, and is easy for patients to accept.
Here, we present a randomized controlled trial using ginger moxibustion as a non-pharmacological therapy to treat COPD patients with diarrhea, comparing it to conventional therapy to confirm the effectiveness and superiority of ginger moxibustion therapy. Detailed descriptions of the procedure and video demonstrations will help further promote this traditional Chinese medicine therapy.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>box cutter</td>
			<td>Deli Group Co., LTD</td>
			<td>/</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>disposable medical treatment towel</td>
			<td>Sichuan Hualikang Medical Technology Co., LTD</td>
			<td>2024010902</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>dry cotton swabs</td>
			<td>Chengdu Zhongxin sanitary materials, LLC.</td>
			<td>20240102</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>fresh ginger</td>
			<td>Qingyang community comprehensive market</td>
			<td>/</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>iodophor cotton swabs</td>
			<td>Zhejiang Beijiaer hygiene Technology Co., LTD</td>
			<td>20231201</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>lighter</td>
			<td>Xiayi Shuntong Lighter manufacturing Co., LTD</td>
			<td>25625</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>medical bending disc</td>
			<td>HYNAUT</td>
			<td>100062487683</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>moxa sticks</td>
			<td>Nanyang Fuaitang wormwood biological products Co., LTD</td>
			<td>15941917095</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>tweezers</td>
			<td>HYSTIC</td>
			<td>100013619175</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

ginger moxibustion, a non-pharmacological treatment, for diarrhea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common and frequently occurring disease in the elderly population, and it tends to progressively worsen. Diarrhea is a common extrapulmonary complication in patients with COPD. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, weakness, and a loss of appetite, among other adverse consequences, which seriously affect the quality of life and nutritional status of patients. These consequences are not conducive to improving airway obstruction in COPD patients. At present, modern medicine has poor curative effects, fails to control symptoms fully, causes a relapse after drug withdrawal, has side effects, and increases the medication burden of patients. Ginger moxibustion is a unique non-pharmacological therapy of traditional Chinese medicine, which is safe and effective in controlling diarrhea, has few side effects, and is easy to accept. It is, therefore, an ideal alternative therapy. This article aims to introduce the protocol of ginger moxibustion for treating diarrhea in COPD patients.

Basic conditions 
A total of 18 patients with COPD complicated with diarrhea were divided into a treatment group (9 cases) and a control group (9 cases) (see Table 2). All patients met the diagnostic criteria1, accompanied by symptoms of diarrhea, and were type 5 or above according to the Bristol stool chart5. The treatment group received ginger moxibustion treatment and conventional symptomatic treatment (including inhalation preparat...

Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Pharmacological Therapies for Chronic Respiratory Diseases &#8212; Linking Intestinal Microbiome Insights to COPD Treatment

Here, we present the method of using ginger moxibustion to treat diarrhea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ginger Moxibustion, A Non-pharmacological Treatment, for Diarrhea in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common and frequently occurring disease in the elderly population, and it tends to progressively worsen. ...

ginger-moxibustion-non-pharmacological-treatment-for-diarrhea

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

473 Views.  Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Here, we present the method of using ginger moxibustion to treat diarrhea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Video: Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Pharmacological Therapies for Chronic Respiratory Diseases — Linking Intestinal Microbiome Insights to COPD Treatment

Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the general population, and this is only partially explained by traditional CVD risk factors. Vascular dysfunction is an important non-traditional risk factor, characterized by vascular endothelial dysfunction (most commonly assessed as impaired endothelium-dependent dilation [EDD]) and stiffening of the large elastic arteries. While various techniques exist to assess EDD and large elastic artery stiffness, the most commonly used are brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMDBA) and aortic pulse-wave velocity (aPWV), respectively. Both of these noninvasive measures of vascular dysfunction are independent predictors of future cardiovascular events in patients with and without kidney disease. Patients with CKD demonstrate both impaired FMDBA, and increased aPWV. While the exact mechanisms by which vascular dysfunction develops in CKD are incompletely understood, increased oxidative stress and a subsequent reduction in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability are important contributors. Cellular changes in oxidative stress can be assessed by collecting vascular endothelial cells from the antecubital vein and measuring protein expression of markers of oxidative stress using immunofluorescence. We provide here a discussion of these methods to measure FMDBA, aPWV, and vascular endothelial cell protein expression.

The degree of vascular dysfunction and contributing physiological mechanisms can be assessed in patients with chronic kidney disease by measuring brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, aortic pulse-wave velocity, and vascular endothelial cell protein expression.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the general population, and this ...

Generation of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Model in Mice by Repeated Ozone Exposure

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent airflow limitation and lung parenchymal destruction. It has a very high incidence in aging populations. The current conventional therapies for COPD focus mainly on symptom-modifying drugs; thus, the development of new therapies is urgently needed. Qualified animal models of COPD could help to characterize the underlying mechanisms and can be used for new drug screening. Current COPD models, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or the porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE)-induced emphysema model, generate COPD-like lesions in the lungs and airways but do not otherwise resemble the pathogenesis of human COPD. A cigarette smoke (CS)-induced model remains one of the most popular because it not only simulates COPD-like lesions in the respiratory system, but it is also based on one of the main hazardous materials that causes COPD in humans. However, the time-consuming and labor-intensive aspects of the CS-induced model dramatically limit its application in new drug screening. In this study, we successfully generated a new COPD model by exposing mice to high levels of ozone. This model demonstrated the following: 1) decreased forced expiratory volume 25, 50, and 75/forced vital capacity (FEV25/FVC, FEV50/FVC, and FEV75/FVC), indicating the deterioration of lung function; 2) enlarged lung alveoli, with lung parenchymal destruction; 3) reduced fatigue time and distance; and 4) increased inflammation. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the ozone exposure (OE) model is a reliable animal model that is similar to humans because ozone overexposure is one of the etiological factors of COPD. Additionally, it only took 6 - 8 weeks, based on our previous work, to create an OE model, whereas it requires 3 - 12 months to induce the cigarette smoke model, indicating that the OE model might be a good choice for COPD research.

This study describes the successful generation of a new chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) animal model by repeatedly exposing mice to high concentrations of ozone.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent airflow limitation and lung parenchymal destruction. It has a very high ...

Acupoint Application Combined with Acupoint Massage for Treating Constipation in a Patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common and frequent disease in elderly patients, with a tendency for progressive exacerbation. Constipation that reduces the quality of life and triggers the risk of diseases is a common concomitant symptom in patients with COPD. Currently, western medical treatment does not achieve the desired results for patients. A high recurrence rate accompanies it, whereas traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history and rich experience in treating chronic diseases. Both acupoint application and acupoint massage are characteristic therapies of TCM, with minor side effects, high safety, simple operation, and outstanding advantages. They are effective in treating constipation for patients with COPD and are considered an ideal alternative therapy for patients with chronic constipation. The purpose of this article is to introduce the method of acupoint application combined with acupoint massage for the treatment of constipation in patients with COPD, including the selection of points, items, treatment time, and operation procedure.

Here we demonstrate acupoint application combined with acupoint massage for treating constipation in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common and frequent disease in elderly patients, with a tendency for progressive exacerbation. ...

Acupuncture Stimulation of Ears to Alleviate Sleeping Disorders in COPD Patients

Auricular Acupuncture as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Combined with Sleep Disorders

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by persistent and irreversible airflow limitation and chronic respiratory symptoms. It has a wide spectrum of complications, and sleep disorders, as part of it, are common in severe cases, especially in elderly patients. Long-term lack of sleep may lead to the aggravation of the original disease, reducing patients' quality of life. Benzodiazepines are mainly used for symptomatic treatment of COPD combined with sleep disorders. However, such drugs have the side effect of respiratory central inhibition and could probably aggravate hypoxia symptoms. Auricular acupuncture is a special method of treating physical and psychosomatic dysfunctions by stimulating specific points in the ear. This article explains the specific methods of clinical operation of auricular acupuncture in detail, including assessment of patient eligibility, medical devices used, acupuncture points, course of treatment, post-treatment care, responses to emergencies, etc. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment scale (CAT) were used as the observational index of this method. So far, clinical reports have proved that auricular acupuncture has a definite curative effect in the treatment of COPD combined with sleep disorders, and its advantages of simple operation, few adverse reactions are worthy of further study and promotion, which provide a reference for the clinical treatment of such diseases.

Author Spotlight: Utilizing Traditional Chinese Acupuncture of the Ear to Improve Sleep Disorders 

This protocol introduces an effective method to improve the sleep condition of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and alleviate cough symptoms by using auricular acupuncture techniques to percutaneously stimulate specific acupoints in the patients' ears.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by persistent and irreversible airflow limitation and chronic ...

Warm Acupuncture and Moxibustion to Relieve COPD with Abdominal Distension

A Preliminary Study on Warm Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Treating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Abdominal Distension

Most patients with COPD have a combination of abdominal distension, which has been shown to adversely affect pulmonary symptoms, frequency of acute exacerbations, and quality of life in patients with COPD. Warm acupuncture and moxibustion have been shown to be effective in relieving symptoms in patients with COPD combined with abdominal distention. Warm acupuncture and moxibustion are highly effective, easy to perform, and inexpensive forms of traditional Chinese medicine treatments. The standardized practice of warm acupuncture and moxibustion is very important for the treatment of COPD combined with abdominal distension. The specific steps include selecting the appropriate acupoints for needling through syndrome differentiation treatment and selecting moxa sticks of appropriate length for moxibustion for about 30 min after the De-qi. The course of treatment lasts for one week. The following indicators are specifically assessed: the score of the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and the abdominal distension visual analog scale (VAS). This article will clearly illustrate how to standardize the manipulation of warm acupuncture and moxibustion to relieve COPD combined with abdominal distention.

Author Spotlight: An Effective Traditional Chinese Medicinal Treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Abdominal Distension 

Here, we present a protocol to properly manipulate warm acupuncture and moxibustion for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with abdominal distension.

Most patients with COPD have a combination of abdominal distension, which has been shown to adversely affect pulmonary symptoms, frequency of acute ...

A Moxibustion Platform for Herbal Cake-Based Treatment of Rats with Renal Failure

Using Herbal-Cake-Separated Moxibustion for the Treatment of Rats with Chronic Renal Failure

In the process of moxibustion in clinical practice, subjects need to be in a stable mood and comfortable posture to avoid problems such as moxa ash falling, scalding skin, and poor curative effect. Such problems also exist in the rat moxibustion experiment. To simulate clinical practice, it is necessary to introduce an experimental instrument in animal experiments, that is, a moxibustion device with fixed rats and moxibustion treatment synchronization, which can make experimental rats receive moxibustion treatment quietly and comfortably under non-anesthesia.
Our research group designed a rat moxibustion experimental platform. The device was framed by a wooden board with a supporting base plate, multiple fixed components, and partitioned components. The device can achieve the operation mode of moxibustion in rats without binding, avoiding anesthesia and scalding and simultaneously exposing multiple acupoints on the back. This operation can avoid physical and mental injury to rats and operators, which improves the research efficiency and further promotes the development and research of moxibustion animal experiments.
The device has a simple structure, is easy to operate and popularize, is comprehensively and innovatively designed, reusable, and is suitable for rat experiments mainly based on moxibustion. This article mainly introduces the structure of the experimental platform device for rat moxibustion, the basic procedure of herbal-cake-separated-moxibustion in experimental rats using the device and describes the establishment of a rat model of chronic renal failure (CRF) and representative experimental results.

Author Spotlight: Understanding the Effect of Herbal-Cake-Separated Moxibustion in Rats with Renal Faliure

The moxibustion experimental platform can fix the rats without restriction, and the rats can undergo multi-acupoint moxibustion in the awake state, ensuring the welfare of the rats, protecting the safety of the operators, ensuring therapeutic efficacy, and improving the efficiency of the experiment.

In the process of moxibustion in clinical practice, subjects need to be in a stable mood and comfortable posture to avoid problems such as moxa ash ...

Traditional Chinese Medicine Ear Point Therapy for Wheezing in COPD Patients

Auricular Acupressure as an Adjuvant Treatment for Wheezing in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem. Due to the restriction of expiratory airflow, it is characterized by emphysematous destruction of the lungs. Shortness of breath is one of the main clinical symptoms. Auricular acupressure is a clinical therapy characteristic of Chinese medicine that treats the disease by compressing ear points. Usually, the seeds of Vaccaria segetalis are used to stimulate ear points, which has the effect of regulating qi and alleviating wheezing. In this paper, we propose this characteristic therapy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the clinical symptoms of wheezing of lung and kidney qi deficiency type in stable COPD patients. Ear points are selected as the treatment protocol for Lung (CO14), Spleen (CO13), Kidney (CO10), Shen Men (TF4), and Ping Chuan (AT1.2.4i) points. The protocol describes a case study using auricular acupressure for a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to relieve wheezing symptoms.

Author Spotlight: Efficacy of Auricular Pressure Bean Therapy in Reducing Wheezing Symptoms

This protocol describes an effective therapy using auricular acupressure to relieve wheezing symptoms in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem. Due to the restriction of expiratory airflow, it is characterized by ...

Advanced Lung Imaging for Disease Detection and Monitoring

Phase-Resolved Functional Lung MRI for Pulmonary Ventilation and Perfusion (V/Q) Assessment

Fourier decomposition is a contrast agent-free 1H MRI method for lung perfusion (Q) and ventilation (V) assessment. After image registration, the time series of each voxel is analyzed with regard to the cardiac and breathing frequency components.
Using a standard 2D spoiled gradient-echo sequence with a temporal resolution of ~300 ms, an image-sorting algorithm was developed to produce phase-resolved functional lung imaging (PREFUL) with an increased temporal resolution. Thus, it is feasible to evaluate regional flow volume loops (FVL) during tidal volume breathing and depict the propagation of the pulse wave during the cardiac cycle. This method can be applied at 1.5T or 3T with standard MR hardware without the necessity for sequence programming, as the described protocol can be implemented with the default SPGRE sequence on most systems.
PREFUL ventilation MRI has been validated using 129Xe and 19F gas imaging with good regional agreement. Perfusion-weighted PREFUL MRI has been validated using SPECT as well as dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI. PREFUL has been tested in a dual center dual vendor setting and is currently applied in several ongoing multicenter trials. Furthermore, it is feasible across a range of field strengths (0.55T-3T) and different age groups, including newborns.
Quantitative V/Q PREFUL MRI has been used in patients with cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, and corona virus disease-2019 to quantify disease and monitor treatment change after therapy. Furthermore, PREFUL V/Q imaging has been shown to predict transplant loss due to chronic lung allograft dysfunction in patients after lung transplantation. In summary, PREFUL MRI is a validated technique for quantitative ventilation and pulmonary pulse wave/perfusion imaging for regional pulmonary disease detection, quantification, and treatment monitoring with potential added value to the current clinical routine.

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Diagnostic Strategies and Biomarker Development for Comprehensive Lung Function Analysis

Here, we describe the implementation of phase-resolved functional lung MRI as a contrast-agent-free proton MR technique for the assessment of pulmonary ventilation and perfusion dynamics. Validated and applicable across different field strengths and age groups, it could enhance clinical decision-making in the future by aiding in disease quantification and therapy monitoring.

Fourier decomposition is a contrast agent-free 1H MRI method for lung perfusion (Q) and ventilation (V) assessment. After image registration, the time ...

Cupping Therapy as a Complementary Treatment for AECOPD Relief

Alternative Therapy for Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Moving Cupping Along Meridians

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent respiratory condition characterized by persistent and progressive airflow obstruction, resulting in chronic respiratory symptoms like dyspnea, cough, and sputum production, accompanied by wheezing, chest tightness, fatigue, and reduced physical activity. Under the influence of various factors, patients with COPD often experience acute exacerbations, which have a significant negative impact on the prognosis, quality of life, and life span of patients. As a branch of cupping therapy, moving cupping along meridians is an essential complementary therapy of the traditional Chinese medicine system. Cupping plays a unique role in treating and preventing many diseases by stimulating the local skin with negative pressure.
This article elaborately describes the procedure of moving cupping along meridians therapy in the treatment of AECOPD. The effectiveness and feasibility of moving cupping along meridians therapy in relieving symptoms and enhancing the quality of life is demonstrated by comparing the changes in the 36-item Short-Form (SF-36) health survey questionnaire, the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC), and the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score before and after the treatment. As a cost-effective complementary treatment, the protocol for the moving cupping along meridians treatment described in this article is expected to provide a reference for non-pharmacological treatment options for AECOPD.

Author Spotlight: Evaluating the Therapeutic Efficacy of Moving Cupping Along Meridians for Acute Exacerbation of COPD

This protocol presents a novel approach to alleviating the symptoms and improving the quality of life of patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) by employing moving cupping along meridians therapy to stimulate the first sideline of the bladder meridian.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent respiratory condition characterized by persistent and progressive airflow obstruction, ...

Acupoint and Ear Plaster Therapy for Treating Sleep Disorders in AECOPD Patients

Acupoint Application Combined with Ear Plaster Therapy for Treating Sleep Disorders with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation, which is not fully reversible and progressive. Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) refers to acute changes in respiratory distress, cough, and sputum in COPD patients at baseline levels. Sleep disorders are a very common complication in patients with AECOPD. At present, long-term use of sedative-hypnotics alone has many side effects, such as mental and physical dependence and cognitive impairment. While the efficacy of other special intervention methods is not clear, and the cost is high, there is an urgent need for effective and safe treatment in clinics. Acupoint application and ear plaster therapy are considered the characteristic therapies of traditional Chinese medicine. They have the advantages of small side effects, high safety, and simple procedure. This study will elucidate in detail the specific process and efficacy of the two treatment methods for AECOPD complicated with sleep disorders, including medical devices used, selection of acupoints, procedure, and posttreatment care. This study is intended to provide a new reference for the clinical treatment modality of this type of disease.

Author Spotlight: Traditional Chinese Medicine for Sleep Disorders in Acute COPD &#8212; A Safe, Cost-Effective Approach

The present protocol describes the specific process and efficacy of the acupoint application combined with ear plaster therapy for sleep disorders in a patient with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including medical devices, selection of acupoints, operating methods, and posttreatment care.