Fire needle therapy (huǒ zhēn liáofǎ) is a method that involves quickly inserting a needle heated to red-hot into acupuncture points to treat diseases. As early as in the “Ling Shu: Official Needle” it is recorded: “For those who use the burning needle, it is effective for treating bi syndrome.” The “Qian Jin Yi Fang” states, “For treating boils and abscesses, the needle must be extremely hot.” This method has the effects of warming the meridians and dispersing cold, promoting circulation and relieving blockages, thus it can be used clinically for treating conditions such as deficiency-cold abscesses.
Ten Benefits of Fire Needle Therapy
(1) Pain Relief: By dispelling cold and dampness, warming the meridians, promoting qi and blood circulation, and facilitating fluid movement, pain can be alleviated. This is the mechanism by which fire needle therapy treats pain. It has special efficacy for conditions such as cold syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, neck and shoulder pain, and particularly stubborn rheumatic diseases.
(2) Itch Relief: By unblocking the meridians and facilitating the flow of qi, it dispels wind and alleviates itching. Fire needle therapy not only relieves pain but also effectively alleviates itching. It can treat various skin diseases where itching is the primary symptom, such as neurodermatitis and psoriasis.
(3) Relief from Numbness: Fire needle therapy promotes yang and reaches the meridians, helping to resolve numbness.
(4) Relief from Spasms: By promoting the flow of qi and blood and adjusting the meridians, it can relieve spasms. It is suitable for facial muscle spasms and late-stage spasms from nerve paralysis.
(5) Diarrhea Relief: It strengthens the spleen, facilitates dampness, harmonizes the stomach and intestines, and can stop diarrhea. Fire needle therapy is particularly effective for chronic enteritis leading to bloating and diarrhea.
(6) Cough and Asthma Relief: Symptoms caused by cold, such as coughing and wheezing, can be treated with fire needle therapy to warm the lungs and unblock lung qi.
(7) Clearing Heat and Detoxifying: It expels heat outward and is used for heat syndromes. Conditions such as shingles, erysipelas, mumps, and mastitis, which present with redness, swelling, and pain, can be effectively treated with fire needle therapy.
(8) Removing Stasis and Promoting Drainage: It promotes tissue regeneration and enhances qi and blood circulation, accelerating skin renewal. It has immediate effects on certain skin diseases and stasis-related conditions, such as thrombophlebitis, acne, abscesses, hemorrhoids, and lymphedema.
(9) Dispersing Nodules and Masses: It assists yang in transforming qi, softens hard masses, invigorates blood circulation, and eliminates lymphadenopathy and fibrous nodules. Conditions such as hemangiomas, lipomas, fibromas, warts, and cysts, as well as post-stroke sequelae, can be treated with fire needle therapy.
(10) Strengthening Yang and Nourishing Deficiency: Fire needle therapy can treat diseases caused by insufficient middle qi and a cold constitution, such as uterine prolapse, weakness in the lower back and knees, impotence, dysmenorrhea, and irregular menstruation. It is also effective for conditions like gastric prolapse due to spleen and stomach deficiency. Furthermore, recent comprehensive statistics on the clinical efficacy of fire needle therapy have shown that its treatment range is expanding, with a reported effectiveness rate of over 90% for most diseases, and even reaching 100% for certain conditions.
Does fire needle therapy hurt when inserted into the body?
Fire needle therapy shows great advantages in weight loss and beauty treatments. Unlike regular acupuncture, fire needle insertion and removal take less than one second, so patients often do not have time to feel pain; the insertion feels like a gentle bite from a small insect. Therefore, the operator must have high skill requirements, ensuring the procedure is “fast” and “precise.”
Fire needle therapy avoids the risks of side effects from drug overuse, shortens treatment duration, is easy to perform, causes minimal trauma, and has low pain, leading to high patient compliance and satisfaction.
Source: Department of Rehabilitation
Editor: Zhang Yixin Initial Review: Wang Shujin Supervised by: Hou Yue Published by: Publicity Department Hospital Address: 11 Qingquan Street, Haibo Bay District (200 meters east of Wanda Plaza) Transportation Guide: Routes 5, 8, 14, 42
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