Fire needle therapy has a very strong warming effect on the meridians. The renowned acupuncturist Professor He Purin has classified it as one of the warming methods in the three methods of treatment, due to its unique efficacy in treating limb pain diseases, making it very popular among patients.1. Fire Needle Therapy for Cervical Muscle SpasmFire needle therapy is a special acupuncture treatment method that involves using specially made needles, heated until red on fire, and then quickly inserted into specific acupuncture points or areas of the body to achieve therapeutic effects. The principles include dispelling wind and cold, warming the meridians, and selecting points such as Ah Shi point, Jian Yu (Shoulder Bone), and Jian Jing (Shoulder Well). The procedure involves routine disinfection, igniting an alcohol lamp, moving the lamp close to the acupuncture point with the left hand, holding the needle like a pen with the right hand, quickly inserting the red-hot needle into the point, and then immediately withdrawing it. Afterward, a disinfected cotton ball is pressed on the needle hole to ensure closure. The area should not be wet for three days, with treatments twice a week for two weeks as a course of treatment.2. Fire Needle Therapy for Shoulder PeriarthritisShoulder pressure points include: coracoid process, supraspinatus insertion point, rotator cuff insertion point, posterior upper arm, infraspinatus, and long head of biceps tendon intertubercular groove.Point selection: Ah Shi point. Method: Locate sensitive points above the biceps of the affected shoulder and at the anterior and posterior edges of the deltoid, generally marking 3-6 sensitive pressure points. After routine disinfection, use a tungsten steel fire needle heated to a bright white on the alcohol lamp, and quickly prick the marked reaction points. Generally, prick 3-5 points each time, inserting about 1 inch deep without leaving the needle in place. Treatment is done once every 5-7 days, and generally, 3-5 treatments can lead to recovery. Some patients may require additional sessions. After fire needle treatment, the area should not come into contact with water for 5 days, and functional exercises should begin the day after treatment.3. Fire Needle Therapy for Rheumatoid ArthritisPoint selection: Jiaji points, local Ah Shi points. 1.3.2.3 Fire needle method: The Shishi fire needle technique uses a mini alcohol lamp to heat the needle. The practitioner holds the alcohol lamp in the left hand and the needle in a brush-like grip in the right hand. First, heat the base of the needle, then slowly lift it to heat the tip until bright white, and quickly insert and withdraw. Treatment is done once every other day, with 10 treatments as one course. 1.3.2.4 Precautions: After each needle, immediately press the needle hole with an alcohol cotton ball to prevent bleeding, and avoid rubbing. After fire needle buried line treatment, do not wash or wet for 3 days to prevent infection. During treatment, avoid raw, cold, and spicy foods.
4. Fire Needle Therapy for Corns
Fire needle therapy is very effective for treating corns. After heating the needle red, it is directly pricked, generally healing in two sessions, while some severe cases may require 3-4 sessions. It is important to ensure proper disinfection, and the needle hole should not come into contact with water for three days.
5. Fire Needle Therapy for NeurodermatitisFire needle therapy is used for neurodermatitis. Since the purchased fire needles are relatively thick, patients may find them uncomfortable. I use a 0.5 mm needle, heating it red or white on the alcohol lamp, and then scatter prick the lesions, ensuring disinfection with alcohol. This method has good effects for both localized and generalized neurodermatitis, generally reducing itching significantly after one fire needle treatment. Many patients feel quite comfortable during treatment, and although it may be slightly painful, it is much better than the itching. Some patients even request additional pricks after treatment to feel satisfied. I take Sundays off, so for patients with smaller areas, I treat them three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, while larger areas are treated twice a week. Generally, after 10 to 20 treatments, most patients can recover.6. Fire Needle Therapy for Chronic Erysipelas of the Lower Leg
Two patients had chronic erysipelas with acute onset, and each time they experienced various antibiotic and herbal treatments. I tried fire needle therapy, which was quite effective. The method involves disinfecting the lesion area with 75% alcohol, using a fine needle heated red on the alcohol lamp to prick the lesion to a depth of 0.5 inches, followed by cupping for 10 minutes (using 3-5 small cups, as large cups are not suitable and may fall off). A lot of light yellow viscous fluid is drawn out, and the patient experiences light yellow fluid seeping from the needle hole for several hours after treatment. Treatment is done daily for three days, then every three days thereafter. During treatment, antibiotics are not used. The patient reported reduced swelling the day after treatment, and after 5-7 treatments, they recovered. During treatment, patients should rest, elevate the affected limb at 30-40 degrees, drink plenty of water, and keep the lesion area clean.
7. Fire Needle Therapy for Breast MassesBreast masses can vary in size and shape, with unclear boundaries with surrounding tissues, movable upon palpation; they often become painful and enlarge 3-4 days before menstruation, with pain reducing or disappearing afterward, and the mass shrinking. After routine disinfection of the lesion area, a medium-sized coarse fire needle is heated to red on the outer flame of an alcohol lamp. The practitioner uses the thumb and index finger of the left hand to stabilize the mass, quickly pricking the heated needle into the center and periphery of the mass without leaving the needle in place. After withdrawing the needle, a disinfected cotton ball is immediately pressed on the needle hole to prevent infection. Treatment is done once every other day, with 20 treatments as one course.Often caused by liver qi stagnation due to anger, spleen deficiency from overthinking, leading to phlegm dampness accumulation, resulting in damage to both liver and spleen, kidney deficiency, and disharmony of the Chong and Ren meridians, with yang deficiency and internal phlegm dampness. Fire needle therapy has the effect of warming and assisting yang, stimulating the flow of qi, clearing the meridians, promoting blood circulation, and eliminating accumulations; it can also assist yang to transform qi, facilitating the smooth flow of qi and body fluids, thus resolving stagnation and phlegm dampness. Fire needle therapy is particularly effective for short-term conditions and masses with a diameter of less than 2.5 cm; for longer-term conditions or larger masses, the treatment course should be extended.8. Fire Needle Therapy for Ankle SprainsIn my clinical practice, I often encounter patients with ankle sprains. As long as X-rays confirm no fractures, fire needle therapy can be used. Most patients come in needing assistance to walk, but after treatment, they can walk out on their own, which is quite miraculous. The needle is heated red and pricked into the most swollen and painful area of the ankle, pricking 4 to 8 needles to allow the internal bruising to naturally drain out, after which a plaster can be applied, and recovery occurs in three days.9. Fire Needle Therapy for Ganglion CystsGanglion cysts are cystic swellings that occur at tendon sites, usually on the wrist or the dorsal side of the foot, varying in size, soft or hard upon palpation, and are more common in young women. They develop slowly, often presenting as a half-spherical mass on the wrist, fixed at the base, elastic, mostly asymptomatic, with occasional sensations of soreness and weakness, and severe cases can affect normal life.Common treatments include: 1. External force to rupture, break, or squeeze the cyst wall for self-absorption; 2. Puncturing with a thick needle to extract the gelatinous fluid, injecting hydrocortisone or prednisone, and applying pressure bandaging; 3. Surgical treatment, which not only has a large wound area but also leaves scars on the hand or foot. However, these methods are prone to recurrence.Fire needle therapy for ganglion cysts is quick-acting and has a low recurrence rate! Treatment method: The patient sits or lies down, exposing the affected area, routine disinfection, and then using a coarse fire needle heated red on the alcohol lamp to quickly prick the base of the cyst, quickly inserting and withdrawing 3-5 times to expel the thick gelatinous substance inside, then covering with a band-aid, treating once every 15 days. Generally, 1-2 treatments are sufficient.Ganglion cysts fall under the TCM categories of “Wrist Tendon Knot” and “Tendon Accumulation,” often caused by overexertion or trauma, leading to tendon strain and obstruction of qi and blood flow in the area. Fire needle therapy aims to use external fire to assist internal fire, enhancing the driving force of qi and blood circulation, warming and dispersing accumulations, and clearing the meridians to achieve therapeutic goals. Additionally, fire needles can directly destroy the cystic tissue with their high temperature, preventing regrowth and thus reducing the likelihood of recurrence.10. Fire Needle and Cupping Therapy for Skin NumbnessFor the lateral thigh, select the Du meridian from L1 to L5, Jiaji points, and the affected area; for the face, select Fengfu to C7 of the Du meridian, Jiaji points, and the affected area; for the abdomen, select from T10 to L2 of the Du meridian, Jiaji points, and the affected area; for the perineum, select from L3 to the sacral segment of the Du meridian, Jiaji points, and the perineum.For the corresponding areas (excluding the face and perineum), apply cupping for 15-20 minutes. After routine disinfection, the practitioner holds the alcohol lamp in the left hand and the self-made fire needle (a No. 2 steel sewing needle with the tip cut to make it flat, and the tail wrapped with tape) in the right hand, heating the needle until it glows red, and quickly pricking the Du meridian, Jiaji points, and the affected area. The sequence is: healthy side Jiaji from top to bottom, Du meridian from bottom to top, affected side Jiaji from top to bottom, and the affected area from the periphery of numbness towards the center. The distance between the Du meridian and Jiaji points should be about 1 cm, and the distance between points in the affected area should be about 2 cm. The needle depth is about 0.5 mm. After the procedure, routine disinfection with iodine is performed.The needle sites should not get wet, be scratched, or have plasters applied, and other treatment methods should be stopped. Treatments are done once every three days, with 6 treatments as one course.
Treated 126 cases, with a cure rate of 79%. Effective rate of 95%.
11. Fire Needle Therapy for Varicose VeinsIn TCM, this is referred to as “Tendon Accumulation,” believed to be caused by prolonged standing, leading to poor qi and blood flow in the lower limbs, resulting in slow blood circulation and stagnation of the meridians. Treatment focuses on regulating qi, invigorating blood, and clearing the meridians.Types: (1) Liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency (2) Qi stagnation and blood stasis (3) Liver and kidney yin deficiency (4) Blood stasis obstructing the meridiansPoint selection: Ah Shi points, Xuehai (Blood Sea).Method: Use fire needles to prick the varicose veins at the Ah Shi points, and for severe cases, use a tourniquet to tie above the lesion, then prick the lesion with fire needles to expel the stagnant blood. After releasing the tourniquet, prick the Xuehai point with a fine needle.12. Fire Needle Therapy for Patellar Ligament Injury NodulesThe patient had a large cyst the size of a jujube on the left knee after trauma for over a month. I was unsure what it would be called in Western medicine, but I thought fire needle therapy would be effective for this case. After obtaining the patient’s consent, I took out a newly purchased fire needle and began my fire needle career, pricking the cyst over a dozen times, asking the patient to return in three days. The patient returned on the fourth day, and it was incredible; the original “jujube” was now almost invisible to the naked eye, feeling only a small base.13. Fire Needle Therapy for Herpes ZosterThe specific operational method for fire needle therapy is as follows:(1) The patient lies down with the herpes facing up, disinfecting the herpes and surrounding skin with iodine cotton balls, then gently drying with a disinfected cotton ball to fully expose the herpes for clear visibility.(2) Explain to the patient and require their active cooperation to alleviate any fear.(3) Use a fire needle (or a straightened No. 3 paperclip as a makeshift fire needle), heating one end over the alcohol lamp until red, and then quickly prick the tense, shiny area of the herpes wall, avoiding excessive depth. The herpes fluid vaporizes due to the high temperature, and occasionally, the sound of the herpes wall breaking can be heard. The patient feels minimal pain, and after pricking, the skin at the prick site contracts and becomes red. Smaller herpes lesions may become clean and dry after vaporization, while larger blisters can be pricked multiple times, but the prick area should not exceed the base, and any excess fluid should be wiped dry with a disinfected cotton swab.(4) If there are many herpes lesions and a wide area of involvement, it is advisable to prick in stages, not pricking too many at once. First prick the tense, shiny herpes or larger blisters, and continue with fire needle therapy on the remaining herpes the next day, and so on. If the patient has a poor constitution, intervals of 2-3 days may be used, along with intramuscular injections of BCG polysaccharide-nucleic acid solution to enhance immunity and provide supportive therapy.(5) After completing the fire needle pricking for herpes, disinfect the wound with iodine cotton balls, and apply acyclovir ointment or other astringent medications.(6) Fire needle pricking therapy is especially effective for early-stage herpes when the lesions are small.14. Fire Needle Therapy for Common WartsAfter heating the needle red on the alcohol lamp, the method is to aim the needle at the center of the wart, quickly burning until reaching the base; or to quickly stab the base of the wart, with a depth of about 2/3 of the wart base, using a cross pattern to ensure the wart root turns grayish-white. After 7-14 days, the wart may fall off on its own. During the burning process, the fire needle may need to be reheated multiple times. For filiform warts, pull the wart outward, then place the red-hot needle horizontally to cut from the base, which can be removed in a few seconds, followed by iodine application and covering with a dressing, secured with tape. The area should not be wet until fully healed.15. Fire Needle Therapy for Facial TelangiectasiaUsing a 0.45*55mm fire needle, after heating it red, quickly prick the center of the telangiectasia, causing it to disappear immediately. Generally, about 10 telangiectasia are treated each session. Patients should avoid washing their faces for 24 hours.16. Fire Needle Therapy for Tennis ElbowMethod 2.1 Point selection: The patient lies supine with the elbow flexed to fully expose the affected area, or sits on a sofa with the forearm resting on the armrest to expose the affected area. The practitioner supports the affected limb with one hand and uses the thumb of the other hand to press on the lateral epicondyle of the humerus, marking the size of the lesion based on the hard lump and pain for the next step of operation.2.2 Procedure: After routine disinfection, the practitioner holds the lit alcohol lamp in the left hand and the medium-thick fire needle in the right hand, heating the needle tip 1-1.5 cm from the affected area until it turns red, then quickly pricking the lesion, generally making three pricks in a triangular pattern, with the distance between the pricks determined by the size of the lesion. Afterward, disinfect the needle holes with an alcohol cotton ball and instruct the patient to keep the needle holes clean and dry for 24 hours. Treatments are done once every three days, with three treatments as one course. For patients with severe pain radiating to the forearm, additional pricks at the He Gu (Union Valley) and San Li (Three Miles) points may be used; for those with significant signs of qi deficiency and blood insufficiency, internal herbal medicine may be prescribed, such as Huang Qi Gui Zhi Wu Wu Decoction with modifications.17. Applications of Fire Needle Therapy for Pain ConditionsTian Xiaogang (Acupuncture and Tuina Department, Tianshui Second People’s Hospital, Gansu 741020) Fire needle therapy has a long history, is simple to operate, and has rapid effects, especially excelling in treating pain conditions. In recent years, I have learned valuable experiences from Professor He Purin’s fire needle therapy and applied them clinically with remarkable results. Here, I present several cases to advocate for this method.Case 1:Liu, female, 61 years old, experienced persistent swelling pain in the heel for a week, worsening with pressure, sometimes extremely painful, unable to bear weight on the heel, having sought treatment from various doctors. X-rays showed a bone spur, but treatment for the spur was ineffective and pain worsened. Physical examination revealed significant tenderness at the calcaneal tuberosity with a large area of tenderness, diagnosed as calcaneal fat pad inflammation. Using a medium fire needle, I pricked the Chengshan (Supporting Mountain), Kunlun (Kunlun Mountains), and local sensitive points, treating once a week for a total of two times, with symptoms disappearing, allowing normal walking. A follow-up after six months showed no recurrence.Case 2:Wang, male, 72 years old, had left knee pain preventing walking for over six months. Physical examination showed limping while walking, with significant tenderness at the starting point of the medial collateral ligament and joint capsule of the left knee, while X-rays showed no abnormalities. Diagnosed with left medial collateral ligament inflammation, I used a fine fire needle to prick 1-3 points at the Xuehai and San Yin Jiao (Three Yin Intersection) points, as well as at the significant tenderness points of the left knee medial collateral ligament and joint capsule. Treatment was done once a week for a total of three times, with symptoms disappearing, allowing normal walking. A follow-up after six months showed no recurrence.Case 3:Li, male, 38 years old, experienced pain in the waist and right hip after lifting heavy objects for over a week. No previous history of back pain. Physical examination showed difficulty walking, needing assistance to visit, with significant tenderness at the right L3 transverse process. X-rays showed no abnormalities. Diagnosed with right L3 transverse process syndrome, I used a medium fire needle to prick three times towards the right L3 transverse process from the pain point, then pricked the Huan Tiao (Jumping Circle) point twice, followed by cupping for five minutes at the fire needle pricking site, wiping away the extracted tissue fluid after cupping. After three days, follow-up showed complete pain relief.Case 4:Zhang, female, 26 years old, experienced soreness and pain in the right scapular area for over two years, sometimes radiating to the right upper limb. Physical examination: I had her place her right hand on her left shoulder to fully expose the right scapular area, where a pain point was found at the T4 level. Pressing this point caused significant discomfort in the right upper limb. Diagnosed with right scapular rib syndrome, I used a medium fire needle to prick the pain point three times (the pricking site is generally on the rib above the pain point, so it is essential to palpate and stabilize the rib with the left hand before pricking to avoid accidents), treating once a week for a total of four times, with symptoms disappearing. Follow-up after one year showed no recurrence.Note:Fire needle therapy has a very strong warming effect on the meridians, which is why the renowned acupuncturist Professor He Purin has classified it as one of the warming methods in the three methods of treatment, due to its unique efficacy in treating limb pain diseases, making it very popular among patients. In recent years, I have discovered through extensive practice that the traditional fire needle therapy often targets the Ah Shi points, which are commonly the origin and insertion points of muscles, making these areas frequent sites of pain and the root cause of pain. By thoroughly familiarizing oneself with anatomical knowledge, one can accurately locate the treatment points, making the Ah Shi points more precise.
In case 1, in addition to treating the tenderness at the calcaneal tuberosity, I also followed the theory of “where the meridian passes, treat where it reaches” by selecting Chengshan and Kunlun points to smooth the local qi flow; in case 2, in addition to treating the tenderness points, I also followed the above theory by selecting Xuehai and San Yin Jiao points of the Spleen Meridian to dispel stasis and clear the meridians; in case 3, in addition to pricking the tenderness point at the L3 transverse process to quickly relieve spasm, I also selected the Huan Tiao point to smooth the qi flow in the lumbar region, resulting in rapid pain relief. In case 4, although only the Ah Shi point was selected, it is essential to operate based on familiarity with the local anatomy to ensure safety during the procedure.
Master Ni Haixia and Zhou Zuoyu discuss ancient acupuncture techniques for treating tongue swelling
Mr. Zhou Zuoyu is a descendant of the classical acupuncture school, one of the four major acupuncture schools in Taiwan, alongside Dong's Unique Points, Classical Acupuncture, Fei Jing Zou Qi, and the Hua Tuo School. He comes from a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in Hebei and has studied under renowned acupuncturists Zhou Ruhuan, Yang Tianlin, Cheng Dan'an, and Sun Peirong, inheriting the essence of each school. The famous formula practitioner Ni Haixia also learned acupuncture from Mr. Zhou. Mr. Zhou is skilled in ancient meridian theories such as the "Five Gates and Ten Changes Method" and "Organ Meridian Treatment Method," adept at using remote point selection and penetrating needles, supplemented by ancient methods such as the Twelve Channels and Eight Methods of Linggui, and the application of the Thirteen Ghost Points. Those interested in Zhou's classical acupuncture should seize the opportunity to scan the QR code for a free trial lesson.
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