World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion (WJAM)

Vol. 27, No.4, 30th Dec. 2017 ·73·

Case Report

Allergic rhinitis treated with warming-needle moxibustion

温针灸治疗过敏性鼻炎验案
WU Jun-hui (吴俊慧)1, FU Yan (傅 燕)2

1. Otolaryngology Department of Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongqing 400021, China;
2. Ophthalmology Department of Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital（1. 重庆市中医院耳鼻喉
科，重庆 400021，中国；2. 重庆市中医院眼科）

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

First author: WU Jun-hui (1978-), female,
attending physician.
Research field: clinical and basic study of
traditional Chinese medicine for treatment
of otorhinolaryngological diseases.
E-mail: 2939584343@qq.com
Corresponding author: FU Yan (1980-),
female, nurse-in-charge.
Research field: efficacy observation of
external therapy.
E-mail: 631933236@qq.com
Accepted on September 2, 2017.
A case of allergic rhinitis treated with warming-needle moxibustion was
introduced. A 57-year old patient with allergic rhinitis for more than 10
years was treated. Yíngxiāng (迎香 LI 20), Shàngyíngxiāng (上迎香 EX-
HN8), Shàngxīng (上星 GV 23), Yìntáng (印堂 EX-HN3), Cuánzhú (攒竹 BL 2),
Fēngchí (风池 GB 20), Tiāntū (天突 CV 22), Wàiguān (外关 TE 5), Hégǔ (合
谷 LI 4), Zúsānlǐ (足三里 ST 36), Shènshū (肾俞 BL 23) and Tàixī (太溪 KI 3)
were punctured. After deqi, warming-needle moxibustion was performed at
LI 20 and ST 36. After treatment for 2 courses, all the symptoms disappeared
without relapse of urticaria or asthma during treatment. Another 1 course of
treatment was conducted additionally for consolidating the curative effect. No
relapse was found during the follow-up visit half a year after treatment.
KEY WORDS: allergic rhinitis; warming-needle moxibustion

Allergic rhinitis is a kind of common and recurrent
chronic inflammatory disease of nasal mucosa which
belongs to the category of “allergic rhinitis” in traditional
Chinese medicine, with paroxysmal rhinocnesmus,
continuous sneezing, nasal congestion and clear nasal
discharge, etc. as the main clinical manifestations. It
is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that the
incidence of allergic rhinitis includes internal and
external causes. Internal causes refer to the deficiency
and injury of lung, spleen and kidney, as well as
insecurity of the wei exterior, external cause refers to
the invasion of pathogenic wind-cold which results in
the lung failing to diffuse and govern descent and nasal
cavity discomfort. The author believes that the root of
allergic rhinitis locates in the spleen and kidney although
all the symptoms manifest in the lung. The spleen is
the foundation of acquired constitution, the source of
qi and blood production and the mother of lung, the
kidney is the foundation of congenital constitution and
the governor of qi, governing qi reception. The spleen
and kidney insufficiency will cause the lung failing
to moisten and nourish, and warm, as well as the qi
failing to generate and transform, take and receive.
Additionally, the invasion of pathogenic wind-cold will
result in upper gathering of water-dampness, which will
cause nasal congestion, frequent sneezing and clear
nasal discharge. The physical manifestations mainly
include lung deficiency and cold sensation, lung and
spleen qi deficiency, kidney yang deficiency and heat
accumulation syndrome in the lung meridian, which
belong to the root deficiency and branch excess, or
deficiency-excess complex. The case of allergic rhinitis
treated with warming-needle moxibustion by the author
is reported as follows.
A female patient, 57 years old, retired, and
visited the hospital on April 5, 2012 for the first time.
The patient suffered from paroxysmal sneezing
which might be consecutive 10 sneezes per time,
nasal congestion, watery nasal discharge and
rhinocnesmus with formication sign in the morning
or under the condition of sudden changes of air
temperature without obvious inducement 10 years ago,
concomitantly with eye itching, lacrimation and throat
itching. In recent years, allergic asthma and urticaria
might be concomitant with the above symptoms
when exacerbation. The patient has been diagnosed
with allergic rhinitis (perennial allergic rhinitis),
nasosinusitis, allergic asthma, urticaria in a third-level
grade A hospital. She has orally taken loratadine and

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other anti-allergy drugs, and received subcutaneous
injection for desensitization. The curative effect was
definite at the beginning but not good in recent years,
and her symptoms aggravated. Current symptoms:
bilaterally conjunctival congestion, plenty of tear,
clear nasal discharge, severe nasal congestion, pale
nasal mucosa with edema according to rhinoscopy,
plenty of clear secreta, and basically invisible inferior
nasal concha. The tongue was pale and enlarged, the
coating was white, and the pulse was moderate. She
was diagnosed with allergic rhinitis (perennial allergic
rhinitis), with the pattern belonging to kidney yang
deficiency.
Yíngxiāng (迎香 LI 20), Shàngyíngxiāng (上迎
香 EX-HN8), Shàngxīng (上星 GV 23), Yìntáng (印堂
EX-HN3), Cuánzhú (攒竹 BL 2), Fēngchí (风池 GB
20), Tiāntū (天突 CV 22), Wàiguān (外关 TE 5), Hégǔ
(合谷 LI 4), Zúsānlǐ (足三里 ST 36), Shènshū (肾俞
BL 23) and Tàixī (太溪 KI 3) were punctured. Lifting
and thrusting and twirling for reducing was carried out
at GB 20 and TE 5, and conventional acupuncture was
conducted at other points with reinforcing method.
After deqi, the needles were retained for 20 min.
Later, warming-needle moxibustion was performed at
LI 20 and ST 36. Manipulations: the patient was asked
in supine position. After conventional disinfection, a
0.25 mm×40 mm filiform needle was inserted into
LI20 (the midpoint in the nasolabial groove at the
outer margin of the wing of nose) in the form of
oblique insertion towards the inner upward side, and
the angle between the needle and the skin was 60°
with a depth of 20–25 mm. Lifting and thrusting and
twirling for reinforcing was carried out. Till the sore/
or swollen feeling was generated, with a piece of
tinfoil on the skin of acupoint to avoid ambustion, a
12 mm×15 mm moxa cone was added on the needle
handle. The moxa cone burnt out, and the needle was
retained for 20–30 min. ST 36: the patient was asked
in supine position. After conventional disinfection, a
0.25 mm×50 mm filiform needle was inserted into
the point in the form of perpendicular insertion with
a depth of 30 mm–40 mm. Lifting and thrusting and
twirling for reinforicing was carried out for 2 min.
After deqi, a 12 mm×15 mm moxa cone was added
on the needle handle. After the moxa cone burnt out,
another moxa cone was lit, and the needle was retained
for 20–30 min.
The treatment was performed once a day, and
treatment for 10 times was 1 course of treatment.
After every treatment, the patient felt that the nasal
congestion was significantly relieved, and she could
breathe more freely. After treatment for 1 course, the
World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion (WJAM)
Vol. 27, No.4, 30th Dec. 2017
symptom of nasal congestion disappeared, and the
symptoms of sneezing, runny nose and eye itching
were significantly relieved. After treatment for
2 courses, all the symptoms disappeared without
relapse of urticaria or asthma during treatment. Another
1 course of treatment was conducted additionally for
consolidating the curative effect. No relapse was found
during the follow-up visit half a year after treatment.
DISCUSSION
The clinical manifestations of allergic rhinitis
mainly include lung deficiency and cold sensation,
lung and spleen qi deficiency, kidney yang deficiency
and heat accumulation syndrome in the lung meridian,
which belong to the root deficiency and branch excess,
or deficiency-excess complex. According to the above
etiology and pathogenesis, to warm the yang qi of
lung, spleen and kidney is the root, to unblock and
regulate the local meridian qi is the branch, and the
root and branch should be treated simultaneously.
Clinically, warming-needle moxibustion is
simultaneously conducted at LI 20 and ST 36
when needling at relevant acupoints. Whether
moxibustion can be performed at LI 20 or not is
always controversial. The authors believe that the
deficiency-cold of the lung, spleen and kidney is the
root, and exogenous wind-cold is the branch. The
manifestations mainly include aversion to wind,
rhinocnesmus and sneezing, plenty of clear nasal
discharge and pale nasal mucosa with edema, etc.
Warming-needle moxibustion at local parts can not
only unblock the meridian qi and free nasal orifices,
but also warm yang and transform qi, as well as
promote the local qi-blood circulation. Modern
studies [1-3] have also shown that moxibustion at
LI 20 can promote the local qi-blood circulation,
inhibit local inflammatory response, improve local
symptoms and signs, enhance the immune function
of the body, and improve the anti-allergic reaction
ability. In addition, the authors also believe that
sweeping generalizations cannot be made with regard
to whether moxibustion can be performed at LI 20
or not, and pattern differentiation treatment should
be carried out: moxibustion can be performed in the
patients with obvious pale nasal mucosa with edema,
plenty of clear nasal discharge and other deficiency-
cold symptoms, while moxibustion should be used
with caution or be forbidden in the patients with nasal
mucosa atrophy and mycteroxerosis in order not to
aggravate the symptoms. Moreover, the safety of
moxibustion manipulation should be noted, especially
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with tuina can jointly improve the difficult defecation
of child patients with Hirschsprung disease by way
of meridians and collaterals, zang-fu organs, nerves
and muscles, providing a new idea for non-surgical
treatment of infant hirschsprung disease in the early
stage.
REFERENCES
[1] Li H, Jin XQ. Research progress of diagnosis and
treatment for infant Hirschsprung disease. J Mod Med
Health (Chin) 2015; (13): 1966 1969.
[2] Li L, Wang WD, Dong GR. Cases of infant Hirschsprung
disease-allied disorder. Zhongguo Zhenjiu (Chin) 2016;
ABSTRACT IN CHINESE
[摘 要] 先天性巨结肠是新生儿常见且较严重的先天性消化道畸形。目前国内外治疗多以手术治疗和神
经干细胞移植为主，针推、推拿等治疗方法多在术后介入，鲜有术前非手术治疗报道。本案运用针灸和
推拿早期治疗婴儿先天性巨结肠取得了满意疗效，为以后婴幼儿先天性巨结肠早期非手术治疗提供新的
思路。
[关键词] 婴儿先天性巨结肠 针灸 小儿推拿
(Continue from page 74)
the manipulation on the face, in order to avoid scald. If
the patients have such symptoms as dry and bitter taste
in the mouth, nasal cavity dryness and epistaxis during
the treatment, moxibustion therapy should be stopped
in order not to promote heat and generate fire.
REFERENCES
[1] Tang SP, Gou YZ, Liu XT. Warming-needle moxibustion
treatment for 21 cases of allergic rhinitis. Chin Prac Med
ABSTRACT IN CHINESE
[摘 要] 一名女性57岁过敏性鼻炎患者，取迎香、上迎香、上星、印堂、攒竹、风池、天突、外关、
合谷、足三里、肾俞、太溪针刺，行针得气后,在迎香、足三里施温针灸。2 个疗程结束后诸症消除,荨麻
疹、哮喘在治疗期间也未发作。为巩固疗效又坚持治疗1 个疗程。随访半年未见复发。
[关键词] 过敏性鼻炎 温针灸
World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion (WJAM)
Vol. 27, No.4, 30th Dec. 2017
35(05): 526.
[3] Shu T, Li CH. Implantation with medicinal catgut at
Chángqiáng (长强 GV 1) for treatment of pain after
hemorrhoidolysis. Zhongguo Zhenjiu (Chin) 2012;31
(04): 313 315.
[4] Fu P, Zhang XJ, Wu Q. Discussion on the feasibility of
acupuncture at Chángqiáng (长强 GV 1) for treatment of
constipation of cerebral palsy children. Lishizhen Med
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[5] Lin GH, Zhao BB. Efficacy observation of rapid needling
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