This study looks at the various alternative therapy methods used in day to day life by elderly, over 60 years of age. The elderly have come to know and practice these methods for the following reasons : it is good for the health ; it is the method used in the olden days when there wesn't modern medicine ; it has been passed down from generations ; it can be done at home without having the need to go to the hospital ; acupuncture or poulticing can be used ; it can be done at home, which was an important factor in rural areas where hospitals are few and far between ; and [herbal] medicine could be prepared at home at no cast ; it derives from experience ; it is impossible to ignore tradition passed down through the generations. Diet control and plants(herbs) are methods most often used, as they are easy to find and can be readily used in critical situations. Other methods include oriental medicine practices of moxibustion with moxa cone, negative therapy, hand and finger acupunture, finger press method, ordinary acupunture, finger press method, ordinary acupunture, manual healing methods of massage, diaphoretic therapy and meditation to reach a state of calm, and qigong dirigation. The reasons for its use are as follows : it has been used before ; it is effective ; there is some improvement after the treatment ; it is not harmful to the body ; medicine cannot be obtained and it is the only thing available ; it is not good for an old person to go to the hospital everyday, the symptoms are not serious enough to go to a hospital ; and acupuncture is for these things. The means that the elderly have come to practice these methods are ; it has been used since the past ; it has been told by the elders ; they have been told by friends ; it was part of their knowledge ; and they have come to know by watching their mother. Further, to regain vitality lost through old age, the elderly have relied on hot soup, a hearty meal, brewed honey water, pumpkin, or ginseng. Humans, by instinct, would rub or massage the areas that caused pain. These actions, combined with a breathing technique have been recognized in Tong-Eui-Bo-Gam(the essential of eastern medicine), the complete work of early modern medicine, are a useful means to revive chi. This knowledge is thought to have greatly affected our healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, though the demand for medical services would increase with age, the elderly have not always been able to tend to their needs at the hospital for reasons economic or other. Hence, these alternative therapy methods seem to have been practiced as a temporary means of relief. The excellence of our traditional therapeutic custom has not received full recognition due to the argument relating to its scientific merits. As a result, it has become vital to prove their effectiveness through scientific and other experimental means. The potency of moxibustion with moxa cone and hand and finger acupunture have been proven scientifically, but diet and herbal methods appear to be practiced as a result of customs passed down from generations. In addition, it is submitted that the effectiveness of the traditional methods of disease control and our heathy lifestyle that are easily found in the nursing field must be verified.
Acupuncture ; Aged ; Cucurbita ; Diet ; Family Characteristics ; Fingers ; Friends ; Hand ; History, Early Modern 1451-1600 ; History, Modern 1601- ; Honey ; Humans ; Instinct ; Life Style ; Massage ; Meals ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Meditation ; Mothers ; Moxibustion ; Nursing ; Panax ; Qigong ; Respiration ; Water

WANG Ji's opinion on moxibustion therapy in Questions and answers of acupuncture and moxibustion (Zhenjiu Wendui) was explored and analyzed. With his two contraindications of moxibustion as breakthrough points, the arrangement and discussion was performed. The results showed that based on summary of moxibustion treatment theory before Ming dynasty, WANG Ji could provide characteristic idea, which is of great reference value and guide significance to the inheritance and development of moxibustion.
China ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; history

Dermatology ; history ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history

This article surveys studies focusing on pre-modern Korean medicine, which are both written in English and analyzed primary sources up to 1876. Overall, the history of pre-modern Korean medicine is an unknown filed in Anglophone academia. Yung Sik Kim's, James Palais's, and Carter Ecart's problematization of the nationalist framework of Korean scholarship partially explains the marginality of the field. Addressing these criticisms, this review argues that pre-modern Korean medicine's uneasy task lies in both elaborating Korea's own experience of medicine, while simultaneously avoiding making the "Korean" category itself essential. Korean narratives of premodern medicine need to go beyond the mere territorilalization of Korean medicine against its Chinese, Japanese, or Western counterparts, thereby to tackle the field's own boundary of research objects. The existing scholarship in English responds to this challenge by primarily examining the way in which Korea has shared textual tradition with China. Sirhak scholars' innovation in medicine, visual representation of Tongui bogam, Korean management of epidemics in the eleventh century, and Korean indexing of local botanicals, engages not only native achievements, but also the process of modifying medicine across geographical and political boundaries. More to the point, the emerging native narratives, although written in Korean, are implicitly resonant with those currently present in Anglophone academia. Taking "tension," "intertextuality," and "local traits" as a lens, this article assesses a series of current research in Korea. Aiming to go beyond appeals for a "distinctively" Korean experience of medicine, the future study of Korean pre-modern medicine will further elucidate confluences of different flows, such as "Chinese and Korean," "universal and local," "center and periphery," and "native and foreign," which will eventually articulate a range of Korean techniques of creating a bricolage in medicine.
History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 19th Century ; History, Medieval ; Medicine, Korean Traditional/*history ; Republic of Korea

The data in literature of acupuncture and moxibustion on treatment of diarrhea from pre-Qin period to Qing dynasty was collected to establish prescription database and characteristics and rules of ancient acupuncture and moxibustion for diarrhea were analyzed with data mining technology. Totally 235 papers were collected and 76 acupoints were involved with 439 times of selection. The number and times of special acupoints were 72.37% (55/76) and 76.99% (338/439), respectively, which was more seen in front-mu acupoint and back-shu acupoint. The acupoints were distributed among 11 meridians. Moxibustion was applied in 53 papers while combination of acupuncture and moxibustion was used in 1 literature. As a result, acupuncture and moxibustion for diarrhea in ancient pay much attention on acupoint in back and abdomen, in which Tianshu (ST 25), Shen-que (CV 8), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Dachangshu (BL 25) were the most frequently used. The compatibility of front-mu acupoint and back-shu acupoint was very common. Selection of special acupoint was dominant. Besides crossing points that has the most intersection of meridian qi in the back and abdomen, acupoints below the elbow and knee joints, such as five-shu points, source point, luo-connecting point, eight confluence point and lower he-sea point were also taken into account. As for compatibility of special acupoints, the supportive degree between back-shu acupoint and confluence points or front-mu acupoint was the highest; the selections of meridians mainly were Bladder Meridian, Conception Vessel and Spleen Meridian; and application of moxibustion was highly valued. In conclusion, it is feasible to apply data mining technology to the clinical literature research of ancient acupuncture and moxibustion, which can provide evidence for summary of the traditional classical theory.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; China ; Data Mining ; Diarrhea ; history ; therapy ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Meridians ; Moxibustion ; history

In the spirit of international exchanges of knowledge with colleagues from all over the world, who are interested in the care and treatment of vascular trauma, we offer selected historical reflections from the western world on vascular trauma. Whereas there are a number of key individuals and a variety of events that are important to us in our writing, we know essentially nothing about what is written by other cultures and, particularly, the Chinese. It is well recognized around the world that Chinese surgeons are among the first to be highly successful in re-plantation of severed extremities, repairing both injured arteries and veins. Also, we recognize that there are contributions in other parts of the world, which are not well known to us collectively. Contributions from the Arabic speaking part of the world come to mind because there is periodic brief reference. We offer our perspective hoping that there will be one or more Chinese surgeons who will offer us the benefit of sharing their perspective on important historical contributions to the managing of vascular trauma outside of the western world, and, particularly, the English speaking literature. Once again, we encourage our colleagues in the Arabic speaking world to provide us with their perspective of the development and management of vascular trauma.
History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; methods ; Vascular System Injuries ; history ; surgery

Dao-di herbs have both natural and humanistic attribute. Geopolitical political structure of Northeast, Mongolian, Xinjiang, Tibet, Yunnan and Guangxi provinces form frontier inland of China were summarized in this paper. The relationship between distribution of the Dao-di herbs and geopolitical political structure in above-mentioned provinces were described. In a strict sense, humanistic attribute of Dao-di herbs belonged to medical culture of Han Nationality. Distribution range of Dao-di herbs was determined by sphere of influence of central plains dynasty. Development of Dao-di herbs in the frontier inland area was unbalanced. The relationship between distribution of Dao-di herbs and geopolitical political structure proofed that natural attribute and humanistic attribute were inseparable. Recognition of this relationship is helpful to understand and develop genuine medicinal materials in frontier provinces.
China ; Demography ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; history ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Politics

OBJECTIVETo analyze the regularity of selection of meridians and acupoints for treating migraine in past dynasties.

METHODSThe data were collected from 178 kinds of literature concerning acupuncture and moxibustion from the Pre-Qin Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty, based on which bibliographic database in ancient acupuncture and moxibustion for treating migraine was established. By way of data excavation and analysis, meridians and acupoints and their combinations frequently used for the treatment in successive dynasties were screened, and the potential regularity was searched.

RESULTSIn the treatment of migraine, the Gall Bladder Meridian was the meridian used most frequently, and both local and remote points in the four extremities were used. Acupoints in yang meridians, especially Fengchi (GB 20), Sizhukong (TE 23) and Shuaigu (GB 8) in Shaoyang meridians were used most frequently. In terms of classification of the special points selected, besides the Crossing Points with meridian qi passing through and crossing in the head, points below the elbow and knee joints, such as Source points, Luo Points, Eight Confluence Points, as well as Five Shu Points were also much frequently used.

CONCLUSIONAccording to data excavation and analysis of references recorded on the treatment of migraine by acupuncture and moxibustion in past dynasties, it is concluded that meridian theories are the foundation and prerequisite for guiding clinical treatment and point selection, in which special acupoints are the main components and the core in point prescription.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; China ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Meridians ; Migraine Disorders ; therapy ; Moxibustion ; history ; methods

The history of international spread of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion is divided into three sta ges in this paper, and the spreading characteristics are analyzed. The first stage is approximately from the 6th century to the end of the 15th century, during which acupuncture and moxibustion were spread to neighboring countries by personnel exchanges; the spread towards Korean peninsula, Japan and Vietnam was considered the most successful communication. The second stage lasts from the beginning of 16th century to 1970. At the early time of this stage, the employees of the Dutch East Indian Company introduced acupuncture and moxibustion to European countries through Indonesia and Japan, leading to a short and small fashion; also the United States and Australia were involved. At the late time of this stage, by medical aid teams dispatched by China government, acupuncture and moxibustion were introduced to African countries. The third stage starts from 1971. With the establishment of Sino-US diplomatic relations as an opportunity, acupuncture and moxibustion were being spread rapidly to the world through radio, TV and internet. So far it has been introduced to more than 140 countries and areas. Performing serious studies on the spreading characteristics of three stages will promote the international communication of acupuncture and moxibustion, by which the world will have a better understanding onthe broad and profound traditional cultures of China.
Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; China ; Europe ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 17th Century ; History, 18th Century ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Internationality ; Japan ; Moxibustion ; history ; United States

Lots of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) shares the same Chinese common names "Doukou". Because of similar Chinese names, appearances, functions and original plants, there are still no compromise on the original plants of "Doukou" up to now. Moreover, "Doukou" referred to more than one source of species, that is, it might refer to the Chinese crude drug derived from different plants during different historical periods. In order to identify the original botanical plants of "Doukou" during different historical periods and the relationship between these "Doukou", new bencaological studies of TCM under the name "Doukou" were carried out, which included the studies on literal description, image description, market investigation and systematic botanical research. A suggestion was made to change the Chinese name "Doukou" (Amomi Fructus Rotundus) to "Baidoukou".
Documentation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; classification ; history ; History, 15th Century ; History, 16th Century ; History, 20th Century ; History, Ancient ; History, Medieval ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history