What to do now to stay healthier this winter
Do you experience frequent colds and viruses during the winter, no matter what you do?
Do your colds and viruses easily turn into upper respiratory infections?
Do you have long haul covid symptoms?
Do you want to get through the upcoming winter as healthy as possible?
Do you get itchy red eyes, sneezy and congested from allergies each year?
Do you want to reduce your need for or get off your allergy medication?
Do you want to reduce your need for your inhaler?
You may be a perfect candidate for San Fu!
What is San Fu
Moxibustion is one of the 8 branches of Chinese medicine. It actually shares the same branch as acupuncture. There are a few types of moxibustion. Indirect moxibustion involves the burning of the herb mugwort, Ai Ye, at or near acupuncture points or an affected area. There is no skin irritation or blistering with indirect moxibustion.
San fu is another form of moxibustion. It is also known as Heavenly Moxibustion. Instead of burning mugwort, San fu involves powdered herbs formed into a paste which is then applied to specific acupoints. San fu does irritate the skin and can even cause a blister. This doesn’t mean things have gone wrong, this is exactly what we are trying to do. The skin irritation allows the herbs to penetrate into the muscle layer of the body. This is how a stronger effect is achieved. In China, San Fu is incredibly popular. Patients wait hours in long lines that go well out the doors of the Traditional Chinese hospitals that offer it.
San fu is performed on three specific days. These days are based on the Chinese calendar and Daoist cosmology. They are Yang Metal days and are said to be the hottest summer days. Clinical studies have tested the efficacy of this treatment on the Yang Metal days against other days in the calendar. The treatment was found to be more effective on the Yang Metal days. The San Fu days for 2023 are as follows:
Friday, July 21st
Monday, July 31st
Thursday, August 10th
On each of the three days, a total of 5-6 different points are used. All the points are generally located on the upper, middle, and lower back.
Who is a good candidate for San fu?
Chronic lung conditions: allergies, asthma, frequent colds + viruses, easily getting bronchitis
Long haul covid symptoms
Desire to improve your health in preparation for winter
Are comfortable with potential blisters and scars
*If you are pregnant, diabetic, have serious skin allergies, high fever, or sore throat, you are not a candidate for San Fu treatment.
Setting expectations
It only takes a few minutes to apply the herb paste to your acupoints. You will be in and out of the clinic in 20 minutes. You will remove the San Fu applications after 6 hours or whenever they become overly hot and itchy, whichever comes first.
Basic aftercare includes removing the tape and herbal paste, washing the area with soap and water, and gently patting it dry. We will send you home with full aftercare instructions.
Not everyone has the same reaction to San Fu treatment. There is no way to know just how you will react. Some common reactions include:
A hot itchy sensation
Slight fever
Flu-like symptoms or sore throat lasting approximately 24 hours
Redness that looks like a sunburn at the site of application after removal
Blisters which may take up to 72 hours to appear
As with all wounds, the blisters may scar. Wheat germ oil, tamanu oil, and lavender oil all work well to lighten the color of scars.
If you have questions on if this is right for you, please give us call at 262-264-8462. If this will help you meet your health goals, schedule your treatments today! A full course of San fu includes treatment on all three days.
Resources:
Moxibustion: A Modern Clinical Handbook by Lorraine Wilcox
San Fu Moxibustion and Lung Related Disorders by Lorraine Wilcox
If you’re an acupuncturist wanting to provide this for your patients, Dr. Heidi Lovie has some excellent resources here.