According to a story from Ankylosing Spondylitis News, a recent study has found that moxibustion, a form of heat therapy, could provide short-term benefits for patients with the rare disease ankylosing spondylitis when used in combination with conventional medications. Patients reported improvements in quality of life and physical function following four weeks of supplementing their regular medications with moxibustion therapy.
About Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a rare form of arthritis which is characterized by long term inflammation of the spinal joints. Other joints may also be affected. The precise cause of ankylosing spondylitis has not been identified. A host of environmental and genetic factors may play a role; for example, a study found that the majority of patients in the UK presented with the HLA-B27 antigen. The onset of ankylosing spondylitis symptoms often begins in early adulthood. These symptoms may include relapsing/remitting back pain, progressive joint stiffening, fatigue, fever, and weight loss. Inflammation can spread to other parts of the body, such as the eyes, the cardiovascular system, and lungs. No cure for the disease exists, so treatment focuses on pain management and slowing disease progression. Treatment may include NSAIDs, opioids, TNF inhibitors, physical therapy, surgery, and some others. Unfortunately, most therapies can cause serious side effects with long term use. To learn more about ankylosing spondylitis, click here.
About Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a custom of traditional Chinese medicine that dates back thousands of years. The practice consists of the burning of a special herb called mugwort against certain areas of the skin. Moxibustion has a long history of use in the medical traditions of East Asia, and spread from China to Japan, Mongolia, Korea, and Vietnam. It remains popular in these regions. Adherents claim it can provide benefits to patients with chronic illnesses and can even turn breech babies.
Study Findings
A Chinese study included a total of 64 patients. They were split 50-50 into a control group and a treatment group; all continued their standard treatment while the treatment group added regular moxibustion therapy. There were no major differences in disease activity or physical capability between the two groups.
Patients self-reported improvements in disease activity and physical function after using moxibustion. While the researchers were optimistic about the findings, they were quick to point out weaknesses of the study as they were limited to patient self-reporting and there was no long term follow up.
