Explainer | This traditional Chinese medicine treatment boosts immunity against winter ills like colds, flu, allergies and respiratory illness
- San fu moxibustion is performed on the hottest three days of summer, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, to store ‘yang’ energy in advance of winter
- No needles are involved – plasters containing a warm herbal paste are applied to acupressure points, usually on the upper back
The three hottest summer days in the Chinese lunar calendar are known as san fu – and the first one is on July 16.
According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), these are the best days to harness the summer heat to expel excess cold from our body and ward off winter diseases well in advance.
Practitioners use a treatment known as moxibustion, which is a common practice in Eastern medicine, popular in China, Japan, Tibet, Vietnam, Korea and Mongolia.
What is the thinking behind san fu moxibustion?
The concept behind the treatment is to capture some of the strongest yang energy of the year and store it to boost our immunity and prepare for autumn when colds and flu, allergies, and respiratory illness are more prevalent.
According to TCM, it prevents illness and provides resilience against the cold pathogens of the winter season by balancing yin and yang.
[Dispelling] symptoms of long Covid such as brain fog, phlegmy cough, dizziness and diarrhoea … can be optimally done during the san fu days through moxibustion
Calculated using the Chinese Lunar calendar, in 2022 the three san fu days fall on July 16, July 26 and August 15. On these days, according to TCM, blood vessels are at their most dilated.
The suggested dosage is to have three consecutive treatments on the specified dates, or within two days of them, for three consecutive summers.
Practitioners may recommend having treatment around the winter solstice as well.
How does the treatment work?
Those who are wary of needles – such as those used in acupuncture – need not fear: san fu moxibustion is applied topically.
The treatment uses warm, acrid herbs that are ground into a paste, put onto plasters and applied to specific acupuncture points (“acupoints”), usually on the upper back. These points correlate with those that TCM says bolster the immune system, fortify the lungs, and disperse wind or exterior pathogens.
The plasters are left on for up to six hours. The herbs are warm and may increase in intensity, resulting in local redness and sensations of heat.
TCM practitioner Kelly Chain, co-founder of Chain’s Medicare Centre in Hong Kong, says the aim is to generate heat for therapeutic effect.
“This theory is in line with the ancient Chinese medical text Nei Jing’s philosophy of preserving yang during spring and summer seasons.”
What conditions can it address?
Chain says the san fu treatment is suitable for yin conditions such as eczema, rheumatism, chronic fatigue, menstrual disorders, bronchitis and nasal allergies.
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“Symptoms of long Covid such as brain fog, phlegmy cough, dizziness and diarrhoea are considered to be yin or cold conditions. Dispelling these yin conditions can be optimally done during the san fu days through moxibustion,” To says.
“The treatment is suitable for people of all ages, is seen as a preventive measure, and doesn’t require any needles.”
What are the risks?
Those with a cough should consult their TCM doctor to make sure it’s a yin or cold cough before moxibustion, as the treatment may not be suitable for those with dry or hot coughs, To says.
There is a risk that the plasters will cause irritation, and Chain says a few of her patients have experienced allergic reactions to them.
“To minimise the effect, we use plasters with higher ventilation. The optimum period for the application on acupoints is about one to two hours. But if rashes appear, especially on the elderly or children, the patches should be removed immediately,” she says.
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“The area of application should stay dry during the following 10 hours and it is best for the patient to refrain from eating cold, raw or spicy food.
“Other heating foods such as beef, duck, goose, shrimp, crab, peanuts and greasy food should be avoided, too.”
