[Diseases treated by moxibustion and fire needling in clinical practice based on data mining: a comparison study]

Area of Science:

• Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Acupuncture and Moxibustion
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Moxibustion and fire needling are distinct therapeutic modalities within Traditional Chinese Medicine.
• Understanding their specific clinical applications is crucial for effective treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate the specific disease patterns treated by moxibustion versus fire needling in clinical practice.
• To provide evidence-based references for optimizing the use of these therapies.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review and data mining of moxibustion and fire needling studies over the past 60 years.
• Analysis of disease frequencies, utility rates across medical departments, and comparative effectiveness of the two techniques.

Main Results:

• Moxibustion utility is highest in internal medicine (43.6%) and surgery (28.1%). Fire needling is most utilized in surgery (53.7%) and dermatology (23.8%).
• Moxibustion demonstrates broader application in gynecology (20/26 diseases) and pediatrics (20/22 diseases) compared to fire needling.
• Distinct disease profiles emerged: moxibustion for deficiency syndromes (e.g., insomnia, infertility) and fire needling for localized symptoms (e.g., lipoma, skin conditions).

Conclusions:

• Moxibustion and fire needling exhibit specialized clinical roles, with moxibustion favored in internal medicine/surgery and fire needling in surgery/dermatology.
• Moxibustion offers a wider scope in gynecology and pediatrics.
• Therapeutic choices correlate with syndrome differentiation: moxibustion for deficiency, fire needling for local manifestations.