Chronic atrophic gastritis belongs to the category of “stomach pain” and “gastric pain” in traditional Chinese medicine, in which moxibustion is useful for those who are identified as spleen and stomach cold type, cold evil stomach type, and qi stagnation and blood stasis type. Moxibustion has the efficacy of warming menstruation and dispersing cold, activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis. It is not suitable for those who have dietary stagnation, gastric yin insufficiency (insufficient yin fluid in the stomach), and those who have dampness and heat in the middle. Professional practitioners should be consulted before moxibustion.
Patients with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold can moxibe the acupoints of Zhongkou, Neiguan, Ashansanli, Spleen Yu, Stomach Yu and Guanyuan. Patients with cold in the stomach can moxiba the middle epigastric region, the inner gate, the foot Sanli, the upper epigastric region, the kidney Yu and other acupoints. For patients with stagnation of qi and blood stasis, moxibustion can be applied to the middle epigastric region, Neiguan, Ashanli, Diaphragm Yu, and Sanyinjiao.
In addition to moxibustion, medication, acupuncture, and auricular acupuncture can be used to enhance the efficacy of treatment for atrophic gastritis. Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment should be operated by a professional doctor, do not do it by yourself.