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Shiatsu for Lymphedema on left leg + varicose veins

By Archived User | Updated: Dec 31, 2021 | Published: Dec 31, 2021

Hello there, I’m a student of zen shiatsu at the first year and I’m practicing on friends and family.
I’ve a question regarding a woman 55yo, got a surgery at the left knee 20years ago that caused her to have the threaded leg always swollen more then the other one. She suffer also of really fragile varicose veins, sometimes in stress moments even the veins at the palms are breaking inside.
Plus she got a surgery to take out her ovaries 2years ago to prevent cancer since in her family is been really present, this brought to early menopause and of course really easily hot flashes.
I already treated her palming Spleen,liver and stomach meridian (spleen points were the most painful ones). I also did some moxa at LI4 (was really painful at her right hand just barely pressing it) but I didn’t dare to do moxa at the legs (and where?) cause I don’t know the effect it might have to the veins, would be too much? I would like to hear from you what would be good for her to be threaded, with and without moxa and what kind of deficiency you would see in general in her. Curious to hear your opinions! Thank u

Archived Comments

Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.

Similar to acupuncture, always, but perhaps even more so when treating a person with many “difficult” issues you have to rely on your diagnostic signs. So I would start with what does her hara say? Generally speaking that is what you need to follow, not getting too sidetracked with her many symptoms.

As far as moxa goes, again you would start with what her hara says is deficient (not her symptoms) and work from there. Generally speaking, however, I don’t see much value in doing moxa at LI 4, for systemic strength you would get a strong tonifying response at any, or some combination, of the following points:

Comment by Archived User

That makes sense indeed, I will try that, so even if she has really a lot of varicose veins on those points u think moxa it shouldn’t cause any problems/ breaking etc? thank u for the tips!

Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.

You don’t want to do moxa directly on the varicose veins so if a particular point has a large bulging vein at it, I would choose another option. Most of those tonification functions have at least a few points that can be used to effectively accomplish the same thing.

Comment by Archived User

ok great thank u Chad!

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