Overview
Aging is that body presents advancing, degenerating changes on morphous and function with age rising, when it grows and develops to maturing stage. Old and feeble is the result of ageing. Body's old and feeble has regularity and is characterized by entirety, degenerative, advancing. Analyzed by TCM theory, degeneration is involving five viscera. Degeneration is general, Body is a organic whole. Degeneration doesn't happen in certain entrails. Internal organs affect each other and body presents whole degeneration. The nature of old and feeble is deficiency of kidney qi. Constitution of the aged is multiformity, but deficiency of kidney is the most widespread and is manifested as dizziness, amnesia, tinnitus, deafness, teeth becoming less crowed and dropped, fatigue, less warmness of limbs, soreness sand lassitude in waist and knees, frequent dripping urination, too much noctuna. Deficiency of healthy energy leads to dysfunction in promoting the blood circulation. So blood stasis is very popular in the aged, which is manifested as numbness of limbs, joints difficult to bend or extend, rough and spottiness skin. The root of old and feeble is deficiency of kidney qi, and the symptom is blood stasis blocking in channels and collaterals. Acupuncture therapeutic principle is tonifying kidney to arrest spontaneous emission, regulating qi and blood, benefiting and supplying zangfu.

Treatment
1. Zusanli (ST 36)
① Acupuncture therapy: Needle Zusanli point both side alternately. Needle perpendicularly at the depth of about 1-1.5 cun. Then lift and thrust, rotate the needle. After obtaining the qi of acupuncture, retain the needle and manipulate the needle in method of reinforcement, or normal reinforcement and normal reduction. Withdraw the needle 30 minutes later. 10 times makes up a course of therapy.

② Moxibustion therapy: Use warm moxibustion the point with moxa stick with 10 minute every point. Treatment is done once every other day or every two day.

2. Shenque (RN 8)
① Warm moxibustion therapy: Use moxibustion with the kindling end of the moxa stick aiming at shenque point (distance between cutaneous cover 2-3 cm) 10-15 minutes, which will result in the skin to blush. Treatment is done once every day or every other day, and 10 times makes up a course of therapy. The next course of treatment begins after resting for 2-3 days.

② Indirect moxibustion separated by monkshood-cake: The method of preparing monkshood-cake is grounding monkshood into fine power and making into a paste cake (about 3 cm diameter, 0.8 cm thickness) with yellow wine. Place monkshood-cake on acupoint with several openings made in the center of it. Moxa cone is burned over the openings. This method is done with3-5 cones every time and once every other day or every two day. 10 times makes up a course of therapy. This method can warm kidney and invigorate yang to treat decline of vital gate-fire.

3. Guanyuan (RN 4)
Use warm moxibustion with the moxa stick with 10 minute every point. Treatment is done once every other day or every two day and 10 times makes up a course of therapy. Continue therapy for 3 courses.

4. Mingmen (DU 4)
① Indirect moxibustion separated by monkshood-cake: This method is done with 3-5 cones every time and once every other day or every two day. 10 times makes up a course of therapy. This is used to treat decline of vital gate-fire.

② Warm moxibustion therapy: Use moxibustion with the moxa stick with 10 minute every point. Treatment is done once every other day or every two day and 10 times makes up a course of therapy. Continue therapy for 3 courses.

Note
Acupuncture and moxibustion has exact effect on delaying body's degeneration. The effect has a feature of regulating the whole body. The acupoints, such as Shenque (RN8), Zusanli (ST36) and guanyuan (RN4), can effect on local part, but also digestive system, cardiovascular system, never system, endocrine system, can regular five viscera. Acupoints' generally effect, which is the whole effect on many entrails and organs at the same time in different level, has been confirmed by modern clinic research and experiment research. This feature fits the entirety law of old and feeble.

Delaying old and feeble with acupuncture and moxibustion is characterized by two-ways regulation. Asthenia with ageing is mostly caused by deficiency of yang qi, but also pathologic factors such as phlegm, blood stasis. Acupuncture and moxibustion has two-ways regulation effect, which is different from drug. I.e. Acupuncture and moxibustion on the same acupoint can bring changes profiting body's physiological functions requirement to the bodies in different functional state. The dynamic equilibrium in body's inner physiological activities is the result of antagonizing between two functional systems. Degeneration induces body to abnormal state. Then feedback regulation must work in body and retrieve physiological functions to normal. As long as if only there is some ability of feedback regulation in body, acupuncture and moxibustion can delay old and feeble for the aged in all kind of body constitution.

The effect of delaying old and feeble with acupuncture and moxibustion is gentle. With age rising, not only body is all roundly degenerating, but also body's self-regulation which can resist degeneration is declining, anti-degeneration feedback regulation is declining. That is to say that the resisting degeneration ability of the aged is not suddenly produced in certain period and certain condition. The method such us acupuncture and moxibustion give body warm and continues stimulation to stir up latent self-regulation of the aged. The function of acupuncture and moxibustion function is based on integrity of body's structure, and is latent. Don't expect that the effect of delaying old and feeble with acupuncture and moxibustion is fast. And not to say it can help regain youth. The effect of delaying old and feeble with acupuncture and moxibustion only can be shown in long treatment.