Tingting, M A, Jie, W U, Lijie, Yang et al. · Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan · 2022 · DOI
This study tested whether ginger-indirect moxibustion (a traditional Chinese medicine technique using heated ginger) combined with acupuncture works better than acupuncture alone for chronic fatigue syndrome. Over 290 people received either the combination treatment or acupuncture alone for 8 weeks, with follow-ups for 12 weeks afterward. Both groups improved, but the combination treatment showed slightly faster relief of fatigue and physical symptoms in the first few weeks.
This study addresses treatment options for CFS, a debilitating condition with limited evidence-based interventions. It suggests that traditional Chinese medicine modalities may provide additive benefit beyond acupuncture alone, potentially offering patients an additional symptom management strategy. The safety profile and modest efficacy advantage could inform clinical decision-making for patients seeking multi-modal treatment approaches.
This study does not establish ginger-indirect moxibustion as a standalone cure or as superior to other conventional treatments for CFS. The mechanism by which moxibustion might relieve fatigue remains unexplained, and the study does not clarify whether improvements reflect specific treatment effects or placebo response, particularly given the lack of truly inert control conditions. Additionally, results may not generalize to populations outside the study setting or to patients with different CFS presentations.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Tingting, M A, Jie, W U, Lijie, Yang, Fen, Feng, Huilin, Yang, Jinhua, Zhang, et al. (2022). Ginger-indirect moxibustion plus acupuncture versus acupuncture alone for chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.. Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan. https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20211214.003
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-tingting-2022-ginger-indirect,
author = {Tingting, M A and Jie, W U and Lijie, Yang and Fen, Feng and Huilin, Yang and Jinhua, Zhang and Yanjin, Zhong and Qing, Ning and Lirong, Huang and Youbing, Lin and Jue, Yan and Guiquan, Chen and Tianshu, Hou and Li, Wang and Yuanfang, Ren and Jing, Tan},
title = {Ginger-indirect moxibustion plus acupuncture versus acupuncture alone for chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.},
journal = {Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20211214.003},
note = {PubMed: 35473345},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/tingting-2022-ginger-indirect},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-25. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/tingting-2022-ginger-indirect
Contribute
Private, reviewed by a human. Not a public comment thread.