《千金》云∶欲行针灸，必先知本人行年宜忌，尻神及人神所在，不与禁忌相干则可。
忌除，女忌破，男忌戊，女忌己，又所谓血支血忌之类。凡医者，不能知此避忌，若逢病患
厄会，男女气怯，下手至困，达人智士岂拘于此？若夫急难之际，卒暴之疾，命在须臾，宜
速治之，况泥于禁忌，已沦于鬼神，岂不误哉！但一日止忌一时，如子午八法，不拘禁忌。
若忌未形之病，虽择良日，服药针灸当也。亦宜架天时日，正午以后乃可灸，谓阴气未至，
灸无不着。午前及早，恐人气虚，有眩晕之咎，急卒亦不可拘。若值大风大雨雷电，宜暂停
之，且待晴明灸之可也。
凡艾灸，须要疮发，所患即愈，不得疮发，其疾不愈。《甲乙经》云∶灸疮若不发，用
底炙令热，熨之，三日而发。今有用赤皮葱三五茎，去叶，于微火中煨热，熨疮十余遍，其
疮三日自发。亦有用麻油搽之而发者。亦有用牙皂角煎汤候冷，频频点之而发者。恐气血
衰，有宜服四物汤滋养者，不可一概而论。灸后务令疮发，乃去病也。凡贴疮，古人春用柳
絮，夏用竹膜，秋用竹膜，冬用兔腹上细毛，猫腹毛亦佳。今人每用膏药贴之，日一二易，
则疮易愈。未若一日两贴一易，使疮脓出多而痰除也。若欲用膏，必须用真麻油入治病之药
，或祛风散气，滋血疗损之药，随症入之为妙。
《千金方》说：如果要进行针灸治疗，必须先了解患者当年的流年宜忌，以及尻神和人神所在的位置，只要不与这些禁忌相冲突就可以。
需要避开“除”日，女性要避开“破”日，男性要避开“戊”日，女性还要避开“己”日，这也就是所谓的血支、血忌等禁忌。凡是医生，如果不懂得这些避忌，若遇到病患处于气运困厄之时，且男女患者体质虚弱，施针时会感到十分困难；但通达明智之士难道会被这些拘泥于禁忌吗？如果是急难危急之际，突发暴病，生命垂危在顷刻之间，应当迅速治疗，何况如果拘泥于禁忌，就已经陷入迷信鬼神的误区，这难道不是错误吗！只是一天中只有一时辰是禁忌的，像子午流注八法那样，就不受禁忌限制。
如果是预防疾病尚未显现时，即使选择了良辰吉日，服药和针灸也是适宜的。也应当选择合适的时间，正午以后才可以艾灸，因为此时阴气尚未到来，艾灸没有不生效的。午前或太早，恐怕人气虚弱，会导致眩晕的后果，但在紧急情况下也不可不拘泥于此。如果遇到大风、大雨、雷电天气，应当暂时停止，等到晴朗明亮时再进行艾灸即可。
凡是艾灸，必须让灸疮发出，所患的疾病才能痊愈；如果不让灸疮发出，疾病就不会痊愈。《甲乙经》说：灸疮如果不发，用底部烧热的物体熨烫使其发热，三天后就会发出。现在有人用三到五根赤皮葱，去掉叶子，在微火中煨热，熨烫灸疮十余遍，灸疮三天后自然发出。也有人用麻油涂抹而使其发出的。还有人用牙皂角煎汤冷却后，频繁点涂而使其发出的。恐怕是因为气血衰弱，有适宜服用四物汤来滋养的情况，不能一概而论。灸后务必让灸疮发出，这样才能去除疾病。
凡是贴敷疮口，古人春天用柳絮，夏天用竹膜，秋天用竹膜，冬天用兔子腹部的细毛，猫腹部的毛也很好。现在的人常用膏药贴敷，每天更换一到两次，那么疮口容易愈合。不如一天贴两次并更换一次，使疮口脓液排出多从而痰浊得以清除。如果想要使用膏药，必须用真正的麻油加入治病的药物，或者是祛风散气、滋血疗损的药物，根据症状加入其中最为巧妙。
The *Qianjin Fang* (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) states: If one intends to perform acupuncture and moxibustion, one must first know the auspicious and inauspicious days of the patient's current year, as well as the locations of the Kishen (Buttock God) and Renshen (Human God); as long as these do not conflict with taboos, it is permissible.
One must avoid the "Chu" (Removal) day; women should avoid the "Po" (Break) day, men should avoid the "Wu" day, and women should also avoid the "Ji" day. These are what is referred to as Xuezhi (Blood Branch) and Xuemi (Blood Taboo), among others. Any physician who does not understand these precautions will find treatment extremely difficult if they encounter a patient during an unfavorable astrological period, especially if the male or female patient has deficient Qi. However, would not wise and enlightened scholars disregard such rigid adherence to taboos? In cases of emergency or sudden acute illness where life hangs in the balance, immediate treatment is appropriate. To be stuck on taboos at such times is to fall into superstition, which is surely a mistake! Generally, only one two-hour period per day is taboo; methods like the Ziwu Liuzhu Eight Methods (Acupuncture Timing Method based on Zi-Wu Meridian Flow) are not bound by such taboos.
If treating a disease before symptoms manifest, even if auspicious days are chosen, taking herbal medicine and performing acupuncture/moxibustion is still appropriate. One should also select suitable timing; moxibustion should preferably be performed after noon, because Yin Qi has not yet arrived, ensuring the moxibustion takes effect. Performing it too early in the morning may cause dizziness due to deficiency of human Qi, though in emergencies, one should not be strictly bound by this. If encountering strong winds, heavy rain, or thunderstorms, one should pause and wait for clear weather to perform moxibustion.
For all moxibustion, it is necessary for the moxa sore (burn blister/ulceration) to develop; only then will the disease be cured. If the sore does not develop, the disease will not resolve. The *Jia Yi Jing* (Classic of Moxibustion and Acupoints) states: If the moxa sore does not develop, apply heat using a warm object to fumigate it, and it will develop within three days. Currently, some people use three to five stalks of red-skin scallions, remove the leaves, warm them over a mild fire, and apply them to the sore for more than ten repetitions, causing the sore to develop naturally within three days. Others use sesame oil applied topically to induce development. Still others use decoctions of toothed soap bean (Gleditsia sinensis) cooled down, applied frequently to the site to induce development. This may be due to deficient Qi and Blood, in which cases it may be appropriate to take Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) to nourish the body; thus, one cannot generalize. After moxibustion, it is essential to ensure the sore develops to eliminate the disease.
Regarding dressing the sores, ancients used willow catkins in spring, bamboo membrane in summer and autumn, and fine hair from rabbit bellies in winter; cat belly hair is also excellent. Modern people often use plasters, changing them once or twice daily, which facilitates healing. It is better to change the plaster twice daily, allowing more pus to drain and thereby removing phlegm turbidity. If one wishes to use plasters, one must use genuine sesame oil mixed with medicinal herbs for treating the condition, such as herbs that dispel wind and dissipate Qi stagnation, or nourish blood and heal injuries, added according to the specific syndrome for optimal results.