Moxibustion or Moxa is a modality of heat therapy that involves burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing. This method has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years and the purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to increase circulation, stimulate the flow of qi, and maintain general health.
There are two types of moxibustion: direct and indirect. Direct moxibustion is generally performed with a small, cone-shaped amount of moxa, it is placed on top of an acupuncture point and burned. Indirect moxibustion is currently the more popular form of care because there is a much lower risk of pain or burning. In indirect moxibustion, the practitioner holds it close to the area being treated for several minutes until the area turns red. Another form of indirect moxibustion uses both acupuncture needles and moxa. A needle is inserted into an acupuncture point and retained. The tip of the needle is then wrapped in moxa and ignited, generating heat to the point and the surrounding area. After the desired effect is achieved, the moxa is extinguished and the needle(s) removed.
In traditional Chinese medicine, moxibustion is used on people who have a cold or a stagnant condition. The burning of moxa is expels cold and warm meridians, which leads to smoother flow of blood and qi. In Western medicine, moxibustion has successfully been used to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position prior to childbirth. A landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found that up to 75% of women suffering from breech presentations before childbirth had fetuses that rotated to the normal position after receiving moxibustion at an acupuncture point. Moxibustion is also very effective helping arthritis, muscle strains/sprains, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, and other musculoskeletal problems.
Comments are closed.