Like all traditional Chinese treatments, the goal of moxibustion (moxa) is to bring the body into balance and ensure a consistent flow of qi. In this case, balance is achieved by the burning of moxa, or dried mugwort (artemesia vulgaris in Latin), close to or directly on the skin.

When used by a skilled practitioner of Chinese medicine, moxibustion can help stimulate sluggish, deficient or stagnated qi with the introduction of therapeutic heat. In so doing, it amplifies the healing effects of acupuncture and alleviates chronic stagnation.

I often use moxa in one of two different ways. The first, I hold the smoking end of a moxa stick very close to the skin, until the acupoint adequately warms. This signifies that blood and other vital fluids have been directed along the correct meridians, and can begin to heal the patient’s ailments. The second way is indirect moxibustion which is done with a tiger warmer, or using something as a buffer between the stick and the skin, such as salt, aconite, or slices of ginger or garlic. This warms the body deeply.

Another indirect method is to wrap smaller balls of moxa around acupuncture needles and light them until smoking. The heat is driven down the needle shaft and into the acupuncture point, enhancing the effects of the needling. Usually, a ball of moxa wool will be placed on just one or two of the needles in each session. Many patients report a warm, soothing sensation during and even after a session of acu-moxibustion.

Conditions Treated With Moxa

Because fire (yang) is its central element, moxibustion is most often used to dispel cold stagnation (yin) and the conditions that arise as a result. Common problems from a Western medicine lens that may be loosely associated with cold stagnation include:

Hypothyroidism | Low Blood Sugar | Difficult Digestion | Oversensativity to Cold | Fluid Retention | Lowered Immunity | Joint Pain | Arthritis | Depression | Turning Breech Babies