Moxibustion

Moxibustion, also known as moxa, is ground mugwort leaves that are compressed into a cone or stick. Moxa is set on fire in order to warm a meridian or specific acupuncture point. There are two types of moxibustion: direct and indirect. Direct moxa involves a small amount of moxa being placed on a protective barrier top of an acupuncture point and burned. In indirect moxa, an acupuncture lights one end of a moxa stick and holds it close to an area of the body for a few minutes. Another form of indirect moxa involves a cone of moxa being placed on the tip of an acupuncture needle and ignited. This heats the point and the surrounding area.

The heat from moxa stimulates acupuncture points and improves the flow of qi in the body. The warm and nourishing qualities of moxa benefits yang, tonifies qi, nourishes blood, and relieves deficiencies. Moxibustion directly corrects the imbalances of the body and activates the meridians to initiate the body’s ability to self-heal. In Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine it is used to treat menstrual issues, pain, excessive bleeding, and to improve blood circulation.

Moxibustion stimulates a physical and chemical response in the body that signals the central nervous system. Stimulating the central nervous system can draw white blood cells to the area of the body to increase healing of an area. It also adjusts the responses of the nervous system, endocrine system, immune system and circulatory system. Recent research has shown that moxibustion is excellent for chronic kidney disease by reducing serum creatinine, which is responsible for poor kidney function in high doses. Moxibustion has successfully been used to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position before childbirth. It has also been shown to be effective for menopausal symptoms, inflammatory bowel diseases, and psychological disorders.