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What is moxibustion?
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What exactly does the practitioner do?
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What can I expect to feel?
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When is moxibustion used?
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What does it smell like?
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Is it safe?
What is moxibustion?
Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy, it involves burning moxa, a cone or stick made of ground mugwort leaves, on or near your body’s meridians and acupuncture points. The intention is to send heat into the body and dredge blocked channels, which could help with a variety of health issues, from chronic pain to digestive troubles.
Moxa is usually made of Chinese mugwort.
What exactly does the practitioner do?
In U.S. practitioners generally hold a burning moxa stick close to, but not touching, the surface of the skin.
In this method, the moxa material is compressed into a stick or pole, looking similar to an oversize cigar that can be lit and allowed to smolder, producing a unique form of penetrating heat.
The smoldering moxa stick is held over specific areas, corresponding to certain acupuncture points. The glowing end of the moxa stick is held about an inch or two above the surface of the skin until the area reddens and becomes suffused with warmth.
What can I expect to feel?
It is not uncommon for patients receiving moxibustion to report a sudden flooding of warmth that quickly radiates along a specific pathway (usually corresponding with the meridian channel that is being treated) away from the site of application. This is a good result, as it indicates the arrival of the Qi and signals that the flow of Qi and Blood has been moving unimpededly in the channel.
The smoldering moxa stick is held over specific areas, corresponding to certain acupuncture points. The glowing end of the moxa stick is held about an inch or two above the surface of the skin until the area reddens and becomes suffused with warmth.
When is moxibustion used?
Moxibustion is used for:
- Pain, including
– pain from arthritis
– joint or muscle pain, &
– chronic pain - Digestive problems
- Gynecological diseases, including
– menstrual cramps and
– obstetrical conditions - Protection against cold and flu strains
- Gastrointestinal issues, such as
– diarrhea
– colitis
– irritable bowel syndrome &
– constipation - Urinary incontinence
- Asthma symptoms
- Eczema
- Fatigue
- Cold and flu prevention
- Stroke rehabilitation
- High blood pressure
- And many more…
For a detailed list of therapeutic effects of moxibustion, please visit Here.
What does it smell like?
There is a small inconvenience associated with moxibustion: the smoke and odor. Although there are so-called smokeless varieties of moxa, the preferred true moxa (made from mugwort) does produce a lot of smoke when burned.
However, the lingering odor produced from burning mugwort unfortunately smells somewhat like marijuana.
Is it safe?
Potential adverse effects of moxibustion includes the following:
- Allergic reaction to moxa
- Sore throat or coughing from moxa smoke
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fetal distress and premature birth
- Dark patches of skin
For an exhaustive list of adverse effects of moxibustion, please visit Here.