ABOUT MOXIBUSTION

Moxibustion, also known as moxa, is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, or Ai Ye (Chinese pinyin name pronounced ‘eye-yay’), to facilitate healing. This spongy herb can be rolled up and placed on top of a needle (called needle top moxa, a type of indirect moxibustion), or it can be placed directly on the skin (direct moxibustion). There is also another form of indirect moxibustion where a moxa stick is used. The purpose of using moxibustion is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of qi, and maintain general health. 

What does a moxa treatment look like and will it hurt?

When I use direct moxibustion, you will experience a pleasant heating sensation that penetrates deep into the skin. You will tell me when you start to feel the heat, and I will remove the moxa before it burns the skin. You should not experience any pain, blistering, or scarring. There will, however, be extreme warmth felt, and some redness of the skin right after. 

With indirect moxibustion I will either use the spongy herb and place it on top of a needle (inserted into an acupoint as usual), or I will light one end of a moxa stick and hold it close to the area being treated for several minutes until the skin turns red in that area. In this case, you will also feel the warmth, but there should be no pain. 

How does it work?

In Chinese medicine moxibustion is used in conditions where there is cold or stagnation. The burning of moxa is said to warm the meridians/channels, therefore creating smooth flow of blood and qi. From a more scientific Western perspective, moxa can increase red and white blood cells, improve overall blood and lymph circulation and enhance the capacity to produce antibodies. The heat causes dilation of capillaries (small blood vessels) to increase the blood and lymph circulations in the whole body. This is why often patients feel warm, relaxed, and sleepy from the effects of moxa.

What does it treat?

Common problems from a Western medicine lens that may be associated with cold stagnation and therefore benefit from the use of moxibustion include: hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), sluggish digestion, oversensitivity to cold, chronic cold hands and feet, fluid retention, lowered immunity, joint pain and arthritis, depression and low mood. 

In Western medicine, moxa has also successfully been used to turn breech babies into a normal head down position during 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 acupuncture and moxibustion at a point on the Bladder channel. Other studies have shown that moxibustion increases the movement of the fetus in pregnant women, and may reduce menstrual cramps when used with acupuncture. This is because it is an emmenagogue, meaning it can trigger an increase of blood flow to the pelvic area, especially the uterus. For this reason it is also used to treat uterine cramps and light or absent menstruation. 

Are there any risks?

Moxibustion has been safely used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. However, there are some people who should avoid using it. Because it is a warm herb, burned and used to treat cold conditions, it should not be used on anyone who has too much heat. This is something we will determine during your first consult. Also, burning moxa produces a great deal of smoke and odor. For this reason, those with respiratory disorders or anyone who is sensitive to smoke may request that it not be used, or that a smokeless alternative be used instead. If you have any adverse reactions to moxibustion during or after treatment, please let me know and we will refrain from its use in the future.