Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese therapy using burning moxa to stimulate acupoints, balance yin-yang, and qi-blood, and prevent and treat diseases. It offers benefits like improved circulation, enhanced immunity, reduced fatigue, and better sleep. Targeting areas like feet, waist, abdomen, neck, and wrist yields varied effects. While beneficial, proper use of high-quality moxa correct technique, and timing are crucial to avoid side effects like burns, allergies, or collapse.
What is moxibustion?
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy that uses the heat and medicinal vapors from burning moxa, a dried herb also known as mugwort or wormwood, to stimulate acupoints and specific areas of the body, to balance the yin and yang, and the qi and blood, of the body.
How does moxibustion work?
Moxibustion works by using the heat from burning moxa sticks or cones to stimulate acupoints or specific areas, regulating physiological functions, and achieving the purpose of preventing and treating diseases.
What are the benefits and effects of moxibustion?
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy that has many benefits and effects.
Improve blood circulation
Moxibustion can dilate capillaries, increase blood flow, and thus promote blood circulation in the body, achieving the effect of relieving pain and swelling.
Boost immunity
Moxibustion can stimulate the meridians, the qi and blood, and enhance the body’s immunity and resistance.
Relieve fatigue
Moxibustion can relieve the fatigue of the body, and ease muscle soreness, stiffness, and other discomforts.
Regulate endocrine
Moxibustion can regulate the endocrine system by stimulating acupoints, promoting metabolism, and improving the metabolic function of the body.
Enhance sleep quality
Moxibustion can promote blood circulation in the body, relieve the fatigue of the body, and thus improve sleep quality, achieving the effect of health preservation.
It should be noted that when performing moxibustion, high-quality moxa should be chosen, and low-quality moxa should be avoided to prevent harm to the body. Also, the time and frequency of moxibustion should be adjusted according to the individual’s physical condition.
Moxibustion locations and effects
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy that uses the heat from burning moxa to stimulate acupoints of the body, achieving the effect of regulating the body.
Moxibustion on the feet
It can improve blood circulation, relieve fatigue, enhance physical fitness, and improve sleep quality.
Moxibustion on the waist
It can relieve back pain, improve kidney function, and regulate endocrine.
Moxibustion on the abdomen
It can improve digestion, relieve abdominal bloating, and regulate menstruation.
Moxibustion on the neck
It can relieve neck pain, improve headaches, and regulate the nervous system.
Moxibustion on the wrist
It can relieve wrist pain, improve arthritis, and regulate the heart. When using moxibustion, fire safety should be paid attention to, and burns and other accidents should be avoided. Also, for pregnant women, people with high blood pressure, heart disease, and other diseases, moxibustion should be done under the guidance of a doctor.
Side effects and harms of moxibustion
Moxibustion is a common treatment method in traditional Chinese medicine, but due to improper operation or other reasons, it may cause some side effects and harm to the body. They are as follows:
Local burns: Since moxibustion requires the use of fire, improper operation may cause local burns. Especially for patients who are slow to react or have local insensitivity, it is more likely to cause local burns. Severe burns may also cause local infections.
Allergic reactions: The moxa leaves used in moxibustion contain volatile oils, and moxibustion produces moxa smoke, which has a certain irritant effect on the body. Therefore, some patients may have allergic reactions to moxa smoke. These allergic reactions may manifest as skin rashes, or even severe complications, such as asthma attacks or laryngeal edema.
Collapse: During moxibustion, patients may experience profuse sweating, which may lead to collapse. Collapse is the result of excessive fluid loss in the body, and fluid replacement therapy should be done in time.
The bottom line
Finally, although moxibustion is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, it is necessary to pay attention to the correct operation, and appropriate time, and avoid unnecessary side effects and harm.
