Moxibustion

Moxibustion uses ‘moxa’, a soft woolly substance prepared from mugwort leaves (Artemisia vulgaris, or 艾叶 ‘Ai Ye‘). It is a specialist technique demanding skilled clinical judgement and is contraindicated in certain cases. 

The moxa is placed either directly on the skin (‘direct moxibustion’) or a moxa stick is held just above it, over specific acupuncture points or areas.

As the herb is lit and as it smoulders slowly the therapeutic heat permeates the skin and affects the flow of Qi (‘energy’) and blood in the area being treated.

Direct moxibustion is more commonly used for specific areas needing treatment. The practitioner shapes the moxa into a tiny cone and places it directly on to the body before lighting. The lit moxa cone is removed as soon as the patient feels any sensation of heat.

Moxibustion is typically used as an adjunct therapy to acupuncture (or herbal medicine) treatment. Patients may be given a course of moxibustion to take home with them.

A well known and highly specific application of moxibustion is the use of moxa to turn a breech baby.

Other common uses are period pains, frozen shoulder, or other painful joint problems.

Moxibustion often forms a part of treating female infertility, or sexual dysfunction.