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Moxibustion

9/2/2010

8 Comments

 
This post comes to you on the suggestion from this post earlier this week.

I don't believe I've talked about Moxibustion in this blog, which is a bit of an oversight.  See, I'm allergic to the smoke associated with the burning of moxa (mugwort) and so didn't even think about writing about it!

Thanks, Carolyn, for bringing it up as a topic!

As I mentioned in passing above, Moxibustion is the burning of the herb Moxa.  Moxa is the western herb mugwort.  The fluffy herb can be burned several different ways:
  • Loose Moxa can be pressed into a little ball shape and placed on the handle of the needle and burned.
  • Loose Moxa can be pressed into a little cone shape and placed on a patch of ointment directly on the skin.  The cone is then allowed to burn until the patient begins to feel heat and then quickly removed.  In China they will allow the moxa cone to burn to the point of blistering, creating a scar.  This is called scarring moxa, and for, hopefully, obvious reasons isn't practiced in the US.
  • Moxa can be purchased in a cigar-shaped stick which is then burned and held over the skin.  There are two forms of moxa sticks: green moxa, where the herb is pressed together and rolled into the cigar; and a moxa stick where the moxa has been made into a charcoal cigar.
  • Loose Moxa can be burned inside a special box (a moxabox) with holes in the sides to allow smoke to exit, which is then held over the skin.

So what is the purpose of burning moxa?  Moxa is an extremely warming and moving herb so it can be used for many reasons:
  • Body Aches - Pain is caused, in Chinese medical theory, by a lack of proper movement of energy.  Moxa, when burned over the area will get that energy moving and decrease the pain.
  • Skin Rashes - Some skin rashes are also caused by Qi not moving properly, so moxibustion may be indicated.
  • Turning a breech baby - When burned on certain points, moxa can be very successful in turning breech babies.  Many nurses and midwives even know of this technique and will recommend that their patients find an acupuncturist to get that baby in the proper position!
  • Cold conditions - Okay, so this reason for using moxa doesn't have a singular biomedical equivalent, so we'll discuss it a little bit.  In Chinese medical theory, the quality of something being cold will cause its energy to move more slowly.  If that cold is inside our bodies, it will cause our Qi to move more slowly, often causing pain.  Cold can be one of the contributing factors to pain.  There are many conditions where cold can be a factor, such as menstrual cramps, digestive troubles, infertility, diarrhea and more.  Moxa, because it is both warming and moving, is perfect for counteracting the effects of cold in the body.
So, while I don't use Moxibustion in my practice because I'm allergic to the smoke, I have sent moxa sticks home with patients who could really use a little warming over their abdomens.  Sometimes there's nothing better than a hot stick of moxa in the morning!
8 Comments
Simon link
9/2/2010 07:46:47 am

Oh good grief. This is pseudo science gobbledegook. Can't belief people are taken in by this rubbish! It actually angers me.

Reply
Becca Seitz, LAc
9/2/2010 01:22:48 pm

Simon - Here are just a few studies showing the efficacy of moxibustion on various conditions:

Pain (in rats) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20731023

IBS - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19696601

Insomnia - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19663092

Peri- and Menopausal symptoms - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19293729

Chronic Atrophic Gastritis - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17710798

Ulcerative Colitis - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16938719

Breech presentation - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15280133 and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9820259

Crohn's Disease - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15114043

Reply
Tcm007 link
9/15/2010 04:04:09 am

Becca thank you for this informative
post and all of the relevant research
you cited regarding the benefits of moxabustion. I hope Simon checks it
out.

I also don't use a lot of moxa in my practice. Too much in the office can bother both my patients and myself. However I do recommend it to for some conditions, especially fertility. I will show the patient how to use the stick and have them do it at home.

Reply
Mercedes2008
12/15/2010 05:44:24 am

Hello:

Our office is below an acupuncture offce where they utilize moxa. The smell is so strong that if people have gotten headaches and chest pain. I personally feel tightness in my chest and restricted breathing similar to my allergic reaction to sulpha and when I was young and played on a really smoggy day. You mentioned you are allergic to moxa smoke, can you provide more information or a link to where I can find info on moxa.

Thank you!!

Reply
Becca Seitz, LAc
12/15/2010 05:53:44 am

Mercedes2008:

I feel chest tightness and a difficulty in breathing as well.

Here are some links on moxibustion :

http://acupuncturetoday.com/abc/moxibustion.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moxibustion

I couldn't find much about allergies to moxa, other than people experience them.

Some people find that air purifiers help clear the air enough so that they aren't affected by moxa smoke. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sensitive, and they don't work well enough. :(

Reply
Acupuncture Integrative Natural Care link
10/3/2012 03:21:47 pm

I am pleased to read your post. Good job. All the best.

Reply
Tess Bois
10/4/2022 01:55:51 pm

I just found this. I’m glad to not be the only acupuncturist allergic to moxi smoke. It feels like being a nurse allergic to latex but at least there are non latex gloves. Do you use the liquid moxi?

Reply
Becca Seitz, LAc
10/4/2022 05:05:40 pm

Great question! I don't use liquid moxa, though I absolutely considered it once upon a time! I've heard combining it with an infrared lamp works super well. There's no reason that I haven't moved forward with trying it other than I just haven't broken out of the habit of NOT using moxa. Give it a try and let us know how it goes! --Becca

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