Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing. Moxibustion has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years; in fact, the actual Chinese character for acupuncture, translated literally, means "acupuncture-moxibustion."
The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of qi, stimulate the immune system and maintain general health.
Clinical research has shown that Moxa increases the production of white blood cells. White blood cell count begins to increase immediately after direct Moxibustion treatment. Moxa also increases the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin. Moxa improves overall blood and lymph circulation and the capacity to produce antibodies. Due to rather intense heat of burning Moxa over acu-points, impulses from nerve endings of the skin cause the dilation of capillaries (small vessels) to increase the blood and lymph circulations in the entire body.
In indirect moxibustion, a practitioner lights one end of a moxa stick, roughly the shape and size of a cigar, and holds it close to the area being treated for several minutes. Another form of indirect moxibustion uses both acupuncture needles and moxa. A needle is inserted into an acupoint and retained. The tip of the needle is then wrapped in moxa and ignited, generating heat to the point and the surrounding area. After the desired effect is achieved, the moxa is extinguished and the needle(s) removed.
It is not uncommon for patients receiving moxibustion to report a sudden flooding of warmth that quickly radiates along a specific pathway 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 freed in the channel.
The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of qi, stimulate the immune system and maintain general health.
Clinical research has shown that Moxa increases the production of white blood cells. White blood cell count begins to increase immediately after direct Moxibustion treatment. Moxa also increases the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin. Moxa improves overall blood and lymph circulation and the capacity to produce antibodies. Due to rather intense heat of burning Moxa over acu-points, impulses from nerve endings of the skin cause the dilation of capillaries (small vessels) to increase the blood and lymph circulations in the entire body.
In indirect moxibustion, a practitioner lights one end of a moxa stick, roughly the shape and size of a cigar, and holds it close to the area being treated for several minutes. Another form of indirect moxibustion uses both acupuncture needles and moxa. A needle is inserted into an acupoint and retained. The tip of the needle is then wrapped in moxa and ignited, generating heat to the point and the surrounding area. After the desired effect is achieved, the moxa is extinguished and the needle(s) removed.
It is not uncommon for patients receiving moxibustion to report a sudden flooding of warmth that quickly radiates along a specific pathway 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 freed in the channel.
