Moxibustion, or moxa as it’s commonly know is a herbal therapy used in Chinese medicine, often alongside acupuncture, where the herb Mugwort (or moxa) is burned to warm acupuncture points.
There are several types of moxa, and two main uses known as direct and indirect Moxa. Although Moxa smells similar to marijuana when it’s burning, there is no similarity in its effects or properties of the herbs! Lots of people have made comment over the years entering our clinic and shopfront that “oh someone is toking up back there” as I’m sure many other Chinese medicine practitioners would have been confronted with these comments too.
The most common types of moxa used are the needle-head moxa, Japanese moxa cones (stick-on moxa) and Moxa sticks.
When Moxa is in it’s natural state, it looks like a pile of green herbal fluff – known as “moxa punk”. The punk can be condensed into sticks, cones or the rougher grades of moxa punk are used in baths or externally applied.
Moxa sticks are most commonly used by practitioners – holding them over points, or the sticks can be put into a moxa box and applied to the acupuncture points. Parts of the sticks can be used on the needles, known as needle-head moxa.
Moxa’s main application in Chinese medicine is for when cold has invaded into the body. A common example is cold-obstruction type pains. In a TCM / Chinese medicine sense, we say it “warms the channels” – warms the local area, basically warming the muscle.
In my clinic, moxa Is sometimes used in the treatment when cold or lack of yang is part of the Chinese medicine diagnosis. Warming an area promotes blood flow, which stimulates the bodie’s own natural healing process.
Moxa works by the application of heat to acupuncture points. Actually it causes a very minor burn on the skin (First degree burn, which is simply redness), which stimulates the bodies inflammatory response. This inflammatory response is a complex process where blood vessels change to allow cells to exit into the inflamed area, and increased blood supply in general.
Next time you visit your acupuncturist, ask if moxibustion is appropriate for your case. There are many instances where Moxa / Moxibustion may be used so please call our clinic on 9328 9233 to speak with Acupuncturist Marie Hopkinson about your own individual case. Due to AHPRA regulations we are not able to list any conditions that moxa may or may not be able to treat since legal changes to registration guidelines in 2017. We encourage you to call the clinic about your individual situation.
Yes we sell moxibustion sticks in our clinic, to patients who have been shown correctly how to use them.