When it comes to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture is the star of the show, the modality that most people recognize. Moxibustion is a therapy often used in conjunction with acupuncture, the burning of dried mugwort that’s used around the world, often as an herb.
Dr. Ziyang Zhou, L.Ac. of Pine Mountain Chinese Acupuncture & Herb Clinic in Austin, Texas, regularly uses moxibustion as a complementary therapy with acupuncture, particularly when treating fatigue. This month, we’ve prepared this complete guide to moxibustion to help you understand more about the treatment.
A member of the daisy family, mugwort has been known and used for centuries for both its flavor and its medicinal properties. Before hops were used to give beer its taste, other species of mugwort were flavoring agents.
Mugwort species are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, though they’ve been naturalized around the world. Hardy and prolific perennial plants, they spread through their root systems and can take over large areas.
A bitter herb, mugwort can flavor meat and soups as well as its historic role in beer brewing. It’s related to other plants in the artemisia genus, including sagebrush and wormwood.
Widely used throughout the world as a medicinal herb, mugwort is an important component in TCM. Some of the properties attributed to mugwort in TCM include:
Mugwort is also used as an immune system booster. Delivered through moxibustion, mugwort can correct a baby’s position to prevent breech births when used toward the end of the second trimester or start of the third.
Dried and ground mugwort forms into cigar-shaped sticks or cones called moxa for use in moxibustion. When lit, moxa is placed near or on the skin at strategic acupuncture points, chosen for the therapeutic value necessary for your treatment.
Moxibustion can be done both directly or indirectly. Indirect moxibustion, where no burning material is placed directly on the body, is more common in the United States.
Indirect moxibustion takes several forms, including:
The heat from moxibustion can warm you, but doesn’t burn. Even in the case of direct moxibustion, the moxa material gets removed from your body before it can harm you.
The combination of moxibustion and acupuncture boosts the effectiveness of each of these therapies on their own. Ask Dr. Zhou if moxibustion is a valuable addition to your treatment plan.
Contact the team at Pine Mountain Chinese Acupuncture & Herb Clinic to learn more about moxa and moxibustion. Contact our office by phone or clicking online to book your visit today.
