Moxibustion Therapy For A Wide Variety Of Disorders
A type of TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine in Palm Harbor mode of treatment that aids in dispersing damp and cold from the body, moxibustion therapy is used to address a variety of health issues, including poor digestion, flu and colds, and pain and aches.
What is Moxibustion?
Moxibustion involves the igniting of a ubiquitous weed known as Mugwort. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners turn the mugwort to moxa which is shaped into smokeless compressed cones and sticks, raw grain-sized pieces or cigar-like moxa sticks. Mugwort, in TCM, is considered to have bitter, acrid, and warm properties and is used in a lot of herbal prescriptions. When it’s burned, mugwort has a warming quality useful for treating damp and cold conditions within the body. It also helps warm the meridians or energy channels inside the body. The acrid and bitter attributes of Mugwort can help rectify the blood and chi, expel phlegm and eliminate stagnation. Moxibustion is widely used as a complement to acupuncture, since it is used to promote circulation of blood and chi at acupoints on the body that are chosen for their particular function. The two most common moxibustion techniques used by practitioners are indirect moxibustion and direct moxibustion.
How is Moxibustion Therapy Done?
Practitioners sometimes burn raw moxa directly on acupoints in order to set off the function of the acupoint. The moxa (in the form of a moxa roll) may be burnt over the acupoint in order to indirectly warm the energy channel and acupoint. In order to heat a body part such as the back or stomach, moxa may also be placed in a moxa box. Along the energy channel or meridian, the moxa may also be rubbed in a tiger or lion warmer or attached to the top tip of an acupuncture needle that has been inserted into the skin to enhance the stimulation of an acupoint.
Direct moxibustion may be utilized to energize certain acupoints; scarring moxibustion works by burning an acupoint so that it may be constantly stimulated in order to facilitate and augment the healing process. When a larger region such as a muscle group or meridian is to be treated, indirect moxibustion may be used. This type of moxibustion is also favored in the treatment of children. Burning moxa on salt or ginger or other special techniques can also be used. You don’t need to be worried about the burning issue of the therapy because when performed by a skilled and qualified Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, moxibustion is very safe. Due to the risk of dizziness or swelling, some acupoints on the body may not be appropriate for moxibustion; nonetheless, the practitioner will first analyze any risk factors before going through with the therapy.
What Conditions that can be treated with Moxibustion?
Moxibustion is used for disorders such as:
- sports injuries
- sexual dysfunction
- poor memory or concentration
- painful periods
- pain that worsens with cold
- frozen shoulders
- food stagnation or diarrhea and other digestive disorders
- flu and colds