Moxibustion Benefits: Top Health Advantages & How It Works

 “A wisp of moxa smoke rises and penetrates the meridians.”

 Moxibustion, an ancient therapy that utilizes the heat of the mugwort to work on the body’s acupoints, is attracting global attention with its unique charm. In this article, we will clearly analyze the core benefits, mechanism and practical methods of moxibustion to help you easily understand its health value.

 What is moxibustion?

 the core definition

moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine, through the burning of special moxa (dry moxa), in the human body specific acupuncture points or parts of the top or surface to produce warm stimulation.

 the key to heat source

moxa is the core material, the heat generated when it burns mild, penetrating, and is considered to have unique therapeutic properties.

 the role of the target

mainly on the meridians (Meridians) and acupuncture points (Acupoints) system, which is the theory of traditional Chinese medicine in the body’s energy (qi and blood) run through the channels and key nodes.

the fundamental purpose

aimed at warming the meridians, dispel cold, replenish Yang Qi (Vital Energy, Yang Qi), and harmonize qi and blood, so as to restore the balance of the body, prevention and treatment of disease.

The core health benefits of moxibustion

Powerfully dispels cold and relieves pain:

 ●Principle: The heat of moxibustion penetrates deeply into the skin, effectively dispersing the cold-dampness that invades the body and is often the main cause of joint and muscle pain (e.g., arthritis, frozen shoulder, cold legs, menstrual cramps).

 ●Effect: Significantly relieves all kinds of cold and deficiency cold pain, especially for pain aggravated by cold.

Enhances Yang Qi and overall vitality:

 ●Principle: Moxibustion warms Spleen and Kidney Yang Qi . Chinese medicine believes that yang qi is the fundamental driving force behind the body’s vital activities, like the sun of the body.

 ●Effects: Improves symptoms of Yang Qi deficiency such as fear of cold, cold hands and feet, fatigue, lack of energy, indigestion, easy to catch a cold, and improves overall energy level and resistance.

Promotes qi and blood circulation and metabolism:

 ●Principle: “Warmth moves, cold condenses”. The heat effect of moxibustion accelerates qi and blood circulation (Promote Qi and Blood Circulation).

 ●Effect: Improves local and systemic blood circulation, helps transport nutrients and expel waste, relieves numbness and swelling caused by poor circulation, and promotes tissue repair and metabolism.

harmonize the spleen and stomach, improve digestion:

 ●Principle: Moxibustion of specific points (such as the epigastric region, Shenque, foot Sanli) can warm the Spleen and Stomach (Warm the Spleen and Stomach), to enhance its function of transportation and digestion.

 ●Effect: Relieve stomach pain, bloating, loss of appetite, diarrhea (especially cold or eat cold and aggravated) and other symptoms of spleen and stomach cold.

 Enhance immunity and preventive health care:

 ●Principle: Strengthen the Body’s Defensive Qi / Immunity by warming Yang Qi and dredging meridians.

 ●Effect: Long-term regular application of moxibustion (such as health care moxibustion foot Sanli, Guanyuan points) helps to enhance the body’s ability to resist external evils (such as viruses, bacteria), reduce the frequency of illness, and play a role in the “treatment of the disease before it occurs” (prevention of disease).

How does moxibustion work?

 1. Warm physical stimulation:

The heat generated by moxibustion acts directly on the skin and deep tissues, causing local vasodilatation, accelerated blood flow, enhanced metabolism, relieving muscle spasms and reducing pain sensitivity (analgesia).

 2, infrared radiation effect:

 Ai burning release of specific wavelengths of infrared radiation (Infrared Radiation), with stronger penetration, can penetrate deep into the tissues to produce a warm effect, promote cell activity.

 3, medicinal ingredients penetration:

 Mugwort itself contains a variety of active ingredients (such as volatile oil). The effective substances in the heat and smoke of moxa produced during burning may be absorbed by the body through the skin and respiration, and exert pharmacological effects (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, immune regulation, etc.).

 4. Meridian point regulation:

 This is the core mechanism of TCM. Thermal stimulation of specific acupuncture points, stimulate meridian Qi (Activate Meridian Qi), through the meridian conduction, regulating the function of the associated organs and organs, correcting the imbalance of yin and yang, qi and blood imbalance of the state.

 5、Neuro-endocrine-immune network regulation:

 Modern research suggests that the heat stimulation of moxibustion may affect nerve signaling by acting on skin receptors and nerve endings, which in turn regulates the endocrine system and immune function, producing systemic effects.

 Common Methods & How It’s Done

 1, direct moxibustion:

 ●Moxibustion (indirect moxibustion): the most commonly used, the safest. Between the skin and moxa cones placed ginger (ginger moxibustion), garlic (garlic moxibustion), salt (salt moxibustion, mostly used in the umbilicus) or drugs (such as epiphyllum cake moxibustion) and then apply moxibustion. Buffers the heat and blends the medicinal properties of the medium.

 ●Gentle Moxibustion/Hovering Moxibustion: Holding a lit moxa stick in your hand, hover and smoke about 2-3 centimeters above the acupoint to warm and comfort. Suitable for most acupuncture points and health care.

 2. Indirect moxibustion:

 ●Moxa cone moxibustion: moxa floss is pinched into small cones (moxa cones) and placed directly or indirectly on the acupoints to ignite. According to whether or not it produces a scar is divided into scar moxibustion and no scar moxibustion (the latter is more commonly used).

 ●Moxa Stick Moxibustion: Uses moxa sticks rolled into a cylindrical shape. In addition to hanging moxibustion, also includes bird pecking moxibustion (like a bird pecking up and down), gyratory moxibustion (left and right rotating movement) and other techniques.

 3, warm moxibustion device moxibustion:

 The use of special moxibustion box, moxibustion tube and other appliances fixed moxa, placed on the acupuncture points or parts. Convenient, safe, small smoke, suitable for home health care and the need for simultaneous moxibustion of multiple acupuncture points to use.

 Important notes and safety

 1, professional guidance:

first attempt or for specific diseases, be sure to consult a qualified Chinese medicine practitioner. Correct selection of points and operation is essential.

 2.Contraindicated People:

 ●Use with caution or contraindication in cases of high fever, solid heat syndrome (e.g. severe redness, swelling and heat pain, high fever, constipation, mouth and tongue sores).

 ●Abdominal and lumbosacral points are usually contraindicated in pregnant women.

 ●Direct moxibustion is prohibited for people with dull skin sensation (e.g. diabetic patients), broken skin, infections, and tumor sites.

 ●Extreme weakness, too hungry, too full, drunken state should not immediately apply moxibustion.

 3, to avoid burns:

always pay attention to the distance and heat of moxa, timely pop off the ash. The moxibustion is safer. Concentrate on moxibustion, avoid distraction.

 4, after the moxibustion reaction:

may appear dry mouth, a slight sense of fire (can drink more warm water), moxibustion red, itchy, blisters (small blisters can be absorbed, large blisters need aseptic treatment). This is a manifestation of the “reaction”, but need to pay attention to distinguish whether the burn.

 5, environmental ventilation:

moxa smoke is large, to ensure that the moxibustion environment is well ventilated, to avoid the smoke concentration is too high to cause discomfort.