One of the popular parts of the Chinese medicine system is Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is a medical system that incorporates various methods of herbal medicine treatment. The traditional method is found to be helpful, even where there are no medicine comes fruitful.
Moxibustion is one of the most famous treatment methods practiced in the ancient Chinese period and is also popular in the present days. In this article, you will learn about moxibustion, its benefits, and how to use it in your daily health care. So, without further ado, let's get started;
What is Moxibustion?
A treatment technique involves burning mugwort, mostly known as moxa, a stick made of ground mugwort leaves. Mugwort is a weed to the gardeners, but it is a herb for herbal medicine.
You can find the plants on the roadside while walking, but people cultivate it for commercial purposes. It is the main element of moxibustion treatment.
The botanical name of mugwort is Artemisia vulgaris, named after the Greek goddess of mood Artemis. The moxa is burnt near your body meridians and acupuncture points that refer to each set of body pathways. The energies are said to flow in your body.
This burning moxa generates heats that stimulate the meridians and points and improve the flow of energy (qi) in your body and bring effective health issues.
How is it done?
Moxibustion has two approaches. It can be applied directly or indirectly.
When the moxa stick rests directly on the skin of your body at the treatment point, it is known as direct moxibustion. The practitioners light the stick and burn slowly until the color of your skin turned into red. When you feel the heat, the practitioner removes the sticks.
Well, the indirect approach is when the practitioner holds the burning moxa an inch distance from the skin, it doesn't touch the skin. The stick is removed when the skin turns red like the direct approach.
Now, considered that it comes to the safer option. In that case, indirect moxibustion is preferred. It has no risk of burning your skin, so the indirect moxibustion is more practiced in treatment.
8 Healing Benefits of Moxibustion:
1. Warms the Body
Many people do have autoimmune diseases, poor immunity, and cold blood conditions. In moxibustion, the burning moxa warms the body that helps to re-balance autoimmune systems; it generates a biochemical response in the body's points that warms the body's dampness.
If we warm certain points with slow heat of burning moxa, it can also treat the sore muscles. Many people face cold, flue, and various contagious viruses, mainly in winter, to benefit from other medicines that fail to fight with the viruses and heal them.
2. Turn a Breach Baby
Moxibustion is mostly known as an alternative way to help with breech presentation. In some babies' birth time, the position remains in the bottom-down, making the delivery situation difficult when the heat is provided through the skin's moxa burning. These position changes help in the normal delivery of the babies.
3. Relief from Body Pain and Aches
Cold can invade and get lodged with the acupuncture points and result in pain in those points. This pain and aches get worsen in the winter season and create intolerable pain. Older people suffer much from these types of pain. The moxibustion helps them to feel better with the application of heat.
4. Boosts Immunity
Moxibustion strengthens our body's immune system via increasing the white blood cell count, which is a major component of the immune system and gives us the energy to fight with severe illness. It can be used to maintain health and prevent diseases. In addition, this treatment does provide strengths to the organs.
5. Improving Blood Circulation and QI
Moxa contains the warming properties that increase the blood flow of the body. Increased blood flow refers to oxygen to the tissues, cells, and muscles that also take care of your mental health. You will feel fresh and active as the blood circulation increases.
Qi is a Mandarin word that refers to energy. The moxibustion provides energy in your body. You will feel stronger, and your physical strength will increase in this treatment procedure.
6. Menstrual irregularity
Many girls probably face irregular periods monthly; sometimes, they don't have their monthly period and miss it consecutively months after months. The moxibustion treatment can help them to eliminate their irregularity.
7. Reduce Inflammation
Moxibustion is found to be very beneficial in reduce inflammation that is caused by injury or infection. Besides, pain from arthritis, chronic pain can also reduce by this traditional herbal treatment.
8. Increase Mental peace
The burning moxa's aroma reduces fatigue and tiredness and helps the mind be relaxed and peaceful. People who are experiencing stress problem can take this treatment as per the prescription of the doctor.
Can I do Moxibustion myself?
As I have already mentioned, there are two approaches to moxibustion. You can do yourself the indirect one, but still, when you try it for the first time, it is safer to be done under a practitioner because he knows the procedure better. You can get to know what is to be done and how to be done, the area of focus, etc.
If you want to take this treatment in the direct approach, a well-skilled practitioner is must needed. You can find the moxibustion center as well as many acupuncturists to provide this service. To find a well-trained practitioner, you can look up Dr. Shuyun’s to get the best health care from experts.
Tips for Best Moxibustion Experience
· Get a partner for holding the moxa stick for you.
· Get in a comfortable reclining position.
· Make the environment as relaxing as possible.
· Mark the area of your skin; you prefer to light the moxa stick.
· Light the moxa stick on the top with a candle.
· When the skin turns red, blow it off.
Probable Side Effects
Some probable side effects might include:
· Allergic reaction to moxa
· Coughing from moxa smoke
· Premature birth of the baby.
Cautions
· Keep anything flammable away from you.
· Pregnant women must take it with the supervision of the doctor.
A good amount of clinical research has been found, like acupuncture, the healing properties of moxibustion. It can be helpful where the medicine and other therapies don’t work. You can get benefits by taking this treatment under the supervision of skilled practitioners, like Dr. Shuyun for addressing your health issues.