01
What is Moxibustion?
Mugwort (艾草, ài cǎo) is a herbaceous medicinal plant. It contains volatile aromatic oils that produce a unique fragrance, which can repel mosquitoes and flies, purify the air, and prevent and treat diseases. Moxibustion (灸, jiǔ) involves igniting the flammable mugwort and using it to warm and stimulate acupuncture points, directly or indirectly stimulating these points to promote the flow of qi and blood through the meridians, thereby achieving the goals of disease prevention, treatment, and health maintenance. This method of moxibustion using mugwort is called moxibustion.
With Three-Year-Old Mugwort, No Need for a Doctor
Records of moxibustion with mugwort sticks can be found in medical texts such as the “Ling Shu” and “Fifty-Two Disease Formulas.” Moxibustion with mugwort leaves warms the meridians, promotes blood circulation, and harmonizes the organs. It is said that the medicinal sage Sun Simiao often used mugwort leaves to warm the Zusanli (足三里, zú sān lǐ) point, and he lived over 100 years. As an internal medicine, mugwort leaves have functions such as regulating qi and blood, dispelling cold and dampness, warming the meridians, stopping bleeding, and calming the fetus. It is one of the few herbs mentioned in the “Huangdi Neijing.” In the prescriptions of Zhang Zhongjing’s “Shanghan Lun” and “Jinkui Yaolue,” there are also formulas that use mugwort. In the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen’s father, Li Yanwen, praised mugwort leaves in his work “Qi Ai Chuan,” stating, “Produced in Shanyang, harvested during the Dragon Boat Festival, it treats diseases and has significant benefits.” Li Shizhen recorded over 50 prescriptions using mugwort leaves in his “Compendium of Materia Medica.” Many places still have the saying, “With three-year-old mugwort, no need for a doctor.”
02
The Magical Effects of Moxibustion
Firstly, the efficacy of moxibustion is quite remarkable. The range of conditions treated by moxibustion is extensive, and it was a primary method of treating diseases in ancient China. In TCM terms, it has the effects of warming yang, tonifying qi, warming the meridians, dispelling stasis, and tonifying the middle and benefiting qi. It can be widely used for internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, and otolaryngology, particularly effective for conditions such as mastitis, prostatitis, periarthritis of the shoulder, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical spondylosis, and diabetes.
Secondly, moxibustion has unique health-preserving effects. Using moxibustion to prevent diseases and prolong life is a great invention of our country, with a history of thousands of years.
03
How Does Moxibustion Prevent Disease?
Research has found that moxibustion with mugwort is an effective method for disinfecting and sterilizing living spaces. Experiments have shown that using 1-5 grams of mugwort per square meter for smoking for 30-60 minutes has varying degrees of bactericidal effects on Staphylococcus aureus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, Escherichia coli, diphtheria bacillus, typhoid and paratyphoid bacilli, tuberculosis bacillus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It also has certain inhibitory effects on adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, influenza viruses, and herpes viruses. Additionally, moxibustion has a certain effect against Mycoplasma pneumoniae and can significantly increase the content of non-specific immunoglobulin A in nasal secretions, enhancing the body’s immune capacity.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that mugwort leaves have a bitter, pungent, and warm nature, entering the liver, spleen, and kidney meridians. They have the functions of warming the meridians and stopping bleeding, dispelling cold and alleviating pain, and relieving wind and itching, suitable for conditions such as deficiency-cold diarrhea, excessive menstrual bleeding, irregular menstruation, abdominal pain during menstruation, leukorrhea, and skin eczema and itching.
Using mugwort to make moxa sticks for moxibustion can allow the heat to penetrate and warm the qi and blood, reaching the meridians to treat various cold pain syndromes.
Mugwort has a fragrant aroma, and using its decoction or mugwort oil externally on the skin or inhaling it not only has antibacterial and antiviral effects but also has effects on the respiratory tract such as relieving asthma, suppressing cough, relieving fatigue, reducing inflammation, and combating allergies. Learning to use moxa sticks for moxibustion and mugwort smoking can purify the air, prevent diseases, strengthen the body, and prolong life.
04
Effects of Moxibustion on the Human Body
Moxibustion uses the pure yang heat and medicinal properties of mugwort to provide thermal stimulation to the body, regulating the yin-yang balance of the organs through the conduction of the meridians and acupoints, achieving the goals of treating and preventing diseases and maintaining health.
1. Promoting Circulation and Unblocking Meridians
Moxibustion warms the skin and meridians, invigorating blood circulation to treat various conditions caused by cold stagnation and meridian obstruction.
2. Regulating Qi and Invigorating Blood
Moxibustion can tonify qi and nourish blood, as well as regulate the flow of qi, uplifting the middle qi to harmonize qi and blood for therapeutic and health-preserving purposes.
3. Dispelling Dampness and Cold
The movement of qi and blood is obstructed by cold; warmth disperses it. Moxibustion can warm the meridians, dispel cold, and alleviate obstruction, enhancing the circulation of qi and blood to achieve therapeutic and health-preserving effects. Mugwort is a pure yang plant, and the heat from fire penetrates to expel yin pathogens, making moxibustion particularly effective for damp-cold conditions.
4. Regulating Yin and Yang
Moxibustion has a balancing and tonifying effect on yin and yang, restoring the balance of yin and yang, achieving harmony between yin and yang. Mugwort is a pure yang plant, and the physical action of heat makes moxibustion the best method to replenish the body’s yang energy.
5. Reviving Yang and Rescuing from Reversal
As the saying goes, “When medicine fails and acupuncture is ineffective, moxibustion must be used.” Moxibustion has the effect of reviving yang and rescuing the vital path. Mugwort is purely yang, and fire is also yang; the combination of the two can tonify qi, warm yang, elevate the yang, and stabilize the vital energy.
6. Disease Prevention and Health Maintenance (Modern research confirms):
Moxibustion can enhance the phagocytic ability of white blood cells, accelerate the production of various specific and non-specific antibodies, improve immune effects, and enhance the body’s immune function. At the same time, moxibustion can improve the function of various systems in the body, increasing the body’s resistance to diseases, thus facilitating the recovery from various illnesses.
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Important Acupoints for Moxibustion
1. Shenque Point (神阙穴, shén què xué): Also known as the center of the navel, it belongs to the Ren Meridian and is a key health point. Moxibustion at this point has the effects of warming and tonifying the original yang, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and benefiting qi and prolonging life. Methods include ginger moxibustion and salt moxibustion, with 3-5 cones each time, once a day, for 10 sessions as one treatment course. Each session should feel warm and comfortable, with slight redness.
2. Qihai Point (气海穴, qì hǎi xué): A point on the Ren Meridian, located 1.5 cun below the navel. Functions: Tonifying original qi and consolidating essence to strengthen the kidneys, it is a key point for disease prevention and health maintenance. Ancient texts refer to this point as the “Sea of Original Qi.” In modern practice, this point is used to enhance the body’s immunity, prolong life, and improve sub-health conditions. Technique: Primarily using moxibustion, warm moxibustion for 15-20 minutes.
3. Guanyuan Point (关元穴, guān yuán xué): Also known as the Dan Tian, it belongs to the Ren Meridian and is a key health point, having the effects of warming the kidneys, consolidating essence, tonifying qi, and reviving yang, as well as promoting the flow of the Ren and Chong meridians. Common methods include gentle moxibustion, ginger moxibustion, and aconite moxibustion; it is contraindicated for pregnant women.
4. Zusanli Point (足三里穴, zú sān lǐ): This point is the He-Sea point of the Stomach Meridian, which tonifies the spleen and kidneys and harmonizes qi and blood. Frequent moxibustion at this point can prevent stroke and is a key health point for middle-aged and elderly individuals. It can be moxibustioned alone to enhance immunity and has a preventive effect against presbyopia.
06
Precautions for Moxibustion
Moxibustion is not suitable for facial acne, acute eczema, local skin ulcers, facial areas, or large blood vessels.
Pregnant women and those during menstruation should not use moxibustion.
Extreme fatigue, excessive hunger, overeating, intoxication, profuse sweating, or emotional instability are not suitable times for moxibustion.
Those with real heat syndrome, high fever, or those prone to yin deficiency and heat, or blood dryness leading to heat should avoid moxibustion. Moxibustion is prohibited for heat-related red and swollen diseases.
Start with a small fire and gradually increase the intensity, beginning with a small amount and then increasing the quantity, starting lightly and then increasing the pressure.
Generally, it is recommended to drink a cup of warm boiled water before and after moxibustion to aid in detoxification.
After moxibustion, avoid exposure to cold, dry off any sweat on the head and body, and rest for a moment before going out.
Contributed by: Obstetrics and Gynecology, An RanEditor:Ning YurongReviewed by:Li Wenyuan
