Moxibustion originates from fire, utilizing heat as its primary function. Moxibustion is like a small sun; when it approaches your body, a continuous flow of yang energy is infused into you, akin to a martial arts master transmitting their internal power to you, making you feel very comfortable. In China, there has long been a saying, “With three years of moxa at home, there is no need for a doctor,” highlighting the great charm of moxibustion.
01
Benefits and Effects of Moxibustion
Moxibustion, as a traditional TCM therapy, has various benefits and effects.
1) Warming Meridians and Dispelling Cold
Specifically addresses the issue of “cold pain”. Human life activities rely on qi and blood; when qi flows, blood flows, and blood flows when warmed. Therefore, cold causes qi to contract, while heat causes qi to move. Moxa sticks, with their penetrating heat, warm the meridians and reach the internal organs, playing a role in warming the meridians and dispelling cold, and can also draw out true yang from within.
2) Unblocking Meridians
Pain in the body is summarized by TCM as “no flow means pain, no nourishment means pain”. Moxibustion has a very good effect on unblocking meridians, harmonizing qi and blood, and clearing the meridians.
3) Regulating Menstruation, Treating Dysmenorrhea, and Abdominal Cold Pain
Moxa can warm the meridians and relieve pain, especially effective in regulating menstruation. In herbal medicine, moxa is considered a key herb for treating gynecological conditions related to deficiency-cold in the lower jiao or cold invading the uterus.
4) Treating Deficiency-Cold Bleeding
It is best for treating deficiency-cold bleeding, especially in gynecological conditions like menorrhagia, and can also treat bleeding due to heat.
5) Supporting Yang and Raising Yang
Moxa is a pure yang substance, and using it on the Governor Vessel is the best method to support yang. Moxibustion not only benefits qi and warms yang, raises sinking yang, and disperses stagnation, but is also effective for those with weak protective yang and loose pores.
6) Regulating Yin-Yang Balance
When the body’s yin and yang are balanced, health is maintained; when imbalanced, various diseases can occur. Moxibustion has the effect of regulating and nourishing yin and yang, restoring balance and preventing illness.
7) Beauty Effects
Moxibustion can unblock meridians, promote qi and blood circulation, detoxify, and enhance beauty, making the skin smooth and revitalizing one’s appearance.
8) Health Maintenance and Longevity
The method of preserving life, moxibustion is paramount. As the saying goes, “When medicine is ineffective and acupuncture is insufficient, moxibustion must be used.” Moxibustion has the effect of reviving yang and rescuing from collapse. In cases of acute qi and yin deficiency, moxibustion on Shenque (CV8) and Guanyuan (CV4) can revive yang. Weak yang can lead to sinking or collapse. Moxa leaves are pure yang, and fire is also yang; the combination of two yang can benefit qi, warm yang, raise sinking yang, and support yang collapse. It regulates immunity and promotes longevity.
02
Contraindications and Precautions for Moxibustion
1) Pregnant women should be particularly cautious with moxibustion.
Moxibustion can stimulate acupoints and meridians, but the heat and aroma may negatively affect the fetus; therefore, it should be avoided during pregnancy.
2) Avoid moxibustion on damaged skin, ulcers, or other skin lesions.
3) Care must be taken in selecting and controlling the heat source during moxibustion to avoid burns.
4) Control the duration and frequency of moxibustion.
Generally, moxibustion should not be prolonged to avoid burns. Each session should last about 30 minutes; too long can lead to excessive heat. Frequency can be adjusted based on individual constitution, with a recommendation of about three sessions per week, or every other day. If no excessive heat is felt, specific acupoints can be treated daily.
5) Timing is important for moxibustion.
The best time for moxibustion is usually between 08:00 and 16:00, and it should be completed by 9 PM at the latest. Moxibustion promotes yang, and after 9 PM, the meridians rest and enter a contracting state; long-term evening moxibustion can harm yin. It is advisable to wait one hour after meals for moxibustion; if done on an empty stomach, it may cause dizziness, and if done immediately after eating, it can disrupt the digestion of food.
6) Sealing acupoints after moxibustion is important.
After moxibustion on an acupoint, gently pat the acupoint and surrounding area to seal it (pressing the acupoint for 3-5 seconds; if your hand is cold, use a towel to press). After sealing, cover the acupoint with clothing to prevent cold invasion. Each time after moxibustion, sealing should be performed.
7) Keep warm during moxibustion.
The heat from moxibustion opens the body’s pores; if not kept warm, one can easily be invaded by cold or evil qi, especially in the neck, waist, abdomen, and feet. Avoid bathing for 2-4 hours after moxibustion, even hot baths should be delayed to prevent dampness. After moxibustion, drink warm water and avoid raw or cold foods.
03
Responses to Moxibustion Treatment
After moxibustion, if skin itching occurs along with rashes, swelling, or blisters, is this a side effect of moxibustion? What is the cause?
In TCM, symptoms like itching, rashes, and irritability after moxibustion are due to the invasion of damp, cold, or wind evils affecting different internal organs.
After moxibustion, the yang energy penetrates effectively, replenishing and restoring the yang of the liver, spleen, and kidneys, enhancing detoxification and self-healing abilities, allowing the body to resist evils, which may lead to the expulsion of evils from the internal organs to the skin, resulting in various symptoms as part of TCM’s detoxification and disease expulsion response.
04
How to Properly Identify Quality Moxa Sticks
Moxibustion is a great method; those who understand moxa are blessed, and those who are skilled in moxibustion live long.
If you find moxibustion ineffective, it may not be due to improper technique, but rather the quality of the moxa sticks you are using! The prerequisite for healthy moxibustion is to use genuine, high-quality moxa sticks. There are countless fake moxa sticks around, and many people complain about the ineffectiveness of moxibustion while using them. Fake moxa sticks not only lack efficacy but can also cause significant harm to the body.
The production of fake moxa has severely harmed public health and affected the development of the entire moxibustion industry. The precious cultural heritage left by our ancestors is being squandered, which is truly heartbreaking. To avoid pitfalls, everyone must master the skill of identifying quality moxa sticks. How to choose good moxa sticks?
1) Texture
The moxa fluff should feel soft and delicate; well-made moxa sticks should be compact and not loose. Such moxa sticks have balanced heat and strong penetration, with a 20 cm long 3.0 moxa stick lasting over two hours, making it very durable.
2) Color
Good moxa sticks have a natural earthy yellow color with slight black specks, while inferior moxa sticks contain impurities and appear dirty dark blue or black. In fact, the color does not necessarily indicate quality; good moxa may have small black stem particles mixed in, making it not uniformly earthy yellow. Some moxa sticks that are very pure yellow may be fake, either sulfur-treated or with very low moxa content.
3) Aroma
High-quality moxa is made from at least three-year-old moxa leaves, with a mild, fragrant aroma that is not pungent. Newly made moxa sticks have a poor smell, often grassy. If the moxa sticks you bought have a faint minty aroma, congratulations, you have purchased a premium product.
4) Smoke Quality
When burning, the smoke from moxa sticks should be light white, and the ash left after burning should be gray-white and not easily scattered, maintaining a cylindrical shape.
5) Ash Quality
Fake moxa sticks leave ash that is yellow or black and easily scatters after burning. Quality moxa sticks leave white ash that does not easily scatter and feels relatively fine and smooth to the touch.
6)Is Fresh Moxa Better than Aged Moxa?
Currently, there are many claims online about moxa sticks being five, seven, or even ten years old. If you cannot identify quality, you may easily spend real money on fake products.
Fresh moxa refers to moxa leaves harvested within a year, which are dry, produce a lot of smoke, have a strong flavor, and burn quickly. They can easily burn the skin and harm the meridians, depleting vital energy and fluids, making them unsuitable for moxibustion. The quality of moxa fluff directly affects the efficacy of moxibustion, and the quality is closely related to the age of the moxa leaves. Therefore, it is best to avoid or minimize the use of fresh moxa.
Throughout history, physicians have advocated for the use of aged moxa. Sun Simiao and Li Shizhen both stated: “When using moxa, it must be aged; fresh moxa can harm the skin and meridians.”
Freshly harvested moxa leaves are called fresh moxa, while the dried product after air-drying is called raw moxa. After one year of storage, it becomes aged moxa, which is the raw material for making moxa fluff. Generally, moxa leaves stored for one year can meet the requirements for health maintenance and treatment.
How aged should moxa be? Generally, moxa sticks made from leaves stored for three years are of the highest quality and most ideal. They do not have the dry heat and intensity of fresh moxa while retaining the medicinal value of moxa. Storing moxa sticks does not mean that the longer, the better; if stored too long, the moxa fluff can lose its efficacy, and if not stored properly, it can mold and deteriorate, losing its therapeutic effect and potentially harming health. Therefore, excessively aged moxa also loses its intended purpose. The ancients said, “For a seven-year illness, seek a three-year moxa.” Thus, it is best to choose aged moxa, with three years being optimal, and over six years may lead to a decline in quality.
7)What is the Moxa Fluff Ratio?
The moxa fluff ratio refers to how many kilograms of moxa leaves are used to produce one kilogram of moxa fluff, represented by this ratio.
For example, a 5:1 moxa stick means that 5 kilograms of moxa leaves are used to extract one kilogram of moxa fluff, while an 8:1 means 8 kilograms of moxa leaves are used to extract one kilogram of moxa fluff, and so on.
This is similar to the flour we eat; flour made from wheat ground by farmers without extensive processing retains the bran and is not as white, but has good nutritional value. The whiter and more refined the flour, the more nutrients are destroyed.
Most so-called high ratios on the market are falsely labeled. Moreover, the more times the machine processes the fluff, the more effective components in the moxa leaves are lost (similar to grinding flour), which is why higher ratio moxa fluff has a weaker aroma. Moxibustion requires a certain level of penetration, and higher ratios are less suitable for moxibustion.
Furthermore, the golden yellow color often indicates fake inferior products; whether given to you or purchased, discard them immediately to avoid health risks.
When choosing moxa sticks, avoid those that are golden yellow and sponge-like with high ratios; these are not high-quality products. The higher the ratio, the more refined the product, which can compromise the inherent quality.
Thus, the moxa fluff ratio is not better the higher it is; common ratios are 5:1, 10:1, 15:1, 20:1, 25:1, and 30:1, with higher ratios offering little improvement in efficacy.
Therefore, it is recommended to use a 15:1 moxa fluff product for gentle moxibustion, as it provides better results. A 15:1 ratio is sufficient for general health maintenance. I personally use this type, which offers excellent value for money.
8) Finally, let’s look at fake moxa sticks.
Good moxa sticks regulate the spirit and qi, allowing for optimal circulation and effectiveness. Only by using the right moxa sticks can one experience the true joy of moxibustion.
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