Moxibustion reactions vary from person to person; some may feel a sensation of heat penetrating throughout the body, while others may experience adverse reactions such as heat, fever, and more. Do you know the real reasons behind these reactions?This article explains 10 types of reactions after moxibustion and their management methods.
1. Red spots, rashes, and itching after moxibustion
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Explanation:
Moxibustion can nourish the body’s Yang Qi. Once the body’s righteous Qi is sufficient, the cold and damp external pathogens within the body are dispelled under the stimulation of Qi, similar to how we need to take out the trash after cleaning a room. These toxins are expelled through the skin and meridians, manifesting as red spots, rashes, and itching, which are important signs of expelling cold, damp, and wind and other pathogenic factors.
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Management Plan:
Individuals with relatively weak spleen and stomach functions should strengthen their spleen and stomach during moxibustion and consume foods that tonify the spleen and eliminate dampness, such as yam and coix seed porridge.
For those who develop rashes without itching, continuing moxibustion to enhance Yang Qi will gradually lead to the disappearance of the rashes.
If the itching is severe, one method is to perform moxibustion immediately to expel the cold, damp, and wind that have returned to the surface of the body. Additionally, applying moxa ash directly to the affected area can quickly relieve itching.
If performed by a professional moxibustion practitioner, points such as Dazhui (GV14), Xinshu (BL15), Shanzhong (CV17), and Shixuan (PC8) can be selected for treatment once or twice a week to expel pathogenic factors promptly. Once symptoms improve, moxibustion can be stopped.
It is best not to stop moxibustion at this time, as it may allow the pathogenic factors to re-enter the body and even invade the organs. If symptoms are severe, bloodletting at Dazhui (GV14) or bladder meridian points may be necessary.
Note: During this adjustment period, it is advisable to maintain a light diet, keep a positive mood, and avoid spicy and stimulating foods.
2. Patchy moxibustion marks
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Explanation:
Some individuals may notice their skin becoming red and white in a patterned manner after moxibustion. Why does this happen?
Prolonged moxibustion can naturally leave scorch marks, and this mottling is closely related to one’s constitution; those with mottling often have significant internal cold and dampness.
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Management Plan:
For skin that is frequently exposed, the duration of moxibustion should not be too long. However, for health reasons, if there is significant dampness, it is necessary to nourish the body, performing moxibustion on each point for 10-15 minutes daily. This approach generally prevents mottling and achieves excellent therapeutic effects.
3. Insomnia after moxibustion
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Explanation:
After moxibustion, the body’s Yang Qi rises. If the patient has a relative deficiency of Yin, the rapid increase in Yang Qi can lead to an excess of Yang relative to Yin blood, resulting in a state of excitement.
If the patient has excessive pathogenic Qi, it can dominate when Yang Qi is insufficient, weakening the overall constitution. However, once the righteous Qi increases and can combat the pathogenic Qi, Yang will not passively succumb to external pathogens, leading to a rebound effect that can cause insomnia after moxibustion. This is also a process of re-establishing a healthy cooperative relationship between Yin and Yang.
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Management Plan:
Each moxibustion session should focus on directing the fire downward and nourishing Yin, which can help the body quickly adjust to a balanced Yin-Yang state, naturally alleviating insomnia symptoms.
Precautions: Insomnia caused by moxibustion is normal as long as it is not due to an underlying disease. The mechanism is similar to the other reactions analyzed earlier. Moxibustion stimulates the meridians and acupoints, achieving effects such as unblocking the meridians and promoting blood circulation, thereby enhancing the recovery functions of the organs.
4. Drowsiness and fatigue after moxibustion
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Explanation:
Drowsiness and fatigue after moxibustion are typical manifestations of Yang floating back to the source. Under normal circumstances, the body maintains a state of “Yin balanced and Yang secreted,” which is a form of internal homeostasis. Only in this state can the body’s functions coordinate and maintain overall balance; otherwise, a series of symptoms will arise.
When the body’s Yang Qi is too weak or Yin blood is insufficient, Yang Qi will float upwards. Moxibustion, through the regulation of meridians and acupoints, can elevate true Yin, drawing down the floating Yang Qi, achieving a return to the source effect.
This is a natural response of the body, a self-adjustment process that reflects the struggle between righteous Qi and pathogenic Qi. Sleep and rest can help enhance immunity and strengthen the body’s resistance, allowing for quicker recovery.
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Management Plan:
Follow your body’s signals; if you feel sleepy, allow yourself to sleep.
5. Depression, agitation, and irritability after moxibustion
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Explanation:
These symptoms are often seen in individuals who frequently experience anger and stress, leading to an accumulation of acidic toxins in the body, which can affect metabolic functions. After a period of moxibustion, the Yang Qi rises, enabling the expulsion of stagnant Qi, which may manifest as emotional outbursts, such as irritability, feeling wronged, or even crying. The expulsion of pathogenic Qi may also find an outlet through belching or flatulence.
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Management Plan:
If you feel like crying, allow yourself to express those emotions. Traditional Chinese Medicine states that “the lungs govern grief,” so moxibustion can be used to strengthen lung function. If feelings of depression are overwhelming, consider acupressure on the Taichong (LR3) point.
Precautions: When feeling depressed or agitated, it is essential to find a pleasant environment to release those emotions. Do not bottle them up, as this can lead to Qi stagnation in the heart. Additionally, dietary adjustments are necessary; avoid spicy and stimulating foods, maintain the health of the spleen and stomach, and consume light, nutritious foods.
6. Feeling cold or a draft after moxibustion
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Explanation:
Experiencing sensations of cold, heat, soreness, or numbness after moxibustion is referred to as moxibustion sensation. Individuals with significant cold and dampness are most likely to feel a draft after moxibustion, typically from the soles of the feet, legs, shoulders, or head. Those with severe Yang deficiency may feel cold all over.
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Management Plan:
For symptoms of feeling cold or a draft after moxibustion, it is essential to combine moxa leaves and ginger to make a foot soak, enhancing blood circulation and strengthening the joints affected by the cold draft. With persistence, not only will symptoms improve, but overall bodily functions will also enhance.
7. Constipation after moxibustion
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Explanation:
If the Mingmen fire is insufficient to transform and move the Yin pathogens in the lower jiao, the true Yang Qi will be weak, leading to the generation of empty heat, which can cause the large intestine to become too dry, resulting in constipation. Additionally, holding in bowel movements can lead to insufficient fluids. This occurs because feces remain in the large intestine for too long, causing the large intestine to absorb too much fluid, ultimately leading to dryness. Furthermore, if Qi and blood are too weak, prolonged moxibustion on the abdomen can also dry out the fluids, resulting in dry stools.
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Management Plan:
It is advisable to reduce the amount of moxibustion and incorporate Yin-nourishing acupoints into the treatment. Additionally, acupoint massage can help regulate the rise and fall of Qi and blood, improving the large intestine’s peristalsis and alleviating constipation.
Precautions: For elderly individuals, especially those with cardiovascular diseases, it is crucial to be cautious to prevent complications from constipation. It is advisable to keep herbal laxatives on hand, such as lubricating pills, and seek medical attention if unexpected situations arise.
8. Blisters and sores after moxibustion
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Explanation:
After moxibustion, blisters and pustules may appear, with blisters being more common. This phenomenon can occur for two main reasons: either the moxibustion was performed for too long or improperly, or the body has significant dampness.
According to the “Xiaopin Fang,” it is recorded: “If moxibustion causes pus and sores, wind and cold will be expelled; if not, the disease will not be eliminated.”
“Zhenjiu Ziyin Jing” also states that only when moxibustion leads to sores can good results be achieved.
Individuals with significant dampness are most likely to develop blisters after moxibustion. Sometimes, blisters may appear unexpectedly, which is a good sign of cold pathogens being expelled, as the saying goes, “blisters break, and pathogens exit.”
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Management Plan:
For general blisters, allow them to dry naturally. For larger blisters, it is best to have a professional perform the procedure, using a disposable needle to puncture from below to release the fluid without breaking the skin. Apply iodine externally to prevent infection.
Then, perform moxibustion directly on the affected area to enhance the sterilizing effect. After puncturing, continue with gentle moxibustion without the need for bandaging. If any pus drains out, it is considered normal, and use a medical cotton swab to absorb any fluid that seeps from the blister, ensuring to prevent infection.
Precautions: General blisters are typically filled with clear or slightly yellowish fluid. If the fluid inside the blister is turbid and viscous, it indicates infection, and medical attention should be sought promptly.
9. Abdominal bloating, belching, and flatulence after moxibustion
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Explanation:
After moxibustion, the rise in Yang Qi can lead to belching and flatulence, indicating that the digestive function is beginning to normalize.
However, not everyone will experience belching or flatulence after moxibustion. If the righteous Qi is insufficient, it may manifest as abdominal bloating, generally indicating a deficiency in the upper body and cold in the lower body. If the pathogenic Qi can be expelled from the organs in a timely manner, the body will feel much lighter.
Some individuals may notice particularly foul-smelling gas after moxibustion, indicating more significant digestive issues.
Additionally, problems with the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and other digestive organs can also lead to such gas expulsion. If one has a cold constitution, the symptoms of belching and flatulence may be more pronounced.
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Management Plan:
It is important to remember that both bowel movements and gas are waste that the body should expel promptly. Adjust your approach based on your symptoms; if there is weak spleen and stomach function, strengthen the treatment for the spleen and stomach. If there are liver and gallbladder issues, focus on liver and gallbladder acupoints to enhance their regulation.
10. Changes in blood pressure and blood sugar after moxibustion
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Explanation:
Increased blood pressure: is a positive reaction after moxibustion, typically occurring alongside other symptoms. The enhancement of Yang Qi in the body restores self-regulatory functions, and the rise in blood pressure is a physiological necessity, aiding in the clearance of waste from the vascular system without affecting the functions of other tissues governed by capillaries. With appropriate management methods and continued moxibustion, the body can adjust blood pressure to levels that meet physiological needs. High blood pressure is directly related to kidney function and insomnia.
Increased blood sugar: After moxibustion, elevated blood sugar levels may occur due to the rise in Yang Qi, which expels hidden Yin pathogens, returning them to the blood vessels and organs of the spleen and kidneys. This fluctuation may persist until the Yin pathogens are gradually expelled from the body through the meridians.
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Management Plan:
Increased blood pressure: Combine acupoints that regulate blood pressure during moxibustion. If blood pressure instability occurs during treatment, using these acupoints consistently will yield noticeable results.
Increased blood sugar: Diabetic patients have very low immune function and poor wound healing ability, so it is crucial to manage the duration and amount of moxibustion carefully to avoid blisters. Diabetic patients also have higher consumption, so it is essential to ensure adequate nutrition during moxibustion.
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