Moxa is short for moxibustion. It is a healing practice that involves the heating of specific areas of the body and acupuncture points by burning an herb close to, or directly near the skin. This treatment adds warmth and nourishment to the body and can be used to treat a variety of conditions including gynecological issues, headaches, cold limbs, back pain, anxiety, and more.
Moxa comes from the mugwort plant, called Artemisia vulgaris. The herb is dried and ground, and then either used in its loose form or can be rolled and packed into cones and sticks.
Moxa is lit by the practitioner, and the herb is burnt until the patient begins to feel the warmth. is then safely removed and extinguished. Alternatively, moxa sticks can be ignited and waived over areas of the body until the patient feels the warmth.
DISCLAIMER: this blog post is intended for informational purposes only. Do not perform any treatments included in the post yourself. This includes, but is not limited to, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and Chinese nutritional therapy. They should only be performed by educated and licensed acupuncture practitioners.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment alone or in combination with conventional therapies to treat the following:
Nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy
Dental pain after surgery
Addiction
Headaches
Menstrual cramps
Tennis elbow
Fibromyalgia
Myofascial pain
Osteoarthritis
Low back pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Asthma
It may also help with stroke rehabilitation.
If you are curious about the benefits of acupuncture, scheudule an appointment for a personal consultation, and evaluation.
