Moxabustion (Moxa)

Burning moxa on male patient

Moxabustion, commonly referred to as moxa for short, is a medicinal herb derived from mugwart, which has a long history of use in China and Europe dating back thousands of years. Moxa has a variety of therapeutic uses in Chinese medicine ranging from the treatment of:

In my practice I have found the application of moxa to be beneficial for post surgery recovery as well as for patients undergoing treatments for cancer.

Moxa can be applied in either loose or rolled, including a smokeless form. It can be applied directly onto the skin or indirectly on the end of an acupuncture needle as shown in the picture here. Therapeutically, moxa is used to warm various parts of the body as well as on specific acupuncture points to stimulate circulation by encouraging the flow of qi and blood.