MOXABUSTION

Moxibustion is the burning of dried mugwort on certain places on the body. Mugwort or more specifically Chinese mugwort is the common name for Artemisia Vulgaris. This is an aromatic flowery plant that can be ground into a burnable powder or often bundled and burned like cigar. It is supposed to warm medians,or pools of energy, to stimulate blood flow and the flow of chi.

There are several methods of Moxibustion. There is direct scarring, direct non-scarring and indirect moxibustion. The direct method with scarring is executed by placing a burning cone of moxa on an acupuncture point that often burns the skin long enough to blister and leaves a scar after it heals. Direct non-scarring moxibustion is where the burning moxa is taken off before it creates a blister and scar. Indirect moxibustion is where a bundle of the moxa is burned near an acupuncture site and is usually done while a needle is also in the patient.

The Medicinal Herb Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) – ©The Herbal Resource