Author
Bowtie Team
Updated on
2025-07-30
Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
Moxibustion, an ancient therapy hailing from northern China and popular since the Warring States period, boasts benefits like warming meridians, boosting qi, and dissolving stasis. That said, it’s not ideal for everyone or every situation. Join the Bowtie team as we consult a registered Chinese medicine practitioner to demystify moxibustion and highlight essential precautions for safe treatments.
What is Moxibustion?
Acupuncture consists of needling and moxibustion techniques, which can be used together or separately. As stated in the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon) – Suwen (Plain Questions) – Chapter on Different Methods and Suitable Prescriptions: “The north is the region where heaven and earth store and hide; its land is high with hills, cold winds and severe ice; its people enjoy living in the wild and eating dairy, cold storage leads to fullness diseases; its treatment prefers moxibustion, hence moxibustion also comes from the north.” This indicates that moxibustion originated in northern China and was quite prevalent during the Warring States period. It is one of China’s oldest medical methods, with a history of nearly three thousand years.
In the Qing Dynasty’s Bencao Congxin by Wu Yiluo: “Mugwort leaves are bitter and acrid, raw warm and cooked hot, with pure yang nature, can revive the declining yang, penetrate the twelve meridians; internally, it travels the three yin, regulates qi and blood, expels cold and dampness, warms the uterus, stops all bleeding, warms the middle, relieves depression, regulates menstruation and stabilizes the fetus; used in moxibustion, it can penetrate all meridians and expel a hundred diseases.” Nowadays, moxa wool is commonly used for moxibustion, formed into cones of various sizes, applied to acupuncture points on the body. Following the meridians, it provides gentle heat conduction along with the medicinal effects of mugwort, thus warming and unblocking qi and blood, regulating bodily functions, enhancing immunity, and offering therapeutic and preventive health benefits.
Clinically, it is generally divided into six categories: moxa cone moxibustion, moxa stick moxibustion, warm tube moxibustion, herbal patch moxibustion, warm needle moxibustion, and electric moxibustion. Among them, moxa cone moxibustion is the most common, often used for deficiency-cold conditions, yin syndromes, chronic illnesses, and insufficient yang qi, determined after examination by a Chinese medicine practitioner who decides the treatment dosage (number of moxa cones and moxibustion time, etc.).
Benefits of Moxibustion
Warming and Unblocking Meridians
Moxibustion can help clear cold and dampness from the meridians, showing significant improvements for symptoms like cold-damp arthralgia, dysmenorrhea, cold-damp stomach pain, chronic diarrhea, seminal emission, edema, phlegm retention, and chronic weakness.
Tonifying the Middle and Boosting Qi
Moxibustion strengthens the body’s vital qi, providing good regulation for conditions such as gastroptosis, uterine prolapse, rectal prolapse, metrorrhagia, anemia, chronic diarrhea, cold abdominal pain, kidney yang deficiency, lung-kidney deficiency, and asthma preventing lying down.
Supporting Yang and Preventing Collapse
Moxibustion also helps maintain the body’s yang qi, offering some assistance in treating cold syncope, collapse syndromes, and sinking of middle qi.
Dispersing Stasis and Resolving Masses
Moxibustion stimulates meridians to promote qi and blood circulation, providing certain therapeutic effects for diseases involving qi and blood stagnation, such as early mastitis, scrofula, and goiter.
Health Maintenance and Disease Prevention
By applying moxibustion to common health points like Dazhui, Shenzhu, Guanyuan, Qihai, Mingmen, Zhongwan, and Zusanli, it can stimulate the body’s righteous qi, enhance disease resistance, boost energy, and promote longevity.
Who Should Avoid Moxibustion?
People with Suppurating Sores
If a wound is already infected and suppurating, moxibustion should not be performed, as it may worsen redness, swelling, heat, and pain, and expand the infection area.
People with Exogenous High Fever or Infectious Diseases
For those with acute infections or contagious diseases, a clear diagnosis should be made followed by targeted treatment to avoid delaying therapy due to moxibustion, which could worsen the condition.
People Who Are Exhausted, Overly Hungry, Drunk, Overeaten, or Anxious
In these states, people may experience dizziness, chest tightness, breathing difficulties, or palpitations from moxibustion.
People with Yin Deficiency and Hyperactive Fire
This group may develop heat symptoms after moxibustion, such as dry mouth and tongue, flushed face, and tidal fever.
Infants, Young Children, and Pregnant Women’s Lumbar-Sacral and Lower Abdomen
Infants and young children have delicate skin that can easily blister from heat, and moxibustion smoke may affect their respiratory system. Pregnant women’s lumbar-sacral and lower abdominal areas should avoid moxibustion to prevent stimulating uterine contractions.
Moxibustion Precautions: What to Note
Before Moxibustion
- Avoid undergoing moxibustion when hungry, overly full, excessively stressed, after drinking alcohol, with a fever (body temperature over 38°C) on the same day, or when extremely fatigued.
- If you are pregnant or have any special health conditions, please inform the medical staff in advance.
- It’s recommended to urinate first, wear loose clothing, and rest for 5 minutes before the session to relax your body and mind for better treatment results.
During Moxibustion
- Maintain your most comfortable position. If mobility is limited, have a family member accompany you. If you need to change positions, inform the medical staff.
- A warm sensation or tolerable burning feeling during treatment is normal. If it becomes unbearable, inform the medical staff immediately.
- If you experience other discomforts during treatment, such as dizziness, chest tightness, shortness of breath, or palpitations, inform the medical staff right away.
After Moxibustion
- Mild skin redness after moxibustion is normal and usually fades on its own without special treatment.
- If small blisters (moxibustion sores) appear after treatment, this is also normal. You can apply Purple Cloud Ointment (not for G6PD deficiency patients) or Vaseline.
- If the skin feels itchy after moxibustion, avoid scratching to prevent skin damage and infection.
- Pay attention to your diet: avoid raw or cold fruits, greasy foods, and alcohol. Also, steer clear of cold winds and be cautious with sexual activity.
- If you experience fever, bitter taste in mouth, or dry throat after moxibustion, drink plenty of warm water and resume moxibustion after two days.
Moxibustion FAQs
What’s the Difference Between Moxibustion, Heavenly Moxibustion, and Acupuncture?
Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves needle techniques and moxibustion methods, which can be used together or separately. Needle techniques use various metal needles inserted into acupoints with different manipulation methods to treat illnesses.
Moxibustion
This method uses ignited moxa sticks or cones to fumigate and heat acupoints for treatment.
Heavenly Moxibustion
A type of moxibustion, it’s a time-specific therapy in Chinese medicine. On specific days in summer and winter, herbal pastes are applied to particular acupoints on the body, allowing the medicinal properties to reach the organs through meridians, balancing yin and yang to prevent and treat diseases.
How Long Does Each Moxibustion Session Take? How Often Should It Be Done?
Sessions generally last 10-30 minutes, depending on the number of applications and the treatment area. If you experience fever, bitter taste, or dry throat the next day, pause for one day; otherwise, continue. If you feel tired two days after, rest 1-2 days before resuming. If blisters appear at the site, it’s advisable to stop.
Does Moxibustion Have Side Effects?
After moxibustion, you might experience dry mouth or bitterness, which are heat-related symptoms. These usually subside naturally after pausing for a day and drinking more warm water. Local redness doesn’t need treatment and will fade. For small moxibustion sores, keep the area clean. If blisters form, avoid popping them; minor ones dry and heal in a few days. Larger blisters that burst from friction can be disinfected with iodine or saline, then covered with a dressing, or seek help from a clinic.
Where Can I Get Moxibustion in Hong Kong?
Most Chinese medicine clinics in Hong Kong offer moxibustion services.
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