Guidelines for using moxibustion at home
Moxibustion therapy is an integral part of Chinese Medicine that uses the mugwort (Ai Ye) plant. It is used in a variety of condensed forms as a source of heat to stimulate acupuncture points.
These guidelines for using moxibustion (moxa) at home are applicable to a rolled moxa stick to ensure easy use.
Before using moxa ensure you have:
A lighter, candle or matches for igniting the moxa
Ceramic or glass dish for ash
A glass screw-top jar to extinguish moxa when the treatment is finished or a moxa extinguisher
Reasonable ventilation.
How to use a moxa stick
Light one end with your ignition device. If you are using smokeless moxa it may take several minutes to light.
Hold the lit end of the stick over the area that is being treated at a distance of at least two to three centimetres to ensure that skin contact does not occur.
Hold the moxa stick over the area that requires treatment until it feels pleasantly warm. When it feels uncomfortably hot, move the moxa stick a short distance away. Repeat. Hold the stick like a pen between thumb and forefinger and use in a pecking motion.
Your practitioner may advise other application techniques depending on the area of the body and the intention of the treatment.
Continue to warm the acupuncture point or area for the prescribed amount of time. Usually between two to three minutes per point. If there is pain or discomfort, stop the treatment. It should feel pleasant and soothing.
At the end of the treatment place the moxa stick into a glass jar and screw the lid on firmly to ensure that no oxygen is getting into the jar thus extinguishing the stick. You can also gently extinguish the moxa stick in sand. Do not use water. The moxa stick can then be re-lit for repeated treatments.
Things to consider when using moxa at home
If you believe the moxa is no longer heating hold it about two to three centimetres away from the back of your hand to confirm and re-light if required.
Never touch the lit end of the moxa stick even if it is no longer glowing.
Ash that forms when using moxa can be gently brushed off using a rolling motion against the edge of the small dish, ensuring that the moxa stick remains hot. Do not tap the stick as it can cause cracks.
Using a moxa stick on particular acupuncture points should come under the guidance and prescription of a registered Acupuncturist.
