Moxibustion, called “moxa” for short, is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) healing modality. It has been used for thousands of years, usually in partnership with acupuncture, to promote a balanced flow of energy (Qi) through the body’s 12 meridians. Instead of needles or pressure that activate certain meridians or pressure points, moxa implements the combination of heat and the properties of an herb called mugwort.

The Benefits Of Moxibustion Explained

The body’s meridians and the flow of life force/energy that moves through those meridians form the foundation of TCM. When energy flow is blocked, lethargic, or too fast, we are more prone to illness and disease. An excess of cold or heat in the body also causes problems, which moxibustion can address. Poor or imbalanced energy flow affects every aspect of our health, including the mental and emotional. TCM understands that all things are connected, so balance, equanimity, and homeostasis are the primary goals of TCM healing modalities.

Most people are familiar with acupuncture, a form of pain-free healing and wellness maintenance, using small needles that are inserted at specific points along the meridians. Moxa works in alignment with acupuncture. However, instead of needles, we use small, dried bundles of mugwort (artemisia) that are lit to a smoldering heat point. The resulting heat and mugwort smoke warms and loosens frozen or blocked points while detoxing the body at that same time.

What Will I Feel During A Moxibustion Treatment?

There are two different types of moxibustion: direct and indirect. With the direct method, we place mugwort cones directly on your skin at specific locations. The cones are lit similarly to incense - smoldering smoke, rather than flame - and left in place. Patients feel a warm sensation - never burning - under the cones, and we leave them to burn for a while, removing them before the heat is too intense. Most patients feel a warmth that blooms and travels along the pathway we’re treating - physical proof of moxibustion at work.

The indirect method leaves space between the patient and the moxa. This might mean burning moxa cones close to their bodies but not touching them or sometimes placing the moxa cone on top of an acupuncture needle - causing a more powerful warming and stimulation effect. Your acupuncture practitioner determines which is right for you based on your diagnosis and goals.

Why Mugwort For Moxibustion?

Before we move into the benefits of moxibustion, we want to shine the spotlight on mugwort. Artemisia is a member of the daisy family. It has a long and robust history as a healing agent in cultures all around the world. Historically, mugwort has been used in tonics, teas, foods, tinctures, powders, and moxibustion-like practices. Today, physicians, nutritionists, and homeopaths often prescribe mugwort capsules or pills in order to relieve, support, or treat:

Digestive problems
Irregular menstruation
High blood pressure
Liver toxicity or disease
Anxiety or sleep issues

Creams and lotions continuing mugwort are also used by physicians, dermatologists, and estheticians to treat scars. This acknowledgment of moxibustion and mugwort’s healing properties by Western medicine has made it more acceptable - and more readily available - at acupuncture clinics around the nation.

Now, acupuncture and moxibustion are widely used to provide multiple health benefits, including reproductive and fertility support.

5 Benefits Of Moxibustion For Health & Fertility

The bullet point list above serves as good reference points as we move into five ways moxibustion can support you and your healthcare plan.

Digestive support

Digestive issues are typically rooted in two things: overall inflammation - frequently caused by unmanaged stress - and a diminished population of healthy gut flora and fauna. Lack of digestive flow causes a wide range of peripheral health issues, including malnourishment, fatigue, and compromised immunity.

The combination of moxa, acupuncture, and nutritional support (using nutrient-dense bone broths and supplements), greatly reduces and can completely eliminate digestive discomfort, including chronic diarrhea or constipation. It is regularly used to treat patients with Crohn’s and other forms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Regulating irregular menstrual cycles

Irregular menstruation is never normal and almost always means there is some type of hormonal imbalance at work. This could mean excess androgens (male hormones) common for women with PCOS, high estrogen levels, or blood sugar imbalances that throw insulin and other hormones out of whack. In addition, irregular menstruation means irregular ovulation, which negatively impacts fertility.

We work with patients using lifestyle changes, regular acupuncture, and moxibustion to restore energetic flow, allowing the body to rest and calibrate hormone production. As a result, many patients experience regular menstrual cycles within a few months of treatments.

Pain reduction (especially due to inflammation or arthritis)

Patients with joint pain or athletic injuries, as well as those with arthritis, find regular moxibustion treatments to relieve pain. In many cases, moxibustion for pain relief means greatly reducing medication doses or staying off pain relievers entirely for long periods of time (or for good).

If you seek acupuncture or moxibustion for pain management, we may also recommend adding an acupressure massage to your treatment package at certain intervals.

Improved ovarian function

Studies have shown that the warming properties, in addition to increased circulation and energy flow, also support better ovary function. An article published in the National Library of Medicine states, “Modern medical research suggests that moxibustion can improve ovarian function by inhibiting apoptotic events of naturally aging ovaries and enhancing antioxidant defense ability.

Improved circulation and blood flow to, in, and around the reproductive organs support regulated menstrual cycles and healthier eggs, which improve fertility chances both with or without assisted reproductive technology.

Turns breech babies around

Moxibustion is proven to help breech babies turn around and load into the birth channel in the right position. This is a huge relief for many women, supporting their goals for natural labor and delivery, delivery free of interventions, or home birth.

Add Moxibustion To Your Plan For Wellbeing

Are you interested in learning more about how moxibustion can support your health and well-being? Are you seeking acupuncture for fertility treatments and curious about whether moxa can help? Schedule a consultation with Mitchell Family Acupuncture. We create personalized acupuncture and moxa schedules designed to restore balance, health, and well-being in your body - and to support fertility health.