Moxibustion(灸法）
• 1)history of Moxibustion and it’s concept;
Acupuncture and moxibustion in chinese handwriting 针
灸(针，
needle;灸，久，
long; 火，
fire)。
• Originate from nuture fire
warmer stone
herb
burning which has history even more than
acupuncture(especially in north of china);Moxibustion is
the burning on the skin of herb moxa at acupuncture
point.The most popular materal for moxibustion is dried
leave of Artemisia Vulgaris(艾叶 mean common
artemisia).
艾
Moxa
艾
绒
back
艾
条
2)The popular method of using
it are:
• Moxa-stick（艾条灸）
• Moxa-cones（艾炷灸）
• Warming needle（温针灸）
Moxibustion with moxa
sticks（艾条灸）
----Ignite one end of the moxa stick and
put it over the selected point or
diseased part of the body.
• mild-warm moxibustion,
• sparrow-pecking moxibustion
• circling moxibustion.
----This method is easy to manipulate
and is well acceptable for the
patients,so it is more often used than
moxa cone .
back
Direct moxibustion（直接灸）
A moxa cone placed directly on the skin and
ignited is called directly moxibustion.
• Nonscarring moxibustion
Remove the cone and place another one
when the patient feels hot or pain .
No scar left on the skin.
• Scarring moxibustion
Ignite the cone until it completely burns out.
It will leave scar on the skin.
Indirect moxibustion（间接灸）
-----The ignited moxa cone is insulated from the
skin by a pad of medical substance.
-----Fresh ginger and garlic slices//3-5mm
• Moxibustion with ginger ---used for treating
vomiting, abdominal pain ,diarrhea due to
cold.
• Moxibustion with garlic ---used for treating
scrofula, the early stage of skin ulcer with
boils, poisonous insect bite.
• Moxibustion with salt---to restore yang from
collapse: excessive sweating, cold limbs and
undetectable pulse
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Moxibustion
with warming needle
温针法
• After the arrival of qi and with the
needle retained in the point in
proper depth, put the needle handle
into a moxa stick of 1-2cm long and
ignite the stick until it is burnt out.
• This method is suitable to treat
common diseases and to tonify the
body.
Warming needle
moxa
• 3)function of moxibustion:
A.Warming channel and expel cold exogenous factor or
pathogenic cold
So can treat the pain caused by cold
Like frozen shoulder(‘fifty years old shoulder”)
B. Promoting blood circulation,promoting immunity for disease
prevention
C.Charge the “Qi”,restore or nourish vital energy inside (yang qi)or
charge battery for anti-fatigue,hypotention and shock
Example:zusanli point(ST36) ,guanyuan (CV4)point ,shousanli(LI
10)
4).Usage range and it’s for bidden points.
Moxbustion is used to treat specific types of disease and applied over
the same body points(acupuncture points) as acupuncture
needles.but,some of the acupuncture points ,such as those points
around the eye,are forbidden to use warming needle.direct
moxibustion on face is forbidden.
Precautions of moxibustion
• 1.In general, on the abdominal region and
lumbosacral region of a pregnant woman are
not allowed to use moxibustion.
• 2.Scarring moxibustion should not be applied
to the face,the precardiac region,and the area
in the vicinity of the large blood vessels,and
on the regions of the tendons.
• For the patients with coma, numbness of the
extremities ,excessive dose of moxibustion is
not advisable.