What is Moxa?

Moxa is short for Moxibustion, a very important part of acupuncture treatment Acupuncture in Chinese consists of two characters: Zheng Jiu. (Read: wikipedia's website for more description). The first character, Zheng, means needle and the second one, Jiu, means moxibustion.

Moxibustion is an oriental medicine therapy utilizing moxa, or mugwort herb. After aging the mugwort leaves, manufacturers grind it up to a fluffy material for medical treatments.

How is Moxa used in Oriental Medicine?

In general Moxa is used either directly or indirectly:

• a) Moxa sticks - These are mugwort leaves rolled into sticks for heating a few inches away from skin. They can come in either smoky or non-smoky forms. The latter looks like a cigar. This is called indirect moxa.
• b) Direct moxa uses moxa cones and burned on top of needles, or on the ointment , salt, or a ginger slice right on patients' skin.
• c) Thread moxa, a.k.a. okyu moxa, threads cotton like moxa into tiny threads in 3mm height and burn them down with an incense stick alongside the acupuncture needle. The effect is immediate and works directly with the needle to affect the energy invoked.
• d) Warming needle moxa, a.k.a. kyutoshin moxa, rolls cotton like moxa into small balls and hangs them on top of the acupuncture needles. It creates soothing and warming effect to move the energy.

Why use Moxa?

The special texture of moxa allows heat transfer evenly, slowly and deeply. This permits a penetrating effect of a low-grade heat to warm regions and acupuncture points intended. Practitioners use this heating method to stimulate energy flows throughout the whole body. Moxibustion brings warmth to our self-healing power in fighting against cold and dampness in the body.

Do westerners use Moxa, too?

In America, some peoples regard mugwort as a sacred plant of divination and spiritual healing, as well as a panacea. Europeans placed sprigs of mugwort under pillows to provoke dreams; and the herb had associations with the practice of magic in Anglo-Saxon times.

What kind of moxa does Kiiko Acupuncture Stylists use most often?

Okyu or thread moxa. This only uses the most refined and purest form of moxa. The moxa is rolled into tiny thin threads by hands. The purest form of moxa allows the transmission of heat in the most effective way in penetration into the deepest level of body. Since the area of skin okyu moxa touches is very limited, about 1mm to 2mm in diameter, affected area can feel like a mosquito sting when the heat came burning down.

How is okyu moxa applied?

This is best described in a sequence:

Step one . A thin layer of shunko cream was applied on the skin near the acu- point where a needle has been or is to be inserted. (If you want to know how to prepare for the shunko cream, check this site shunko cream for descriptions.)

Step two. A 2mm thread moxa is applied on top of the salve.

Step three. A burning stick of incense heats up the tip of thread moxa.

Step four. Acupuncturist watches the burning of thread moxa until it completely burns out in 1 to 2 seconds. The practitioner may want to extinguish the moxa in case the patient feels too hot.

Step five. Repeat the process over and over until the patient can feel the heat, skin turning pink, or the pain goes away depending on the case.