Have you heard of moxa? Most patients who come to my clinic haven’t heard of it, but many know what it is after their first session.

Moxa or moxibustion is a form of heat therapy applied to acupuncture points on the body by burning a dried herb called mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). The modality is so important, it’s even part of the Mandarin word for acupuncture which is zhen jiu. Zhen means needle and jiu means moxa, so in fact half of the meaning of this therapy is moxa. It was lost in translation when acupuncture came to the United States in the 1980s. The word jiu is a compound character from two words, “time” and “fire.” The idea of moxa developed from time sitting around a fire and feeling the effects on the body. Within China, moxa has a history older than needling, with the first medical reference we have from the Mawangdui manuscripts from 168 BCE.

In the US, there is currently a greater emphasis on the use of needles while the therapeutic value of moxa is often overlooked. There are a great variety of application methods and moxa has many functions with some conditions that respond better to moxa than needles or medicinals. Moxa is especially useful in strengthening the immune system, alleviating diarrhea, constipation, shortening the duration of the common cold, allergies, insomnia, anxiety, menstrual cramps, joint pain, and back pain. Moxa can be used when the patient is too weak for needles or when herbal formulas cannot be digested. Moxa mildly stimulates the circulation of qi and blood which improves health and offers a sense of wellbeing.

In addition to offering moxa during treatment sessions, I also teach moxa classes so patients can continue their self care at home.