Moxibustion is an ancient treatment modality in Traditional Chinese Medicine in which herbal moxa sticks or cones made of herbs such as mugwort or ginger are burnt in containers which are then place over acupoints to produce a warm sensation and moxa smoke over the acupoints.

In fact, the term Zhenjiu (针灸) which generally has been referred to as just acupuncture today is actually referring to a combination of acupuncture (Zhen 针) and moxibustion (Jiu 灸). Hence acupuncture today is often misconstrued as a medical practice that only uses needles to cope with diseases.

Benefits of Moxibustion according to TCM

TCM theory states that moxibustion has a dual effect of tonification and cleansing.

But moxibustion efficacy is inclined to warming and nourishing. Therefore, moxibustion is often applied in deficiency-cold syndrome such as weakness, fatigue, coldness in extremities, warming Yang, tonify qi, nurture blood, relieve depletion.

Moxibustion also helps to promote circulation of qi and blood in meridians, clearing and dissolving stasis, hence helping in relieving pain.

Moxibustion can also purge heat, detox and draws out poisons, reduce phlegm, eliminate stagnation, remove wind, dispel dampness.

Benefits of Moxibustion according to Science

The thermal effect from moxibustion can promote blood circulation and improve cell and enzyme activities.

Also, the thermal stimulation of moxibustion affects both shallow and deep tissues of the skin, and the warming effects of moxibustion have a close relation to the warm receptors and the polymodal receptors of the body.

Moxibustion can lead to vasoconstriction at the burning point while vasodilatation around the point and increase peripheral arterial blood flow and microvascular permeability.

Moxibustion can have effect on all major physiological systems in the body especially in the fields of analgesic, enhancing immunity and antiaging.

The energy generated from moxibustion passes through the nerve-humoral system and can provide the activation for the pathological cells lacking energy and then further adjust the body's immune and neurological functions.