Moxibustion is a type of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It involves burning the herb mugwort above the skin or on specific points called acupoints.
Moxibustion is an ancient Chinese therapy thought to support the qi or "life force" of the body. There are various types of moxibustion techniques. Most techniques seem to change the temperature and blood flow around the treatment area. This might help the body make chemicals that reduce swelling and pain.
People use moxibustion for hay fever, back pain, osteoarthritis, cancer, acne, HIV/AIDS, aging, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
Is It Effective?
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
- Hay fever. Using moxibustion alone or with acupuncture seems to reduce symptoms of hay fever in some people.
- Back pain. Using moxibustion alone or with other treatments might somewhat reduce back pain.
- Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea). Using moxibustion with or without acupuncture reduces pain in some people with painful periods.
- A long-term disorder of the large intestines that causes stomach pain (irritable bowel syndrome or IBS). Moxibustion seems to reduce symptoms of diarrhea in some people with IBS. It's not clear if it helps with constipation related to IBS.
- Osteoarthritis. Moxibustion seems to help reduce pain in people with knee osteoarthritis.
- Cancer. Adding moxibustion to cancer treatments doesn't seem to help treat cancer.
There is interest in using moxibustion for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Is it Safe?
Moxibustion is possibly safe when administered by a qualified practitioner. It's usually well-tolerated. Side effects might include itching, rash, dizziness, and fatigue.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy Moxibustion is possibly unsafe when used during pregnancy. It's been linked with premature birth and other serious side effects.
Breast-feeding There isn't enough reliable information to know if moxibustion is safe to use when breast-feeding. But there's no reason to expect safety concerns when used correctly.
Asthma: Some people with asthma find that the smoke from moxibustion makes breathing more difficult. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have asthma and are considering moxibustion.
It is not known if this treatment interacts with any medicines. Before using this treatment, talk with your health professional if you take any medications.
There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.
There are no known interactions with foods.
Moxibustion is a practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It involves burning a dried preparation of an herb, usually mugwort, just over the skin at certain points on the body. There are several different types of moxibustion, including indirect moxibustion, direct moxibustion, thunder-fire moxibustion, warm needle moxibustion/acupuncture, and electric moxibustion. Talk to your healthcare provider to learn more about how moxibustion is used for specific conditions.
Aconite Cake-Separated Moxibustion, Acu-Moxi, Acu-Moxibustion, Angelica-Cake Moxibustion, Bird-Pecking Moxibustion, Chinetsukyu (Japanese), Cake-Separated Mild-Warm Moxibustion, Cake-Separated Moxibustion, Circling Moxibustion, Cone Moxibustion, Cotton Sheet Moxibustion, Crude Herb Moxibustion, Direct Cone Moxibustion, Dogbi (ST35) & Sulan Moxibustion, Drug-Separated Moxibustion, Du-Moxibustion, Dynamic Moxibustion, Electric Heating Moxibustion, Electronic Moxibustion, Electrothermal Bian-Stone Moxibustion, Fu-Yang Moxibustion, Garlic Moxibustion, Ginger-Indirect Moxibustion, Ginger-Partitioned Moxibustion, Ginger-Salt-Partitioned Moxibustion, Ginger-Separated Moxibustion, Governor Moxibustion, Grain-Shaped Moxibustion, Hand Moxibustion, Hanging Moxibustion, Heat-Sensitive Moxibustion, Herb-Cake Separated Moxibustion, Herb-Partitioned Spread Moxibustion, Herbal-Moxa Moxibustion, Indirect Moxibustion, Infrared Laser Moxibustion, Isolated Moxibustion, Isolated-Herbal Moxibustion, Kyutoshin (Japanese), Laser Moxibustion, Long Snake Moxibustion, Medicated Thread Moxibustion, Medicated Threads Moxibustion of Zhuang Nationality, Mild Moxibustion, Mild-Warm Moxibustion, Monkshood Cake-Separated Mild-Warm Moxibustion, Moving Moxibustion, Moxa, Moxa-Cone Moxibustion, Moxa-Stick Moxibustion, Moxibustion Box, Okyu (Japanese), Panlong Moxibustion, Partition-Bran Moxibustion, Partition-Herb Moxibustion, Pecking Moxibustion, Rice-Sized Direct Moxa, Snake Moxibustion, Solar-Term Moxibustion, Sparrow-Pecking Moxibustion, Substance-Partitioned Moxibustion, Suspended Moxibustion, Thin Cotton Moxibustion, Thunder-Fire Moxibustion, Tortoise-Shell Moxibustion, Traditional Box Moxibustion, Warm-Needle Moxibustion, Warming Moxibustion, Warming Needle Moxibustion , Warming-Cup Moxibustion, Zhuang Medicated Thread Moxibustion.
Information on this website is for informational use only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While evidence-based, it is not guaranteed to be error-free and is not intended to meet any particular user’s needs or requirements or to cover all possible uses, safety concerns, interactions, outcomes, or adverse effects. Always check with your doctor or other medical professional before making healthcare decisions (including taking any medication) and do not delay or disregard seeking medical advice or treatment based on any information displayed on this website.
© TRC Healthcare 2024. All rights reserved. Use and/or distribution is permitted only pursuant to a valid license or other permission from TRC Healthcare.