Moxibustion – A Traditional Path to Pain Relief

If you’ve ever visited Arogya, you may have heard us talking about Qi, the main principle in Chinese Medicine that governs the flow energy. Qi can be affected by everything from diet, sleeping patterns, the change of season, and your activity levels. One of the ancient ways to help move stagnant Qi is with a technique called Moxibustion.

Chinese Mugwort aka MoxibustionThis technique utilizes the healing herb Moxa, which is small and spongy in texture. Also known as Mugwort, this herb grows throughout North American, Europe, and Asia. In Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, we use a variety of Chinese Mugwort called Artemisia argyi.

When heated, Moxa helps to move stagnant energy and is an excellent remedy for people who have aches and pains caused by injury and arthritis. Moxa helps to increase circulation and lymphatic flow. Therefore, it can be naturally detoxifying and an effective treatment for pain relief.

The chemical composition of Moxa contains key components like camphor, which is prevalent in over-the-counter topical analgesic creams, and phenols, which are used in throat sprays. Moxa is also high in terpenes – anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving chemical compounds.

Forms of Moxibustion

At Arogya Holistic Healing, we offer a therapeutic variety of  Moxa. During the context of a healing session with Acupuncturist Gregor Bertram, he may use a technique called Indirect Moxibustion, where a cigar-shaped tube of moxa is lit and burned close to the acupuncture meridian. This treatment is known to help with muscle pain, digestive slowness, headaches, gynecological issues, and to build immunity against cold and flu symptoms. Moxa is also burned on a specific acupuncture point in prenatal sessions to assist in the turning of a breech baby.

A prominent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found that up to 75% of women suffering from breech presentations before childbirth had fetuses that rotated to the normal position after receiving moxibustion on this specific point.

To learn more about all of our herbal and therapeutic offerings, please visit www.arogya.net or call (203) 226-2682.

By Alyssa Crouse, LMT, photos by Chloe Bolton

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