The Effects of Moxibustion: How It Works for Disease Healing

Often used together with acupuncture, moxibustion is a method for both prevention and disease healing in traditional Chinese medicine. Moxibustion can be used to warm meridians and remove cold factors. According to Chinese medicine, pathogenic factors such as cold and heat can cause abnormal flow of qi and blood in the body, which may lead to all kinds of diseases such as arthritis. For example, cold can cause slow flow or even stagnation of qi, which is one of the main reasons of pain. Moxibustion can help remove the stagnation of qi and the blood through warming up qi, and relieve pain and other ailments.

According to the most important traditional Chinese medicine classic Miraculous Pivot of The Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic, “If stagnation of the blood in the vessels cannot be treated by warming-up using moxibustion, then it cannot be treated by acupuncture, either.” Moxibustion has better effects than acupuncture on warming up the meridians and promoting blood circulation. This is why it has good effects in treating diseases caused by cold or dampness.

The most important effect of moxibustion is that it can help improve the smooth flow of qi and the blood. For example, moxibustion can be applied at the acupuncture point Yongquan (KI 1) at the bottom of the feet to treat disorders such as hypertension, when yang qi flows upward abnormally. On the other hand, moxibustion applied at the acupuncture point Baihui (DU 20) on the top of the head can help yang qi to flow upward normally, and treat disorders such as prolonged diarrhea.

According to Chinese medicine, there are different types of qi, such as yin and yang types of qi. The yang type of qi is one of the essential materials that build up the foundation of the human body. Sufficient yang qi is essential for a healthy life. The disorder of yang qi can lead to cold, deficiency or even exhaustion of the essential qi. Such severe situation sometimes may cause coma. In these cases, moxibustion can be applied to reinforce yang qi and stop the collapse. As it was said in The Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic, “in conditions of the deficiency of both yin and yang, moxibustion should be used.”

Moxibustion has been used as an important method for disease healing and health promotion for thousands of years. In locations where it is cold and damp and raining all year long, performing moxibustion at some acupuncture points frequently can help prevent sores or boils, as well as infectious diseases. Both historical and current clinical experiences have proven that moxibustion is not only a very effective, but also a convenient method in preventing diseases and improving health.