Moxibustion (commonly known as moxa) is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves burning dried mugwort, a type of herb. The heat produced from burning moxa is applied to specific acupuncture points, and it is believed to help promote the flow of Qi (energy) throughout the body. Moxa can be applied using both direct and indirect methods:
Direct Moxibustion involves placing moxa cones on the skin or atop acupuncture needles to generate heat directly.
Indirect Moxibustion uses moxa tools, such as moxa sticks, to warm a general body area without direct contact. Heat lamps are a modern alternative, but many believe the burning herb has unique healing properties.
Common Issues Where Moxa is Used:
Gastrointestinal issues
Menstrual cramps
Arthritis and other forms of pain
Urinary incontinence
Fatigue
Cold and flu prevention
Asthma
Eczema
Research on Moxa for Various Conditions:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): According to the Guts Charity (2023), IBS affects approximately 1 in 20 people in the UK. Symptoms can include gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhoea. In a 2009 study by Joyce et al., the effects of moxa and acupuncture on IBS were examined. After four weeks of treatment (two sessions per week), patients reported significant improvements in daily abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, gas, and stool consistency compared to a control group.
Menopause: Menopause often comes with symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, and weight gain. Shen et al. (2018) explored the effectiveness of mild moxibustion on pre-and post-menopausal women. The study showed that moxa significantly improved physical conditions, living quality, and emotional well-being compared to a control group. Additionally, moxa was found to elevate serum estradiol levels, a hormone vital for bone health, fat distribution, and overall well-being, particularly in pre-menopausal women.
Pain: Lee et al. (2010) conducted a systematic review with 14 databases for clinical trials. They focused only on high-quality studies that tested moxibustion alone on patients with pain. Of all the research they found, only four studies met the criteria. Two of these studies showed that moxibustion helped reduce pain from osteoarthritis compared to regular drug treatments. The other two trials found that moxibustion may also help with pain caused by scleroma (a type of hard tissue) and herpes zoster (shingles).
Dysmenorrhoea (painful periods): Moxibustion has been widely used to treat primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods) through thermal, thunderfire, partitioned, and spreading moxibustion. It works through four main mechanisms: heat, light, moxa smoke, and the herbal effects of the moxa itself. Studies show that moxibustion helps regulate hormones, boost immune function, improve uterine blood flow, and affect neuro-related factors that help manage pain.
Neuroimaging studies suggest that moxibustion influences critical brain regions involved in pain regulation, emotions, and cognition, such as the anterior cingulate and inferior parietal angular gyrus.
Guts Charity, (2023). IBS Awareness Month. Guts UK Charity. [online] Available at: https://gutscharity.org.uk/2023/04/ibs-awareness-month-2023/
Joyce, M., Weaver, E., & Schumann, L., (2009). Symptom management for irritable bowel syndrome: A pilot randomised controlled trial of acupuncture and moxibustion. Gastroenterology Nursing, [online] 32(4), pp.243-250. Available at: https://journals.lww.com/gastroenterologynursing/abstract/2009/07000/symptom_management_for_irritable_bowel_syndrome__a.2.aspx
Lee, M.S., Choi, T.Y., Kang, J.W., Lee, B.J. and Ernst, E., (2010). Mechanisms of action of acupuncture for chronic pain: Peripheral and central effects. American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 38(03), pp.615-624. Available at: https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0192415X10008275
Pan, S., Wang, S., Li, J., Yuan, H., Xue, X., Liu, Y., & Yue, Z. (2022). Moxibustion as a Treatment for Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, [online] Available at: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/6864195
Shen, C., Zhang, J., Xia, X., Han, S., Wang, X. and Chen, X., (2018). Mild moxibustion for women with perimenopausal symptoms: A randomised, controlled trial. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, [online] Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5963741/
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