What is moxibustion?
“ For a disease of seven years, seek three year old moxa”.
Moxibustion is part of acupuncture therapy. It is a form of cauterization and was a development following the controlled use of fire. The word moxa derives from a Dutch transliteration of the Japanese words ‘moxgusa,’ which basically means to burn a herb. The use of the moxa plant (Artemsia Vulgaris) as the principal substance of combustion dates from the late Chou period. This plant is referred to in the book ‘Mencius’ (290 B.C.E.): “ For a disease of seven years, seek three year old moxa.”
During the Jin (265-280 C.E.) and Tang (618-907 C.E.) periods, an indirect method of cauterization was developed. In the Tang Classic, “Thousand Ducat Prescriptions”, various methods are discussed including placement of the moxa on top of a wafer of another material such as garlic, ginger, soybean, beeswax, salt, and igniting it.
Moxibustion is used to treat musculoskeletal disorders such as bruises, sprains, tendonitis; it has anti-inflammatory actions for arthritis; and immune modulating effects in lupus, airborne allergies,etc.
The use of the moxa plant (Artemsia Vulgaris) as the principal substance of Moxibustion dates from the late Chou period. Moxibustion is part of acupuncture therapy and is used to treat musculoskeletal disorders (bruises, sprains, tendonitis); it has anti-inflammatory actions for arthritis as well as immune modulating effects for lupus and airborne allergies.
