8 things to avoid while using Moxibustion/Moxa
Moxibustion/Moxa is a heat therapy that warms the meridians and unblocks the collaterals, promotes qi and blood circulation, reduces swelling and dissipates stagnation, dispels dampness and cold, and treats various diseases.
Moxibustion is a wonderful therapy that can be easily incorporated into your routine, but caution should still be taken. Here are 8 things that you should be mindful of:
1. Avoid burns
During moxibustion, pay attention to the distance between the moxibustion sticks and the skin, the temperature should feel moderate and comfortable. If your skin feels too hot, adjust the distance of the moxibustion sticks from your skin as soon as possible to avoid scalding blisters.
2. People with skin diseases, ulcers, pus, or any kind of open wounds should not use moxibustion.
3. Children are not suitable for moxibustion.
Because children's skin is delicate, as well as the risk of not being able to maintain a fixed posture during moxibustion which may easily burn the skin, moxibustion is not suitable for children and younger.
4. Pregnant women should not use moxibustion.
Moxibustion is heavily connected to acupoint therapy, which can activate the blood, which a little carelessness can be harmful to the fetus. However, mugwort leaves itself has little effect on pregnant women, and can even play a role in preventing miscarriage. Mugwort leaves in moxibustion can also purify the air and play a role in sterilization and be antibacterial.
5. Moxibustion is not suitable for people who are full, hungry, overworked, drunk, and physically and mentally exhausted.
Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment is to regulate the qi in the meridians of the human body. When you are full, hungry, overworked, drunk, and physically and mentally exhausted, the qi in the meridians is often blocked or disordered, in which moxibustion will often not achieve good results.
6. Diabetic patients, those who are not sensitive to skin perception and peripheral perception, should not use moxibustion.
Diabetic patients generally have slow and numb peripheral nerve skin perception. If the temperature is too high during moxibustion, they will not be able to detect it, can easily cause burns, and the wound is not easy to heal.
7. People with Yang syndrome, Yin deficiency and hyperactivity of fire are not suitable for moxibustion, professional practice is required if need be.
8. Avoid fires
Since the moxa sticks are burnt subtly, if you forget to use the extinguishing plug after use, the moxa sticks could continue to burn undetected, which is a fire hazard. Beginners should remember to extinguish the fire correctly by enclosing the moxa stick in an oxygen-free container or use a moxibustion extinguisher.
