Moxibustion Therapy
Moxibustion Melbourne
Moxibustion is an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It has traditionally been used in Eastern Medicine to help support the body and manage symptoms that relate to digestion, pregnancy, breech babies, infertility and gynaecological conditions.
After your initial consultation at The Which Doctor, we may suggest moxibustion as a treatment to best support your body. It can be used alone, or in combination with acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Contact The Which Doctor today to find out how moxibustion can help your health and wellbeing.
What Is Moxibustion?
Moxibustion comes in many different forms and has been used by TCM practitioners for thousands of years. Mugwort is a plant in the daisy family that is dried and ground into moxa sticks. These sticks are then lit with fire and held an inch from the skin to warm and invigorate any stagnant Qi (the body’s energy).
Moxibustion can be used with acupuncture to help support the body, mind and your overall wellbeing. As is the case with all TCM, your moxibustion practitioner will spend time understanding your lifestyle as a whole. They’ll ask questions about your sleep patterns, diet, menstruation and general wellbeing to get to the root cause of your pain or discomfort.
How Does Moxibustion Work?
According to TCM, Qi is the vital energy that everything is made up of – including the body. It’s important the Qi is balanced and flowing for the body to be free from physical or mental pain. Qi runs along different meridians which correspond to different parts of the body. When the Qi becomes stagnant or there’s a blockage, a person may feel pain, discomfort or other symptoms and impacts such as menstrual cramps or infertility.
Your TCM practitioner will heat the moxa stick and place it close to your skin, often at specific acupoints. The heat will penetrate into the point, releasing the Qi and aiding the body’s natural energy flow. It will also help to relax muscles and deep tension which will reduce the symptoms of stress. This will help to balance the body, minimising discomfort and promoting overall well-being.
What To Expect When Having Moxibustion
At The Which Doctor, we really take our time to understand the unique workings of your body. We treat the cause of your discomfort or concern, not the symptom. You can expect your TCM therapist to ask a number of questions about your lifestyle so that they can recommend the best treatment plan. This may include herbal medicine, cupping, acupuncture or a change in diet.
We also do everything we can to make the space as relaxing as possible. We want you to concentrate on your physical and overall wellbeing and make it a daily priority. During the moxibustion session, your practitioner will place lit moxa sticks at certain points on your body, depending on the best course of treatment for you. You can expect there to be a little smoke during the session.
Does Moxibustion Hurt?
Moxibustion is considered painless by the majority of people who experience it but some people may have adverse reactions. Depending on the type of moxibustion and individual skin sensitivities, minor burns may occur in very rare cases. At The Which Doctor we mainly used non contact moxibustion (not directly touching the skin), which reduces the risks of burns or adverse effects. We also ensure that we don’t leave lit moxibustion on a patient unattended.
What Conditions Can Moxibustion Support?
Moxibustion has been used for thousands of years to improve overall health and help to manage specific conditions. At The Which Doctor, we have a particular interest in women’s health and we often use moxibustion to help support conditions such as:
- Painful periods
- Infertility
- Hormone imbalances
- Urinary incontinence
- Breech presentation in late-term pregnancy
- Symptoms of menopause
In a more general sense, moxibustion can also help support with:
- Insomnia
- Stress relief
- Joint pain (often from arthritis)
- Digestive problems
- Circulation
What Is The Difference Between Moxibustion and Acupuncture?
Both moxibustion and acupuncture are common TCM treatments that are often used hand in hand with each other. The two help to improve overall wellbeing by invigorating stagnant Qi and balancing the body’s energy. Whilst moxibustion uses lit moxa sticks to gently heat an area on the skin to remove blockages, acupuncture is the practice of inserting very thin needles to do this. Moxibustion and acupuncture both help to improve blood flow, reduce stress, and relax muscles.
Your TCM practitioner may recommend both as the best treatment for you, or one or the other.
Why Choose The Which Doctor for Moxibustion in Melbourne?
At The Which Doctor, we have over 10 years of experience supporting women with their general health and wellbeing. We take our time to really understand the unique workings of your body and get to the root cause of your discomfort or concern. We don’t just treat the symptom. We’ll assess your lifestyle and recommend treatments that would best suit you.
As an experienced Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, I can combine moxibustion with acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping and Chinese diet therapy so that you can really see improvements in your overall health, happiness and well-being. Contact The Which Doctor today to see how moxibustion and TCM can help you.
