The effectiveness of direct moxibustion is most dramatically seen when employed on depressions or with indurations.
The use of moxa we can see that it can produce the same or similar effects that needles do. It is also better in blood deficient, blood stasis or anemic patients than needles.
Heat or and suppurate are also caused by nutritive ki (blood) deficiency. This should be performed as a Dispersion and Tonification technique (distal points).
Okyu use pure moxa is the dried with light yellow leaf of the mugwort plant. (60 degrees C is the acceptable temperature by experienced practitioner.)
'Dirty' moxa is too bulky to roll into the tiny size moxa threads and also burns too hot thus. coarse moxa
Generally the use of the Ibuki(indirect) moxa for home therapy. Chosei kyu
coarse moxa
Chosei Kyu
Rolling
Roll a small piece of moxa between your thumb and forefinger making a soft, thin roll. Don't compress the moxa but mold it to the proper shape and size. rolling moxa
The moxa should be loose but well formed. A tighter roll burns too hot.
Generally the sizes of the moxa used should be: Half rice size, Sesame size, Thread size. 3 size of Moxa pole
The moxa should stand upright. Break off a piece about 2-3 mm's long. It should taper at both ends and not have a jagged edge or be pyramidal in shape. cut the rolled moxa
It helps to moisten the point very slightly with water or place a very thin film of Shiunko on the point. It is not good manner to use saliva. water for placing moxaShiunko for placing moxa
Don't push the moxa thread down onto the skin, that action will compress the moxa. Place the moxa softly
If your fingers get too sweaty, try using incense ash to dry them. dry up finger by ash
Generally with the direct kind of moxa 3 - 7x is enough.
There are exceptions to this if the patient does not feel the heat, keep burning until the patient feels the heat, then 3-7x.
Do not keep increasing the size of the moxa until the patient feels it. The moxa should always be tiny, half rice to thread size
Supplementation Technique
Use a smaller piece of moxa to minimize sharp stimulation; use a softer roll so it will burn at a lower temperature; leave ash on the point; use more moxa threads on fewer points.
It is also important very light stimulation with rhythmical heat. This calming effect is therapeutically valuable. rhythmical moxa
For a boil with lots of heat or a sprain, One piece should be burned at a number of spots around them. This should be performed as a dispersion technique and so the moxa should be tightly twisted. Sprain Boil
Use a larger piece for more stimulation and a harder roll for a hotter temperature, blow on the moxa when it is burning, remove the ash each time, use fewer moxa threads on more points.
One should select and treat points from the distal area for Supplementation.
Boil
Sprain
Palpation DX. for Moxa
Press the patient's skin to locate depressions or with indurations that should be used as tonification points.
When burning moxa on these points the patient should feel a comfortable heat soaking into them. If the moxa is not exactly on the acupuncture point for Moxibustion then it will just feel hot.
Techniques to control the heat and sensation (1)
1. To lower the temperature and stimulation, use a thinner, softer, drywell and pure moxa threat which has a tapered top and bottom.
2. Place your thumb and forefinger to either side of the moxa threat. This action lowers the temperature by decreasing the oxygen supply to the burning moxa and allows your fingers to absorb some of the heat. heat control
3. The fingers pressing down into the patient's skin also function to distract the patient form the heat. heat control by pressing
4. You can also use bamboo pressed down on the skin over the moxa to distract the patient. Anything that is cylindrical and hollow will do. heat control by bamboo and cylindrical tube
5. If you thought numbers 2 and 3 don't help, snuff the moxa between your thumb and forefinger. snuff the moxa
6. These techniques are primarily for the first moxa thread; usually you can build the other threads on the ash in order to lower the temperature.
Patients can be instructed on how to roll moxa between two thick rectangular pieces of stiff paper or cardboard so that they can treat themselves at home. rolling with corkrolling with plate
Generally one tries not to scar, this is important because it is believed that just as scars obstruct the flow of ki. Of course in certain severe chronic cases, a small amount of scarring will occur with extended use. moxa scars
Prevention of Burning and Scarring
This technique is usually seen as being more tonifying since the less the patient feels the heat the more tonifying.
Conversely removing the ashes and letting the moxa burn down to the skin might be more dispersive.
Precautions
Explain direct moxa procedure and that in scarring direct moxa a scar forms. For example, in treating patients with cancer, pneumonia, or chronic sciatica, Okyu can be effective, but 100-200 moxa threads may have to burned in a treatment, so a scar is unavoidable.
Use an anti-inflammation cream if a big blister forms after the moxa treatment.
Contraindications for the Use of Moxa
In children, one generally shouldn't let the moxa burn down to the skin.
Generally burning moxa on the face is not recommended because of the risk of scarring and too sensitive.
Copyright 2006 CULIA KI CLINIC INC. All rights reserved
Copyright 2006 CULIA KI CLINIC INC. All rights reserved
