Services
Moxibustion
Moxibustion warms a point with burning mugwort, held near the skin and never on it. The warmth is gentle and the smoke is light.
People often ask for it on cold, damp days or when they feel chilled and stiff, and some prefer it to needles. Your acupuncturist may use a stick held above the skin or a small cone on a barrier, and never lets a flame near hair or fabric.
A visit, in order
A room with fresh air keeps the smoke light. If the smell bothers you, say so and we use a smokeless stick.
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Step 1: We talk and choose a point
Your acupuncturist asks how you feel the cold and the damp, and picks one or two places to warm.
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Step 2: You get comfortable
You lie down, dressed or draped, with the area uncovered and a window cracked.
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Step 3: The warmth
The stick or cone is held near the skin for a few minutes. Tell us right away if it feels too hot.
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Step 4: We check the skin
When it is out we look at the skin, put the moxa away and let you rest.
Tell us first
Say these before we begin
Say any of these when you book, and again in the room.
Pregnancy
If you are or might be pregnant, some points are not warmed and your acupuncturist explains why.
Less feeling in the skin
If an area is numb, you may not notice heat. Tell us and we keep a careful distance.
Smoke or scent sensitivity
Say so if smoke bothers your breathing. We can use a smokeless stick or skip moxibustion.
Breathing conditions
Tell us about asthma or other lung conditions before we begin.
Fragile skin
Thin, sunburned or healing skin is easy to hurt, so we plan around it.
Lymph nodes removed
If you have had lymph nodes removed, tell us and we avoid warming that side.
How many visits, and what this does not do
Moxibustion is often added to an acupuncture visit or a formula rather than booked alone. Your acupuncturist suggests a plan and looks at it again as you go.
What moxibustion does not do
It does not replace your doctor or your medicines, and we cannot promise a result. It is never used on a fever or on skin that is red, hot or broken.
When to see a doctor instead
See your doctor first for a burn, a fever, a cough that does not go away or pain that keeps getting worse. Call 911 for chest pain or trouble breathing.
Next step
Ask about moxibustion
Tell us how to reach you and when you are free. We call back to find a time.