By: Robyn Wilson, AP

As a health care professional I have a strong passion about the benefits of moxibustion. Having used it personally and with hundreds of patients for gynecological issues I know firsthand the benefits that it can offer physically and mentally.Have you ever thought what that smell is when you walk into an acupuncturist office? Well it is called Moxibustion. Moxibustion also called MOXA is the method of burning the herb Mugwort (Ai Ye) around, or above Acupuncture points to facilitate healing. The leaves of the Mugwort are usually dried in the sun, inely ground to a texture like wool or cotton, and then sifted until a fine, soft, and light green consistency is obtained. 
 Moxibustion has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years. In Western medicine, moxibustion has been successfully used to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position prior to childbirth. A landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found that up to 75% of women suffering from breech presentations before childbirth had fetuses that rotated to the normal position after receiving moxibustion at an acupuncture point on the Bladder meridian. 

Moxa can be rolled into balls, shaped into cones, or long rolls. The balls and cones can be burned directly on the skin, or indirectly on a medium (Salt, Garlic & Ginger Slices) in between the moxa and the skin. Small balls can also be used on the end of a needle using a technique called warming needle.

Research, for Mugwort (Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine by Clare Hanrahan) has shown that mugwort acts as an emmenagogue, meaning that it stimulates blood-flow in the pelvic area and uterus. It is claimed that moxibustion militates against cold and dampness in the body and can serve to turn breech babies 

There are many indications to use moxa and here are just a few:

As a health care professional I have a strong passion about the benefits of moxibustion. Having used it personally and with hundreds of patients for gynecological issues I know firsthand the benefits that it can offer physically and mentally.