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Moxibustion

(Moxa) — What It Is

Moxibustion is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy that warms specific acupuncture points to move Qi and Blood, disperse cold, and support organ function. In practice, dried mugwort (moxa) is gently heated near or indirectly over points to deliver steady warmth and therapeutic infrared radiation to the tissues. Modern studies describe heat and infrared effects that can reach beyond the skin and help trigger the body’s repair responses.

How We Practice at Eastern Medicine Center

  • Smokeless moxa (clinic only). We primarily use low-smoke or smokeless moxa so you get the warmth without irritating smoke; rooms are ventilated and monitored for comfort. This method is especially useful for sore or tight muscles and to improve local circulation.  
  • Ginger-partitioned moxa at the navel (CV-8, Shenque) clinic only. For patients with “deficiency-cold” patterns (e.g., chronic loose stools/diarrhea, abdominal cold), we sometimes place a thick ginger slice over the umbilicus and warm moxa above it. CV-8 is not needled but is traditionally moxaed; clinical studies (including IBS-D) suggest symptom improvements with carefully dosed moxibustion.

Why It May Help

From a TCM perspective, moxa is chosen for patterns involving cold, deficiency, or stagnation. In modern research, signals of benefit have been reported for several conditions, we also help patients suffer from these conditions:

  • Breech presentation (malposition). Moderate-certainty evidence shows that moxa at BL-67, with routine care, probably reduces non-cephalic birth at delivery versus usual care alone (best between 33–36 weeks; always coordinate with OBKnee osteoarthritis. Systematic reviews and RCTs suggest pain and function improvements compared with some controls, though study quality varies.  
  • Irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea-predominant (IBS-D). Trials report relief of abdominal pain, distension, and stool frequency with moxa-based protocols. 
  • Primary dysmenorrhea. Emerging evidence (SRs/protocols) indicates reductions in menstrual pain; higher-quality trials are still needed. 

Important: For safety, our team stays with you during moxa to monitor heat and skin response. We do notrecommend home moxibustion.

Safety & Air Quality

Moxa is generally safe when performed by trained professionals, but burns and skin irritation can occur without proper supervision. Because burning moxa can raise indoor particulates and volatile compounds, professional settings use smokeless options and/or ventilation to reduce exposure. (We use smokeless moxa and ventilated rooms.) PMC+1PubMed

FAQ

Is it smokeless?

Yes—at our clinic we use smokeless moxa and ventilated rooms for comfort and air quality. PMCMDPI

We advise clinic-only treatment. Proper dosing and continuous monitoring help prevent burns and manage air quality, especially for chest/abdomen applications. PMC

CV-8 is traditionally moxaed (not needled) and is used for deficiency-cold patterns affecting the gut. Ginger acts as a protective medium and enhances warming—this protocol is practitioner-only. Master Tung’s Acupuncture | eLotus CORE

Evidence is strongest and most consistent for breech presentation (reducing non-cephalic birth when used with usual care). There’s promising but mixed evidence for knee osteoarthritis, IBS-D, and dysmenorrhea; more rigorous studies are underway.

Moxa is generally safe when performed by trained professionals, but burns and skin irritation can occur without proper supervision. Because burning moxa can raise indoor particulates and volatile compounds, professional settings use smokeless options and/or ventilation to reduce exposure. (We use smokeless moxa and ventilated rooms.) PMC+1PubMed

References

  1. Cardini F, Weixin H. Moxibustion for Correction of Breech Presentation: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA. 1998;280(18):1580–1584. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/188144
  2. Coyle ME, et al. Cephalic version by moxibustion for breech presentation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023;CD003928. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003928.pub4/full
  3. Choi TY, et al. Moxibustion for the treatment of osteoarthritis: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas. 2017;100:39–48. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28539175/
  4. Park JM, et al. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Moxibustion for Knee Osteoarthritis. J Acupunct Res. 2020;37(3):153–165. https://www.e-jar.org/journal/view.html?uid=2462
  5. Wang X, et al. Moxibustion for treating knee osteoarthritis: A protocol for overview of systematic reviews. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020;99(21):e20392. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7220301/
  6. Tang B, et al. Moxibustion for Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:4071260. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4884811/
  7. Wang Z, et al. Mild moxibustion for IBS-D: randomized placebo-controlled trial. J Ethnopharmacol. 2022;289:115068. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874122000988
  8. Song SW, Chen Y. Systematic review and meta-analysis of moxibustion for primary dysmenorrhea. 2025. PubMed PMID: 40046934. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40046934/
  9. Zhang J, et al. Analysis of infrared radiation emitted by moxibustion devices. 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11239693/
  10. Sun C, et al. The thermal performance of biological tissue under moxibustion. J Therm Biol. 2019;82:111–118. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306456518303115
  11. Solovchuk M, et al. Experimental and Numerical Study on the Temperature Distribution in Tissue under Indirect Moxibustion. Biomed Eng Online. 2020;19:16. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7071799/
  12. Mo F, et al. Characteristics of selected indoor air pollutants from moxibustion. Sci Total Environ. 2014;481:516–522. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24548885/
  13. Lu CY, et al. Controlling Indoor Air Pollution from Moxibustion. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:8016856. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4924069/
  14. Cochrane Plain Language Summary: Moxibustion for turning a breech baby. 2023. https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD003928_moxibustion-turning-baby-breech-position