Μοxa (thermotherapy)
This method is a very important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and it is very often combined with acupuncture.
It has been used for over 2000 years (in Japan it is a treatment of its own) and is widely used in acupuncture clinics around the world.
A taoistic text of medical content recommends using thermotherapy in cases where acupuncture and herbs have failed (1575 A.D)
Burning the plant atremisia bulgaris (moxa) we produce localized and focused heat on the acupuncture points that we have selected and we activate specific areas of the body that function as energy reserves (e.g. kidneys –lower back / spleen - stomach). The plant has been elaborated so that it could be used in various forms- pulverized or in the shape of a cigar.
It has been shown that with this process, the heat penetrates in deeper levels of the body and enhances the function of our organs and immune system.
Moxa can disseminate the cold that has penetrated the body, can move the energy where it has "stagnated" and can stop the pain of various causes such as
rheumatisms
cramps from premenstrual syndrome
muscle grips
stomach cramps
Additionally, the application of thermotherapy with the use of moxa as a complementary treatment reduces diarrhea, asthma and bleeding during menstruation.
In 1998 a study was made to pregnant women whose fetuses remained in an upright position during the last months of their pregnancy. The study showed that with the use of thermotherapy on a specific point, 75 % of the women had their fetuses turned upside down, to their correct position inside the uterus (journal of American Medical Association).
In 1998 a study was made to pregnant women whose fetuses remained in an upright position during the last months of their pregnancy. The study showed that with the use of thermotherapy on a specific point, 75 % of the women had their fetuses turned upside down, to their correct position inside the uterus (journal of American Medical Association).
See also: Moxa in the battle against tuberculosis in Africa.
www.moxafrica.org
Also see more Additional Techniques: