Moxibustion

What Is Moxibustion?
A Warm Spark for Your Body’s Healing Fire

Moxibustion — often lovingly called moxa — is a deeply nourishing therapy rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It uses the slow-burning heat of dried mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) to warm specific acupuncture points on the body. Though gentle, this heat reaches deep into the tissues, invigorating circulation and rekindling the body’s internal fire when it feels depleted.

Many people describe moxa as feeling like sun on their skin — steady, soothing, and deeply grounding. Whether you're recovering from illness, feeling the effects of cold weather, or simply feeling run down, moxa offers a subtle but powerful way to bring warmth and vitality back into your system.

What Moxibustion Can Help With:

• Cold hands and feet

• Menstrual cramps or abdominal pain

• Fatigue or low energy

• Joint stiffness or chronic muscle tension

• Poor digestion or loose stools

• Weak immunity or slow recovery after illness

A Traditional View: Warming the Yang, Moving the Qi

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, moxa is known for its ability to tonify Yang (the warming, activating energy of the body), dispel Cold and Dampness, and move stagnant Qi and Blood. When Cold settles into the body — whether from the weather or internal depletion — it can cause stiffness, pain, fatigue and even slow digestion. That’s because your digestive system relies on internal warmth — often referred to as your "digestive fire" — to transform food into energy. Without enough warmth, this process weakens, leading to symptoms like bloating, loose stools, or a sluggish metabolism. Moxibustion, with its deep, penetrating heat, helps rekindle that internal fire, making it a powerful ally in restoring digestive strength, which is great for soothing IBS symptoms. Moxa gently counteracts the cold by warming the channels, improving circulation, and unblocking energetic stagnation.

Just as we dress warmly to protect ourselves in winter, moxa is a way to warm from within — restoring movement, clarity, and strength to the system. It’s especially helpful during seasonal transitions, menstruation, postpartum recovery, or anytime we feel vulnerable or “chilled to the bone.”

How It Works: The Science Behind the Warmth

Modern research is beginning to validate what Chinese medicine has known for centuries: moxibustion can positively influence many systems in the body, especially when it comes to inflammation, immunity, and circulation.

• Improves Circulation: Moxa raises local skin temperature and boosts microcirculation, helping to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues more effectively. It increases nitric oxide, a key molecule involved in blood vessel dilation and healing.
  (Chiu, 2013; Wang et al.)

• Reduces Inflammation: Moxa has been shown to modulate cytokines, reduce inflammatory markers, and regulate immune responses. It’s even been studied in conditions like arthritis, low back pain, and ulcerative colitis.
  (Zhao et al., 2023; Zhong et al., 2021; Sun et al., 2022)

• Supports Digestion and Gut Health: By warming the abdomen and stimulating points along the Spleen and Stomach meridians, moxa can help regulate digestion, particularly in those prone to loose stools or bloating. Research shows it can even influence gut microbiota and intestinal immune responses.
  (Zhang et al., 2021; Fu et al., 2023)

• Strengthens Immunity: Moxa activates key immune pathways and may help shorten recovery time or prevent recurring illness. Some studies have looked at its role in autoimmune conditions as well.
  (Liu et al., 2020; Zhong et al., 2021)

Moxa works through the skin — which isn’t just a passive barrier. The skin is rich in sensory and immune receptors and shares an embryological origin with the brain. In this way, heat applied to the skin doesn’t just warm the surface — it sends signals deep into the body. If you're curious to explore how the skin acts as a “third brain,” click here to read more.

My Approach at Bodyssey

To me, moxibustion is more than a technique — it’s an invitation to nourish, slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with your body’s internal rhythm. I often pair moxa with acupuncture during treatments when your body is cold, depleted, or needs a gentle boost. It’s a beautiful ally during the winter months, hormonal transitions, or when your energy just doesn’t feel like your own.

Whether you’re looking to reduce pain, IBS symptoms, build resilience, or simply feel more centered and warm in your body, moxa is a gentle but powerful therapy to support your journey.

References:

1. Chiu, J. H. (2013). How does moxibustion possibly work? Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013

2. Lee, M. S., Choi, T.-Y., Kang, J. W., Lee, B.-J., & Ernst, E. (2010). Moxibustion for Treating Pain: A Systematic Review. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 38(05), 829–838.

3. Zhang, H., Yang, S., Jiang, Y., Chen, R., & Zhu, X. (2021). Moxibustion modulates gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal immunity in a rat model of ulcerative colitis. World Journal of Gastroenterology

4. Wang Z., Xu M., Shi Z., Bao C., Liu H., Zhou C., Yan Y., Wang C., Li G., Zhang W., Gao A., & Wu H. Mild moxibustion for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS‑D): A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies.

5. Fu L., Duan H., Cai Y., Chen X., Zou B., Yuan L., & Liu G. (2023). Moxibustion ameliorates osteoarthritis by regulating gut microbiota via impacting cAMP‑related signaling pathway. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 170, 116031.

6. Liu LY, Li XJ, Wei W, Guo XL, Zhu LH, Gao FF, Liang FR, Yu SY, Yang J. Moxibustion for Patients with Primary Dysmenorrhea at Different Intervention Time Points: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Pain Res. 2020 Oct 19.

7. Zhong Y., Lai D., Zhang L., Lu W., Shang Y., Zhou H., et al. (2021). The effects of moxibustion on PD‑1/PD‑L1‑related molecular expression and inflammatory cytokine levels in rheumatoid arthritis rats. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021, Article 6658946

8. Zhao Z, Li J, Wen J, He Y, Sun Z. Effect of Moxibustion on Inflammatory Cytokines for Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2023 Oct 18

9. hen S., Liu W., Liang C., Liu H., Wang P., & Fu Q. (2025). Efficacy and safety of moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta‑analysis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 59, 101979