How to Get Needle Moxa Technique

Needle moxibustion is a variation on the traditional technique. It involves placing small amounts of mugwort on the tips of acupuncture needles that are inserted into the appropriate meridian points along the body. The mugwort on top of the needles is then lit as in traditional moxibustion, allowing the heat to travel down the needle and radiate on the skin around the needle to stimulate the energy in that part of the body. Many acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners use the needle moxa technique in their practices. It is possible to get this technique in many cities around the world.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Acupuncturist

1. Visit a trained acupuncturist who uses moxibustion as part of her practice. This is not something you can try at home, as needle moxibustion requires specialized training to perform correctly.

2. Lie down on a table in the practitioner's office while she inserts acupuncture needles in the spots on your body that pertain to the condition you are trying to treat.

3. Be patient as the practitioner forms small, compact balls out of moxa powder and sticks these balls on the ends of the acupuncture needles that are sticking out of your body. The practitioner will then light the moxa powder on the needles, blowing out the flames to leave the balls smoking.

4. Continue to lie on the table as the moxa powder burns. You may feel a small amount of heat conducted through the needles into your skin, but this will be negligible. The main heat you will feel will be radiant heat from the moxa balls as they burn over the surface of your skin.

5. Wait as the practitioner removes the needles from your skin. Once they are all removed, avoid any cold drafts for the rest of the day, as these can counteract the beneficial effects of the needle moxibustion technique.

Tips & Warnings

• Call the local acupuncturists in your town to ask if they perform the needle moxa technique. As not all of them do, it is a good idea to find out before you make an appointment.
• While the degree of heat you get with the needle moxa technique is more difficult to control than with traditional moxibustion, you are still not likely to feel any excessively intense heat due to the small amount of moxa being burned on the needles.
• A variation you can get on the needle moxa technique involves the insertion of acupuncture needles at specific points, and then waving a moxa stick over the tops of those needles to heat them gently.

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