Moxibustion Therapy

In Moxibustion, dried mugwort leaves, either in cigarlike stick or a paste, are lit and placed close to the acupuncture point to produce warm sensations. The heat warms the energy (Qi) and blood in the body and is useful in the treatment of diseases and the maintenance of health. Quite often pain and disease result from a blockage or improper flow of energy and blood; Moxibustion stimulates with heat to alleviate the original blockage and corrects the flow.

This method of treatment is most effective for the treatment of chronic diseases, such as indigestion, bronchial asthma, chronic diarrhea, stomachache, abdominal pain, period pain, and arthritis. Certain forms of infertility have also been found to benefit from the use of Moxibustion as part of the total treatment.

Ai Ye (Mugwort Leaf, Artemesia)
Artemesia and Japanese wormwood are among the many names by which Mugwort leaf is known. It resembles a shrub, which can reach a height of more than three feet, with small greenish-yellow flowers and alternating leaves of green, grayish green or silver. The part of the plant used for medicinal purposes is the leaf.

The leaves are gathered in the spring and summer, while the plant is flowering, and dried in a shady place. This herb can be found throughout China, especially in Anhui, Shandong, Hubei and Hebei provinces, and in most parts of Southeast Asia. It has been used for the following medical functions:

- relaxing the smooth muscles of the bronchi
- stopping bleeding
- antivirus
- antibiotic

  (Click on the picture at the top to view the
  desired area of interest)