Moxibustion is used to complement acupuncture treatment or conducted by itself at clinic and home. Heated Mogusa (dried and processed herb called mugwort/artemisia) is used in different ways to approach various symptoms by stimulating acupuncture point or certain needed areas with heat. In general moxibustion is famous as the ancient time unti-biotics and help to improve immune system. It also has a calming effect by warming up on skin.
Moxibustion was introduced to Japan and it was originally conducted among loyal families and became popular among people especially during Edo period (1603-1868) after Kabuki about Mogusa stores was played. It was also customized to Japanese islandic climates to work on symptoms due to humidity and coldness. But not only that, it is quite known for gynecology, digestive problems, urination problems, hemorrhoid, and many others.
Treatments
For treatments, Mogusa is placed directly or indirectly on skin and is heated to give stimulus to body and meridians. For cold person, warmness of moxa stays for a long time in body to for example help low circulation. We feel the temperature and stimulus of Mogusa differently depending on body and environmental temperature, humidity, moisture of skin, movement of air, and size of the corns, which are often grain sizes such as sizes of rice, bean or larger. Small corn of mogusa improves immune system by stimulating parasympathetic nerves. Therefore, mogusa is used to improve immune system for not catching cold easily, fixing illness and injury faster, hemocatharsis, hemopoiesis, hemostasis, relax arteries, vasodilation, blood and rhymph circulation, reduce acidosis, reduce hypertension, relaxation, pain relief, and many others (see Appendix III). This is an effective way to help patients to be stronger and to increase self-healing capability. It is therefore famous that mogusa was used after and during the explosion of radiation in Hiroshima for different kinds of radiation sicknesses and for lowered white blood cell accounts. Tuberculosis is another illness which was worked on by moxibustion in history in Japan and today in the world. There are different ways to utilize Mogusa (Moxibustion), and I select different use of mogusa depending on the condition of the patient. I attached information on different use of mogusa in the Appendix III.
Mogwort
Mugwort is one of the strongest plant and grows in dry and wet, poor land, side of streets, mountain and by water in the wide temperature changes from northern to southern climates in the worlds. Therefore it has been used various ways in various cultures such as native American (The Dakota tribe of the Great Plains, Miwok tribe in current northern California, and the Kiowa tribe of the central plains according to the research written in the Moon over Matsushima), China, Korea, Ainu, Japan, India, Germany, Holland, Dutch, England, Italy, Greece, Belarussian, Czech, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Russia, for example. Mogwart is also known as Artemisia, which is the name of Greek Goddess whose name is the name of the first creation of medicine.
siological states (physically and psychologically) by doing pulse diagnosis. By pulse diagnosis, it is possible to see how blood is flowing in 12 organs, and from that pattern, we get images of what functions are excessive or lowered, how the functions of organs have been, how those functions can be in future with the states now, and which kind of psychological states can be with that physiological states. However, if the person is using medication at the moment, or more the use in general, it is harder to understand the states of the person. Sensation which patients feel by acupuncture Stimulus of needles on skin or under skin makes patients feel something running to other parts of body via the network of meridians. Sometimes patients don’t realize needles went in, and sometimes needle is sandwiched by tight muscles around. Then we feel squeezed or have a strong nerve reaction. Sometimes we feel reactions more at different parts of the body than where we were needled. Whichever of the reactions you feel, it is better to be relaxed. After needles are taken out, patients might feel as if needles are still there. They feel often sleepy and drawgy, sometimes heavier. It is in a process of the change which your body is making. Some people will be sleepy and some other people will be energetic. Everyone has a different process and sensation from others in the process of curing. However, anyway from the second treatment, people are sleeping with needles. How one treatment looks like I usually spend up to 1.5 hr with patient to: Ask to fill in a medical question sheets/patient explains the illness and symptom Ask to change to a treatment uniform or cover with towel above underwear Make sure that the patient has comfortable position and temperature Provide explanation of acupuncture as needed Check body and diagnose from pause Open new needles in front of patients Provide acupuncture as educated at a Japanese medical school in the procedure licensed by Japanese government first for front side, then back side (each side 20-30 mins). Provide facial and scalp massage between front and back sides treatments (5 mins). Ask the patient to slowly wake up and have a drink before leaving. Explain the physiological states, recommendations and plan for sessions as needed. For Serbian-speaking patients, interpreter will be constantly be with and help you there.
