Moxibustion – questions.

Dear Dr. King,
Would you like to clear for me some points in part of moxibustion?

1. Which characteristics of Artemisia vulgaris make this herb common for therapeutic use as moxa wool?

2. Are other herbs in use instead of Artemisia vulgaris or as addition for obtaining new properties, such as prolonged burning, new therapeutic properties?

3. Burning moxa produces a great deal of smoke and a pungent odor. I saw that patients with respiratory problems may response by cough, shortness of breath. I know that some practitioner use smokeless moxa sticks as an alternative. What’s difference between regular and smokeless moxa? Have they the same therapeutic characteristics?
Are some aromatic oils in use as addition to change pungent odor of moxa or for new medical properties?

4. What peculiarities of moxibustion in children practice?

5. In the lecture “Moxibustion” to prevent diseases and keep healthy some points are recommended for burning a moxa stick - Dazhui (DU 14), Guanyuan( RN 4), Gaohuang(BL43) and Zusanli (ST 36). Significance of Dazhui, Guanyuan and Zusanli is absolutely clear. But what is a reason for using Gaohuang equally with points of common action? I really saw some special indications for this point in Course C, for example, weak spleen and stomach, but a cause of this is not clear for me.

Dear Sophia,
Let's discuss your questions.
1) I think the ancient traditional Chinese medical physicians found the plant aromatic, warm in nature, but of very good permeability to move the heat and the medicinal effect to the inside of the body, so they preferred using this material for the moxibustion therapy. Besides, in China, many people would think the material has the good effect to expel the evil or vicious Qi, no matter what it is.

2). I think at the beginning, other herbs would have been in use as well, especially the other ones of the composite family, but the similar outer appearance cannot match the good vicious-Qi-expelling effect of this one, so gradually the other ones have been ruled out. However, some other herbs, usually the ones of strong heat properties, would be mixed into with this one to make some special moxa stick, thus there are the Lei Huo Shenzhen (Thunder-Fire Moxa Stick), or Taiyi Shenzhen (Drastic Fire Moxa Stick).
Or, there is also the cold moxibustion which is not listed in the text, and it would be performed with some herbs or herbal materials such as garlic, and white mustard seed (Semen Sinapis Albae).
3). Yes, it is a big problem! But personally I still think the normal moxibustion with the smoke and the pungent odor ones for it is more effective than the smokeless ones or the other measures such as the therapeutic lamps. I don’t think the therapeutic characteristics are the same between the regular ones and the smokeless ones, at least not as effective as the same.
Personally I can only suggest the good ventilation in the moxibustion room, no other better ways to help. So far in China, nobody has made any new types of moxibustion materials with the mixtures with other aromatics.
4). It’s a good way for the health-preservation for children or for some cold deficiency disorders, basically the same as for adults.
5). That’s the special point by clinical experience, maybe because it is close to the heart and lung, or adjacent to the big arteries f the heart, not quite sure. As we all know, in traditional Chinese medicine many things are not so clear.

Dear Dr. King,
Thank you very much for your so fast answer!

It is very interesting, that along with the “warm” moxibustion there is also the cold moxibustion. Can I understand that this form of moxibustion may be used in cases when regular moxibustion is contraindicated, i.e. excess and heat syndromes?

And other question: Undoubtedly moxa has unique properties, and obviously it is impossible to find modern equivalent. But recently different devices imitating moxibustion are in practical use.
Is there in China some search of devices with characteristics of emanation similar to that of moxa? Is it possible to find in literature emanation spectrum of ignited moxa?
I saw several articles with research results only of maximal wave-length emanation of an ignited moxa and some devices for heating of acupuncture points. They give such results: 3.8 micrometers for ignited moxa and 8 micrometers for some metallic stick, heated up to 50°C. Does it say that heat of metallic stick has noticeably lower permeability than moxa heat?
Emanation characteristics of infra-red laser diodes and infra-red diodes applied for treatment of acupoints are different: 0.78 -0.9 mcm. So do they have greater permeability than moxa?
I didn’t find in use devices with the same parameters of emanation as moxa.
At the same time for other applications there are different infra-red laser diodes with emanation similar to maximal wave-length emanation of moxa. If to know emanation spectrum of ignited moxa it will be relatively simple to produce device with complex of infra-red laser diodes of the same emanation spectrum. Is it of interest for practical use or of no interest?

Dear Sophia,
The cold moxibustion is not much in use, it is mostly for some special problems such as refractory asthma. But it's rarely used. So you'd better learn more about it here when you come to China. You don't have to learn everything online, right?
In China, something are really in use in the place of the traditional moxibustion, not because they are better effective, but because of the convenience of use.
So in China, as I mentioned above, we have various therapeutic lamps, which are made of different stuffs, such as ultrasonic, infra-red, etc.
Personally I prefer the traditional ways of moxibustion, so I don't see the difference between the modern things, for none of them is as good as the real moxibustion.
Laser is commonly used in China as a supplementary way for the conventional acupuncture, for it is noninvasive thus painless. Personally I think it has also the sedative and tonifying effect. I don't know the details of it for it is taken as a specialty of acupuncture and only quite small number of acupuncture professionals do laser acupuncture.
The real moxibustion is a much more complicated mechanism and so far nobody is quite sure about it. Even many people would misunderstand it for the inconvenience due to the smoke and the odor, but it is much more effective than the others. So, there is no a saying that when acupuncture and herbs cannot help, moxibustion can be contributive.
For sure the moxibustion has good permeability as we mentioned last time, but there must be something else in addition. Maybe that could surpass the others.

Dear Sophia,
The cold moxibustion is not much in use, it is mostly for some special problems such as refractory asthma. But it's rarely used. So you'd better learn more about it here when you come to China. You don't have to learn everything online, right?
In China, something are really in use in the place of the traditional moxibustion, not because they are better effective, but because of the convenience of use.
So in China, as I mentioned above, we have various therapeutic lamps, which are made of different stuffs, such as ultrasonic, infra-red, etc.
Personally I prefer the traditional ways of moxibustion, so I don't see the difference between the modern things, for none of them is as good as the real moxibustion.
Laser is commonly used in China as a supplementary way for the conventional acupuncture, for it is noninvasive thus painless. Personally I think it has also the sedative and tonifying effect. I don't know the details of it for it is taken as a specialty of acupuncture and only quite small number of acupuncture professionals do laser acupuncture.
The real moxibustion is a much more complicated mechanism and so far nobody is quite sure about it. Even many people would misunderstand it for the inconvenience due to the smoke and the odor, but it is much more effective than the others. So, there is no a saying that when acupuncture and herbs cannot help, moxibustion can be contributive.
For sure the moxibustion has good permeability as we mentioned last time, but there must be something else in addition. Maybe that could surpass the others.

Dear Dr. King,
Thank you for your answer and explanations.
I make sincere apology to you for a lot of questions I have always.

Dear Sophia,
What are you talking about?
It's my pleasure to talk with you in this forum and your bright ideas on traditional Chinese medicine also help me understand traditional Chinese medicine better.
You are welcome to ask questions all the time here online!
But sometimes, I cannot illustrate very clearly only by means of talking, but we do need to see the performance.
But I will try all my best to make the things clear so you can have a general picture about what you are wondering about in your mind.
Again, it' my pleasure and honor to talk with you on traditional Chinese medicine.

Dear Dr. King,
I am grateful to you deeply for your response. You paid a great compliment to me saying that my ideas help you. I’ll be happy to be of avail.