Reactions after Moxibustion
There are also some common reactions that you should be aware of. Just like any herbal treatments, your body will react to the treatment. When your body has enough vital qi or energy, it will try to restore itself and push the bad things out of your body. So, your old suppressed health problems might start to show up. If you are not sure, please seek professional advice. The following are some common but normal reactions after moxibustion.
BlisterThe most common and normal reaction after moxibustion is blisters. After moxibustion, the hair pores around the moxibustion area will be open. The water inside of your body will find the easier way to get out through these areas. So, blisters might come out. Sometimes if you hold moxa rolls or stickers for too long or too close to your skin, there might be a slight burning effect, which will also cause blisters. This is very common and harmless, so please rest assured. In ancient China, people particularly used the blister moxibustion method to boost the immune system. For small blisters, you can just apply the ashes from moxibustion and keep the area dry. Please make sure the moxa products you use are pure. For bigger blisters, you can use a needle (sanitize it using alcohol or fire) to poke a small hole at the connection area of the blister and skin (don’t just pinch the blister from the top). The fluid (water mixed with various turbid qi) will flow out. You can then apply moxa ashes on top of the blister area. You don’t need to apply alcohol or anything else but just the moxa ashes, as it has the power to dry the area and promote circulation. It might sound a bit awkward, but it works. And it will not cause infection.
ItchinessAnother commonly seen reaction after moxibustion is skin itchiness. It just means that the qi and blood have started to flow but not smoothly yet. What you can do is drink some warm, sweet soybean milk, or use wu mei (specially processed dried plum) and crystal sugar to boil some water to drink.
TirednessSome people feel tired after moxibustion. First of all, moxibustion will help supplement your yang qi. Once your body has enough energy to function, it will try to help your whole system to restore its normal immune function. In this case, just listen to your body and have a good sleep.
ColdnessSome people will feel some cold air flowing out from the acupuncture point where moxibustion is performed. It implies that your coldness is being released out of your body. Continue to do moxibustion; you will feel warm soon after.
DiarrheaFirst, moxibustion won’t make you have diarrhea. After you have done moxibustion and you have this issue, it might mean that there is too much water that needs to be dispelled. Moxibustion is helping your body to move such dampness out of your body. Unlike regular diarrhea, you will feel more energetic after the loose bowel movement. Just continue; your body function will be gradually restored.
Other Reactions Such as Insomnia
There are some other reactions, such as dry throat or insomnia. This implies that the sequence or acupuncture points are not proper, or there is a need for more combination of other techniques.
I have a friend who is a moxa fan. Moxibustion helped her with a lot of health issues, such as insomnia, low energy, painful periods, cold limbs, etc. A few months ago, she told me that she had stopped using moxibustion for one month; she said she had a dry throat after moxibustion. I suggested her to do moxibustion at the Zhao Hai (KI6) or Taixi (KI3) points. Her feedback was very good. She didn’t have that problem anymore.
If these kinds of reactions occur, it doesn’t mean that moxibustion is not suitable for you. It could just imply that the points you used, or the sequence, might not be appropriate. It’s better to seek professional guidance.
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