Moxibustion for depression

Moxibustion is one of the most common moxibustion methods in traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture therapy. Moxibustion is the use of moxibustion materials made from mugwort to stimulate the acupuncture points or parts of the body, thereby achieving the effect of adjusting the body and treating diseases. So is moxibustion helpful in treating depression? If moxibustion can treat depression, what are the specific treatment methods? Can moxibustion be performed by yourself at home?

1. Moxibustion can relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety

Nowadays, many people suffer from mild depression or anxiety. If the condition is not well controlled, after entering summer, as the temperature rises, symptoms such as dizziness, chest tightness, palpitations, difficulty breathing, dry mouth, frequent urination, urgency, sweating, tremors and motor restlessness will become more and more severe. When drug treatment reaches a bottleneck period, moxibustion can be used as an auxiliary treatment. Moxibustion can regulate the balance of yin and yang, soothe the liver and regulate qi, thereby relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety.

When treating depression and anxiety, the acupoints selected for moxibustion should be Baihui, Tanzhong, Ganshu, Yanglingquan, Neiguan, and Taichong. Among them, Baihui cannot be moxibustioned with a moxibustion box or moxa sticks because of the hair. It can be moxibustioned through ginger. Cut two or three slices of ginger as thick as a one-yuan coin, poke holes in them with toothpicks, place a moxa stick the size of a thumb tip on top, light it and place it on the Baihui acupoint. Tanzhong, Ganshu, Yanglingquan, Neiguan and Taichong can be moxibustioned with a single-eye moxibustion box, with each point moxibustioned for 10 minutes. You can also use hand-held moxa sticks for moxibustion. It should be noted that moxibustion is only a complementary treatment. The drug bottleneck period does not mean that the drug does not play its due role. It is just a necessary condition for staged treatment. When insisting on drug treatment, the combination of moxibustion can often achieve better results.

2. Pay attention to distinguish between skin burns and blisters

It is safe and feasible to perform moxibustion at home. Just be careful to prevent burns. In addition, do not perform moxibustion on some areas with thin skin, such as eyelids, private parts, etc. Also avoid moxibustion when the skin is damaged, sensitive, or in other uncomfortable conditions.

For citizens who are trying moxibustion for the first time, they should pay attention to the difference between burns and blisters. Generally speaking, people with heavy moisture in their bodies may develop blisters after moxibustion. This is normal and there is no need to worry too much. If the blisters are colorless, it indicates cold and dampness. If the blisters are yellow, it indicates stagnant heat. If the blisters are bloody, it indicates excessive dampness and toxins in the body. Itching at the moxibustion site is a sign of wind-evil in that area.

Blisters that appear after moxibustion generally do not fester, so generally no anti-inflammatory disinfection is required. However, if the wound has come into contact with unclean substances or has been in an unclean environment, certain protective and disinfection measures must be taken.

In addition, some people have blocked meridians, and the heat is not transmitted to the distal end during moxibustion, or the sensitivity of sensation is not high. There are many reasons for this, but as long as you persist in moxibustion and wait for the meridians to slowly open up, this phenomenon will naturally disappear. Do not arbitrarily adjust the distance between the moxa stick and the skin just because the acupoints cannot sense the temperature of the moxibustion, otherwise burns may easily occur.

3. Moxibustion at home is simple

Moxibustion at home is simple and safe. Generally speaking, you can use moxa stick moxibustion or indirect moxibustion. Each moxibustion method has its own focus. You can choose the moxibustion method that suits you according to your physical condition and needs.

Moxibustion with moxa sticks: a method of using a stick of moxa (generally called a clean moxa stick) to ignite one end of the stick and then perform fumigation or burning on the acupuncture points. If moxa sticks made by adding warm and aromatic drugs to moxa wool are used for fumigation, it is called "medicated stick moxibustion". Ordinary moxa sticks and medicinal moxa sticks are available in Chinese medicine stores and online shopping malls.

Key points of operation: Hang the burning moxa stick over the acupuncture points for moxibustion. During moxibustion, the burning end should be about 3 cm away from the skin. Generally, each acupoint should be moxibustioned for about 10 minutes until the skin becomes warm and red, with a warm feeling, but without causing burning pain or burns to the skin.