Some time
ago, I wrote about acupuncture in my blog. Acupuncture is effective in treating
certain syndromes, but not everyone is comfortable to prick needles into
his/her skin. There is an alternative: moxibustion (艾灸).
Moxibustion
works in the same principle as acupuncture, except that it uses heat instead of
needle. There is subtle difference, though. Traditional Chinese Medicine is
based on the principle of yin and yang. Moxibustion is most suited for treating
syndromes caused by deficiency of yang, e.g. menstrual pain. As for whether it
can used to treat syndromes caused by too much yang, e.g. fever, the books I
read seem to give different views. In such situations, it is advisable to
consult qualified TCM doctors.
In Malaysia,
you can buy ‘moxa rolls’ from Beijing Tongrengtang (北京同仁堂).
The moxa rolls produced a lot of smoke, and not everybody likes it. There are
also some ‘smokeless moxa rolls’ sold in China. I intend to order them online.
