Indirect Moxibustion (Page 2)
- Center the point to be treated between your thumb and index finger on the hand not holding the moxa. This will allow you to spread the fur out of the way. You will also be using your fingers in this position to monitor temperature changes. You should keep about two inches spread between the tips of your thumb and index finger. Resist the temptation to soak the fur as a precaution against burning. The conditions you are treating may be aggravated by cool or damp conditions even on this limited scale.
- Hold the stick perpendicular to the treatment point using your other thumb and index finger. Rest the tip of your middle finger on your pet next to the point to treat. This arrangement gives your hand support while using the stick and if your pet moves during the treatment he will push your hand away avoiding a burn. Touching skin with lit moxa will cause a significant burn and scar. This is standard practice in traditional acupuncture but it not usually needed to get the intended benefits. Move the lit top of the moxa stick in a clockwise (viewed from the top) motion. Adequate, although not necessarily maximum, stimulation is indicated by ANY detectable response from your pet. Some of the things you might see include skin twitches, your pet looks at warmed area, he tries to move away or shift positions, or the skin turns pink. If you have not seen any of these reactions but your fingers get hot, stop treating that point. There is no set length of time to treat each point. Sometimes you get a response in a few seconds while other times it may take almost a minute.
- Repeat steps four and five for each indicated point. Remember to occasionally knock the ashes off the stick into the ashtray. Ashes insulate the tip prolonging the treatment and decreasing its effectiveness. Falling ashes are hot and can accidentally burn you or your pet. There is no particular order to treating the points. Most of the time the order is determined by convenience and your pet's cooperation. Attempt to treat all indicated points each day but do not create stress for you or your pet. If he resists treating a particular point, skip it for this treatment and try again later.
- Smother tip of stick in a heat resistant cylinder, narrow bottle, or aluminum foil wrap. REMEMBER the container will get HOT! Do not place container on any surface likely to get damaged by heat. VERY GOOD! You have succeeded in giving your pet health benefits denied to most pets.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
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