Cupping, Moxa and Gua Sha
Also known as fire cupping, this process places warmed cups on the surface of the skin to both promote blood and energy flow to the area. Like gua sha below, it can help release toxicity outward through the skin and is often used for pain and with physical trauma.
Gua sha is a form of Asian massage using smooth tools which are traditionally made from water buffalo horn. The term gua means to scratch or scrap, and sha means toxicity. The treatment can be used for a wide variety of pain and physical trauma, and is commonly used in sports medicine. At a deeper level, gua sha helps to release internal toxicity outward through the skin.
Dating back in use several thousand years, moxa is the use of dried mugwort leaves (Artemesia vulgaris) on acupuncture points or larger areas of the body. As moxa burns very hot, at nearly 700 degree F, it warms and invigorates the qi, and brings vitality and strength. Moxa is often used in combination with acupuncture and acupressure treatments.
In addition to being taken internally, specially prepared herbal formulas can also be applied topically. Often used for skin conditions and arthritic and other kinds of pain, liniments are used in conjunction with other therapies to direct the healing process to particular parts of the body and maximize its effectiveness.