What Are the Causes of Water Blisters After Moxibustion?

Moxibustion is a therapeutic modality in traditional Chinese medicine, commonly used as a physical therapy method. It offers various benefits for treatment and health maintenance, including relaxing muscles and tendons, relieving pain, and promoting blood circulation. When performing moxibustion, it is essential to follow the instructions to avoid adverse effects due to improper usage. Some people may experience blisters during moxibustion. Let's explore this aspect.

1. What Causes Blisters after Moxibustion?

In most cases, the appearance of blisters after moxibustion is a manifestation of expelling cold and dampness. Cold and dampness are considered pathogenic factors within the body, while moxibustion represents positive yang energy. When the body's pathogenic factors encounter the yang energy of moxibustion, they seek an exit and are expelled through various channels such as urine, feces, skin, sweat, and the respiratory system. When expelled through the skin, blisters or rashes may appear.

2. Color of Blisters:

The color of blisters can indicate different conditions. Transparent and colorless blisters indicate excessive cold and dampness in the body. Yellow blisters with an unpleasant odor suggest internal heat congestion. Blood-tinged blisters suggest severe wetness toxicity and inflammation.

However, not everyone with heavy dampness will develop blisters after moxibustion. If a person has significant dampness but their meridians are relatively unobstructed, the cold and dampness may be expelled through the feet and shoulders, explaining why some individuals may feel a cold sensation in their feet after moxibustion.

3. Reasons for Blister Formation:

If one is new to moxibustion or insensitive to temperature, blisters may occur due to excessive heat or closeness to the skin. Therefore, it is advisable to adjust the heat level to a comfortable temperature during moxibustion, as higher temperatures are not necessarily better. The location of blisters is not random. For instance, when the spleen and stomach are weak, blisters may appear at the Zusanli point. Women with gynecological issues may develop blisters at the Sanyinjiao point during moxibustion.

4. Management of Blisters:

If blisters occur, there is no need to panic. If the blister is larger than a thumbnail, it can be gently punctured with a sterilized needle and treated with ash from the moxibustion material. For smaller blisters, topical ointment application is sufficient. If the blister ruptures, applying some moxibustion ash can help with sterilization, inflammation reduction, and hemostasis. However, it is important to avoid contact with water.