Why Moxibustion (Moxa) Before Winter For Better Immunity & Energy
- Tara Grant LAC
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Moxa, seasonal medicine, and the idea of preparing the body before the cold arrives
Most of us wait until winter is already here to start thinking about winter health.
We wait until we are exhausted.
Until everyone around us is sick.
Until our hands and feet are freezing, our joints are aching, our digestion feels sluggish, or we have somehow entered that familiar stretch between November and February where we never quite feel fully restored.
Traditional East Asian medicine takes a different approach.
Instead of waiting until the body is struggling, we prepare it for what is coming.
And one of my favorite ways to do that is moxibustion.
What exactly is moxibustion?
Moxibustion—or moxa—is a traditional East Asian therapy that uses the heat produced by burning dried mugwort, traditionally Artemisia argyi, near specific acupuncture points or areas of the body.
If you've ever had it during an acupuncture treatment, you probably remember the feeling.
Deep warmth.
Not just hot skin, but the sensation that warmth is slowly moving inward.
Depending on the treatment, moxa can be applied in several ways. I may use a traditional moxa stick, warming techniques over acupuncture points, moxa combined with other treatments, or more individualized applications based on what I am seeing in your system.
In Chinese medicine, moxa is traditionally used when we want to warm, move, strengthen, and support the body's qi and yang.
That makes it especially interesting as the weather begins to change.
Why before winter?
One of the fundamental ideas in East Asian medicine is that we are not separate from our environment.
Our needs change with the season.
Winter is colder, darker, and more inward. We generally have less daylight, spend more time indoors, move differently, eat differently, and encounter a different set of environmental demands.
Traditional Chinese medicine historically developed seasonal moxibustion practices around this idea. Some forms of seasonal moxa are specifically used around the coldest and warmest parts of the year as preventive health practices. China Medical University Hospital, for example, describes traditional San Jiu Tian winter moxibustion as a seasonal therapy associated with supporting the body during the coldest portion of the year.
I personally like starting before winter.
Think of it less as treating winter and more as preparing for it.
Instead of waiting for the season to knock you down, we start paying attention to the areas where your body tends to become vulnerable.
Do you always get cold?
Does your digestion slow down?
Do old injuries start aching?
Does your energy disappear once the days get shorter?
Do you tend to feel depleted by January?
Are you the person who seems to catch everything that goes around?
Those patterns give us information.
The idea isn't to “boost” the immune system as hard as possible.
We hear the phrase “boost your immunity” everywhere, but biologically, the immune system is much more complicated than simply turning it up.
More immune activity is not necessarily better—particularly for people with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions.
A better word is often support or modulate.
Modern research is beginning to explore whether acupuncture and moxibustion may influence inflammatory and immune pathways. Some clinical research has reported changes in immune-cell markers following acupuncture and moxibustion, although much of that research has been conducted in specific patient populations and cannot simply be generalized to say that moxa prevents winter illness in otherwise healthy people.
There is also research examining moxibustion for particular respiratory conditions. A 2024 systematic review of 37 randomized trials evaluated moxibustion as a complementary therapy for asthma, including outcomes involving asthma control, lung function and immunological markers. That research is interesting, but it is still very different from claiming that a few moxa treatments will keep everyone from getting sick.
So I don't promise that moxa will make you “immune” for the winter.
I think about it differently.
What can we do now to help you enter winter less depleted?
For some people, winter exposes what was already running low.
By November or December, your body isn't starting from zero.
You are bringing the rest of the year with you.
The missed sleep.
The stress.
The nonstop work schedule.
The illness you never completely recovered from.
The meals eaten while answering emails.
The months of feeling cold.
The chronic pain you pushed through.
The nervous system that has barely had time to come down.
This is part of why I like seasonal treatment.
It gives us a natural point to check in and ask:
What does your particular body need before the season changes?
For one person, that may mean warmth and moxa.
For another, it may be herbs.
For someone else, it may be sleep, nourishing foods, acupuncture, breathwork, or slowing down enough that their body has a chance to recover.
Usually it is not one magical intervention.
It is a combination.
What does a seasonal moxa treatment look like?
I don't use the same moxa points on everyone.
Your treatment depends on your constitution, symptoms, health history, and what I see during your intake.
We may pay particular attention to things like:
Feeling chronically cold
Low energy or winter fatigue
Digestive weakness
Chronic muscular or joint discomfort that worsens in cold weather
Recovery after illness
Menstrual or reproductive patterns
Stress and depletion
Your personal history of how you tend to feel during winter
A seasonal session may include acupuncture, moxibustion, herbs, cupping, qigong, breath practices, or recommendations for food and daily routines depending on what makes sense for you.
And sometimes moxa becomes something you can continue at home.
Yes, you can learn to use moxa yourself.
This is one of my favorite parts.
Certain forms of indirect moxibustion can be appropriate as a home practice once someone has shown you exactly where, how, and how long to use it.
I don't recommend simply buying a moxa stick online and starting on whichever acupuncture points the internet says are “good for immunity.”
The correct point and technique are not the same for everyone.
Moxa is also a real heat therapy and can cause burns. Published safety reviews have documented burns, allergic reactions, respiratory irritation from smoke, and other adverse events when moxibustion is used incorrectly. Technique, distance from the skin, treatment duration, ventilation, and the individual receiving treatment all matter.
Extra care is particularly important during pregnancy, with impaired sensation or neuropathy, certain skin conditions, respiratory sensitivity, or other medical concerns.
Home moxa should be taught, not guessed.
My favorite approach: learn your own winter moxa routine.
For the right person, I like creating a custom seasonal moxa treatment rather than giving everyone the same generic protocol.
We first look at your health history and your usual winter patterns.
Then I can determine whether moxa is appropriate, select the points and techniques that make sense for you, and perform your treatment.
If home moxa is appropriate, I can also teach you exactly how to continue it yourself:
where to use it, how long to use it, how often to practice, what it should feel like, and when not to do it.
That way, you aren't just receiving a treatment.
You are leaving with another tool for understanding and caring for your own body.
Don't wait until January to start thinking about winter.
Seasonal medicine reminds us that health is not only something we respond to after it changes.
Sometimes we can prepare.
We can notice the patterns that happen every year.
We can support the places that tend to become depleted.
And we can begin giving the body what it needs before it starts asking quite so loudly.
If winter tends to be a difficult season for you—or you're simply curious about incorporating moxibustion into your health routine—schedule a seasonal moxa consultation with me.
We can create a customized moxibustion treatment based on your body and your goals, and if home moxa is appropriate for you, I'll teach you how to safely continue your own practice between visits.
A note on the research
Moxibustion has a long history in East Asian medicine as both a treatment and seasonal health practice. Modern research is investigating its effects on immune, inflammatory, neurological, and other physiological processes, but evidence varies considerably by condition and treatment method. Moxibustion should not be considered a proven way to prevent infections or “boost immunity for the entire winter,” and it should not replace vaccination, medical evaluation, or appropriate treatment.
Sources
Wang Y, et al. Effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on the immune function of patients with malignant tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Immunology. 2025.
Fuyong, et al. Efficacy and safety of moxibustion as a complementary and alternative therapy for asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Immunopharmacology. 2024.
China Medical University Hospital. San Jiu Tian Moxibustion Therapy. Overview of traditional seasonal winter moxibustion.
Xu J, et al. Safety of moxibustion: a systematic review of case reports. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2014.
Park JE, et al. Adverse events of moxibustion: a systematic review. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2010.
This article is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat a medical condition. Individualized medical care should always be based on your personal health history.
