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Moxa is often described as warming, so it can seem like an obvious fix for feeling chilly or worn out. Here is why an individual assessment comes first.

Not every chill calls for heat

A cool Northern Beaches winter morning can leave anyone wishing for warmth, and moxibustion is often described as a warming practice. In traditional Chinese medicine, though, moxa is considered appropriate for some patterns and not for others. Feeling cold or worn out does not, by itself, tell you whether moxa would be a sensible choice for your body.

Starting with a proper picture

People from Balgowlah, Manly and nearby suburbs see Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, for moxibustion at the Freshwater clinic. Share your symptoms and health history with her, particularly anything new, ongoing or changing. Persistent fatigue or feeling cold all the time can have many causes, some of which your GP may want to investigate with tests.

Questions to ask

• Does moxibustion fit what you have found in my assessment?
• What would make it unsuitable for me?
• What alternatives could we consider?

The session should follow from a decision made about you, not from a general idea that warmth must be good whenever you feel flat.

Comfort and safety during treatment

If moxa is used, work out together beforehand how you will say the warmth is too much, and check what to do afterwards. Numb patches, reactive skin and trouble breathing around smoke are all worth raising. Advice should be shaped around you rather than lifted from a website or from somebody else's appointment.

Resist the home kit impulse

Moxa sticks are easy to buy online, which can make home use seem simple. Heat and smoke carry real risks for skin and breathing, so check with Christine in Freshwater before trying anything yourself, and keep the conversation about your own health rather than a general wellness trend. A short talk first can save you from a burn, a coughing fit or simply money spent on a kit you never needed.