To treat illness and imbalance, we can use the herb moxa on the points as well as needling them. The herb traditionally used by the Chinese is similar to the English plant mugwort. The plant is dried, crushed into powdery grass and rolled into small cones a few millimeters high. These cones are then burned on the acupuncture points, the heat generated directly warming the Qi energy in the meridians. Moxibustion, as this technique is called, has been used in the practice of traditional medicine just as long as the insertion of needles. It can be used either by itself or in conjunction with needles for the purpose of stimulating flow of energy.