A Queens woman has sued a Flushing acupuncture and pain clinic, claiming she suffered severe burns during a moxibustion treatment last July. The complaint was filed Monday, Nov. 9, in Queens County Supreme Court and does not specify damages. Both the clinic and the plaintiff's attorney declined to comment.
Young Ma of Queens has sued Dodam Acupuncture and Pain Clinic in Flushing, claiming she was severely burned during a moxibustion treatment there last July, the New York Post reported. The complaint was filed Monday, Nov. 9, in Queens Supreme Court. The amount of damages sought was not specified.
In the complaint, Ma alleges that clinic staff performed the treatment "carelessly," leaving her with severe and painful burns. The report does not say which part of her body was burned. Ma's attorney, Gregory Newman, and the clinic did not respond to the Post's requests for comment. The lawsuit reflects the plaintiff's allegations; the court has not yet ruled.
Moxibustion is a therapy in which dried mugwort, known in English as moxa, is burned on or near specific acupuncture points on the body to help circulation. The Post, citing the Cleveland Clinic, gave that description and reported that the practice dates to around 500 B.C.
Moxibustion is divided into direct and indirect methods. In the direct method, lit moxa is placed on the skin and left until heat is felt. According to Virginia University Integrative Medicine, the indirect method is the most common in the United States because it is considered safer. Moxibustion is commonly applied to the lower back, abdomen, knees, hands and feet.