The sensation of moxibustion differs from that of a hot compress. Patients describe heat that penetrates rather than burns, that spreads outward from the point, or that travels along a channel. These three patterns, penetrating, spreading and transmitted, are taken as signs that the moxa is acting rather than merely warming the skin.
Dosage is measured in cones for direct moxibustion and in minutes for stick moxibustion. The classical rule is that dosage must suit the patient, the condition and the site: a few cones on the face, many on the abdomen, more for chronic cold deficiency and fewer for acute conditions or for those who react strongly.