With a moxa stick the cone is replaced by a rolled cylinder held above the skin. In mild-warm moxibustion the stick is held still at a fixed distance until the area is pleasantly warm; in sparrow-pecking it is moved up and down rhythmically, giving intermittent stronger heat; in circling it is moved in a slow circle over a wider area.
Mild-warm is the default for tonification and for home use. Sparrow-pecking is used where a stronger stimulus is wanted, and circling for larger areas and for dispersing. All three are safer than direct moxibustion and require only that the distance be checked against the patient’s report rather than assumed.