Acupuncture
This natural system of medicine has been around for over 2500 years.
It works by re-balancing the body and in doing this, it increases the body’s ability to heal itself. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine affect how energy flows through your body. Energy is known as Qi and runs through channels called meridians.
Acupuncture
In the realm of health, disruptions in the body’s energy flow often signify illness. Acupuncture, rooted in Chinese medicine, endeavors to restore this vital energy circulation, fostering optimal functionality within the body’s systems, organs and integrate that with your emotions and spirit.
Central to this practice are meridians, channels intricately linked to organs and various bodily systems—muscular, skeletal, digestive, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, reproductive, and respiratory. These meridians form the pathways through which the body’s energy, or Qi, flows.
Emotions affect your Qi, Qi affects your bodily systems and how they function and vice versa. When you have a sporting injury for example, that has a physiological impact and an emotional impact. Everything is integrated and interconnected. You can’t have one without the other!
How do we diagnose you?
East Asian medicine employs a distinctive diagnostic framework, utilising diverse tools to discern areas of potential improvement within the body and mind.
By examining your tongue, pulse and abdomen, along with gathering insights through inquiries about general health, we discern which components of your body-mind need treatment. Much like a coach guiding a team, acupuncture can nudge your body toward self-regulation, aiding it in returning to its optimal state. Physiological and emotional changes take place to bring you back into balance.
A natural approach to your health
At its core, acupuncture offers a natural, drug-free approach to restoring health and vitality, albeit often requiring patience and persistence when cases are complex or chronic.
Collaboration is key in this process. You’re encouraged to actively engage in your journey toward well-being, especially through adjustments in diet, lifestyle, the way you think and what you believe about yourself. It’s all up for adjustment! Recognising that daily choices wield immense influence over health, underscores the importance of this holistic approach.
How is acupuncture likely to affect me?
Acupuncture’s impact on your mind, body, and spirit from a scientific perspective is a fascinating convergence of physiological and neurological mechanisms.
Body: Scientific studies suggest that acupuncture stimulates the release of neurotransmitters like endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. Additionally, it can trigger the release of hormones, modulating various bodily functions such as reducing inflammation and regulating immune responses. The insertion of acupuncture needles also prompts localized changes in blood flow and tissue tension, contributing to the body’s healing processes.
Mind: Acupuncture has shown to influence brain activity, specifically affecting areas associated with pain perception, emotions, and mood regulation. Functional MRI studies have demonstrated alterations in brain activity following acupuncture sessions, indicating its ability to modulate neural pathways involved in managing stress, anxiety, and emotional well-being.
Spirit: While scientific studies primarily focus on the physiological aspects, many patients report an overall sense of relaxation, mental clarity, and emotional balance after acupuncture sessions. This subjective experience of improved energy flow and restored equilibrium aligns with the holistic concept of Qi and meridians, though it’s challenging to quantify or measure through scientific means.
Japanese acupuncture
This is rooted in ancient Chinese medicine and came to Japan around 1000AD. It has developed differently over the years. This style of acupuncture is much gentler and more pain-free than Chinese acupuncture and is the main style we use at the Red Tent. Very sensitive clients can receive this type of treatment.
Abdominal diagnosis
The abdomen is regularly palpated (felt) and forms a core part of diagnosis. Clients will feel pressure pain in areas on their abdomen at the beginning of treatment and find they are gone by the end. The abdomen is called the “Hara” in the Japanese system and it is like the sun in the solar system of your body. It is integral that it is in good working order as everything else flows downstream from it, causing potential problems and symptoms. It needs to be supple yet toned and without pressure pain to be in good health.
We use protocols devised by Dr Yoshio Manaka, Kiiko Matsumoto and the Meridian Therapy School. They have been invaluable in our clinic and our clients notice immediate changes on the table.
Who was Dr Yoshio Manaka?
Dr. Yoshio Manaka, hailing from a lineage of esteemed physicians and possessing a background in Western medicine, embarked on a remarkable journey after the conclusion of World War II. Driven by an unwavering passion for healing, he diligently studied under the guidance of contemporary Japanese masters. Throughout his life’s work, he committed himself wholeheartedly to the creation of a structured acupuncture treatment system, one distinguished by its unwavering reliability and effectiveness.
This innovative protocol comprises four distinct steps, meticulously designed to address both the root causes of ailments, the underlying imbalances, and the outwardly manifesting symptoms, often referred to as the branches of the issue. Notably, Dr. Manaka introduced an ingenious technique employing ion-pumping cords, affixed to acupuncture needles during treatment, facilitating a harmonious realignment of the patient’s energy.
Beyond his role as a healer, Dr. Manaka’s multifaceted nature shone through. He was a scholar, linguist, poet, artist, and physician. His life’s dedication revolved around crafting a treatment regimen that stands as both practical and scientifically substantiated, offering replicable results within the clinical realm.
Who is Kiiko Matsumoto?
Kiiko Matsumoto is widely acknowledged as a “living Master of Acupuncture.” Over the past three decades, she has earned recognition for her exceptional skill in harmoniously incorporating the teachings of renowned Japanese masters (Dr Manaka and Kiyoshi Nagano) into her practice. Her unique approach to acupuncture places a strong emphasis on addressing the underlying causes rather than merely treating isolated symptoms, thereby delivering patients effective and enduring results.
Diagnosis: The diagnostic techniques employed in Kiiko Style acupuncture offer instant feedback to both practitioners and patients, providing a real-time measure of treatment effectiveness. This approach blends classical Chinese medical principles with modern pathophysiology, offering a fresh perspective that enhances understanding and outcomes.
Methods: Within Kiiko Style methods, a diverse range of techniques caters to individual patient needs. Typically, needling is shallow and minimally painful, using ultra-fine needles. For patients unsuitable for needling, non-invasive approaches like diodes, magnets, and other methods prove highly effective, providing practitioners with versatile options for even the most challenging cases.
Kiiko Style acupuncture brings theory into tangible reality, eliminating uncertainty. It follows the principle of “treating what you feel.” If the reflex isn’t present or specific points fail to significantly impact it, practitioners promptly seek more suitable treatment options, ensuring immediate indicators of treatment effectiveness for both practitioner and patient.
Meridian Therapy
Meridian therapy, known as ‘keiraku chiryo’ in Japanese, emerged in the 1930s, seeking to revive traditional acupuncture principles rooted in classical texts. This system places the meridian system at its core, focusing on the flow of ‘Qi’ (vital energy) through interconnected channels or meridians. Japanese diagnostic methods, notably pulse-taking, were refined to create a structured approach to treatment.
Meridian Therapy utilises the theory of the five elements, which corresponds to seasonal cycles, to identify primary imbalances in the meridian system. When a deficiency is detected, specific acupuncture points are targeted to fortify the patient, while an excess prompts the selection of other points to restore equilibrium, thus promoting holistic well-being.
What is Moxibustion or Moxa therapy?
Moxa therapy is delivered via an ancient Chinese herb called Mugwort (Artemisia Sinensis) that is used in acupuncture treatment. It feels lovely and warm, generating a deeply relaxing effect but yes, it does have a strong smell!
How is it made: The herb’s leaves are meticulously dried and formed into consistent, golden yellow ‘wool’ or ‘punk’ that burns evenly.
Moxa takes various forms in therapy: it can be shaped into the size of a rice grain or small cones, gently warmed on the skin; and applied to specific acupuncture points; or used in larger balls, ignited and placed on needle handles.
What is it used for: Rice grain moxa is used to move energy deeply at the blood level. It’s great for stubborn problems that aren’t responding to acupuncture alone. Direct moxa, a Japanese acupuncture technique, proves highly effective for addressing inflammatory conditions. Research has demonstrated its ability to induce an anti-inflammatory response in the tissues surrounding the moxibustion site.
Where on the body is it used: It’s also used on the top of needles and in cones directly on the skin to nourish and warm the area and the constitution, especially when ‘cold’ is present in the channels. Therapeutically, this heat bolsters the Yang aspect, dispelling cold and stagnation. Consequently, blood and qi circulation increases, alleviating muscle and joint pain and stiffness.
Home use: It also comes in sticks that look like large cigars which give off an amazing heat. These are wonderful to use at home and your practitioner will send you details on how to do it.
Cupping
You may have seen the round red marks on the backs of Olympic and professional athletes before. These are cup marks from a cupping treatment. Cups help to move blood that has become stagnant as well as move phlegm that is sitting in the lungs. There are so many uses. At Red Tent we have suction cups as well as fire cups and use what works best for your body. The suction cups are wonderful and gentle enough to use on toddlers who have phlegm in their lungs.