Japanese Acupuncture
Japanese acupuncture is an ancient form of medicine that originated in China. Treatment involves the insertion of extremely fine needles into specific acupuncture points. This stimulation affects both the central and peripheral nervous systems, triggers an anti-inflammatory response, and prompts the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals. Acupuncture is a safe and simple technique that leverages the body’s ability to heal itself.
Japanese acupuncture involves finer needles and shallower insertions than most Chinese needling techniques. As a result, patients are often not aware that needles have been inserted and find that treatments are relaxing.
Japanese techniques emphasize finding very specific acupuncture (or “active”) points, which allows for high efficiency without requiring deep needle insertions or strong stimulation. These points are living phenomena with changing natures and locations – the best use of acupuncture points is therefore matched by experience and palpation ability. Emphasis is also placed on careful observation of a patient’s response throughout the treatment to adjust techniques for optimal stimulation.
How does it work?
Internal physical and/or emotional stress can also manifest itself externally in skin and muscle tissue, resulting in areas of pain, tension, sensitivity, or other discomfort. Acupuncture treats the body’s internal condition by manipulating the external tissue.
A Modern Medicine Perspective
Biochemical Defense Mechanism: The microscopic prick of an acupuncture needle creates a site of injury at the cellular level. The body’s response to injury is a release of chemicals vital to cellular repair. In this way, an acupuncture needle insertion triggers the body into thinking it has been invaded by a foreign object and both tissue and cellular biochemical defense mechanisms are initiated. This helps to reduce local inflammation and relieve pain.
Endorphins: Acupuncture stimulates pain-sensing nerves which triggers the release of endorphins, a pain-relieving chemical known to reduce stress.
Autonomic Nervous System: The autonomic nervous system is responsible for coordinating and conducting all of the body's involuntary functions. Acupuncture activates the healing function of the autonomic nervous system while overriding the fight-or-flight function which, when overactive, puts a great deal of wear and tear on our bodies and minds.
Trigger Point Theory: Western physicians have discovered specific points of tension in the body that, when released, are particularly effective in the alleviation of musculoskeletal pain. The locations of these points remarkably correlate with the acupuncture points of traditional East Asian medicine.
An East Asian Medicine Perspective
In Japan, oriental medicine is called the medicine of vital energy. Ancient physicians recognized this vital energy –known as Ki in Japanese or Qi in Chinese – circulates along meridians throughout the body linking all of the body's parts and functions. When a person is healthy, Ki flows smoothly and nurtures our body and mind. If this flow is blocked, weak, or excessive, then undesirable symptoms and/or illness occurs.
In treatment, the aim of the therapist is to correct the flow of Ki by inserting needles or applying pressure to specific points along the meridians, changing a part or function of the body. Changes in Ki precede physical change, so acupuncture may act as preventive medicine, correcting energy flow before a serious illness occurs. If physical change has already occurred, it may be reversed by adjusting the flow of Ki.
Our Acupuncture Needles
Our clinic uses only the highest quality surgical stainless steel SEIRIN goshin filiform needles and hinaishin intradermal needles. All needles are made in Japan.
The Japanese filiform needles are approximately four times thinner than commonly used Chinese acupuncture needles and are inserted using an insertion tube to minimize discomfort. Filiform needles are 0.16 mm thick (Japanese gauge 1 / Chinese gauge 40) and 15 mm long.
The 3 mm long intradermal needles are inserted shallowly and on an angle into the skin between the superficial and deep fascia. Secured with waterproof medical tape, these needles may be left in place for up to two days to provide gentle and continuous treatment.
All needles are sterile and disposable. Each needle is individually packaged and pre-sterilized with ethylene oxide gas. New needles are used with each visit and are disposed of immediately following each treatment into a biohazard-marked container.
