The amazing world of Japanese acupuncture

The past few months have seen a revolution in my acupuncture practice.  I’ve been studying and using a Japanese form called Kiiko, or Nagano style, which I now practice almost exclusively.

How does this differ from Chinese acupuncture?  To begin with, all Japanese acupuncture styles (and there are many) are based on the Chinese classics which form the basis of this amazing form of healing.  Kiiko style in particular delves deeply into these root texts, studying such things as the Chinese characters chosen for acupoints and different pathologies.

Kiiko style also pays close attention to modern  Western medicine and has specific, effective treatments for what ails many of us – stress, irregular heart function, high or low blood pressure, a weakened or overactive immune system, to name a few.  This is different from Traditional Chinese Medicine, which tends to stick with the classic disease patterns (“heart qi deficiency”, or “spleen dampness”, for example), which don’t always equate with modern ailments.

Another difference is that the patient hardly ever feels the needles.  What allows this is a precise system of palpatory diagnosis which allows me to find not only the most effective place to put a needle, but the angle of insertion that is most beneficial.  Also, I use the finest of needles and insert them only a few millimetres into the skin.

Using this technique, patients can feel the changes being effected in his or her body immediately, though the healing and benefits extend far beyond the treatment session.

The end result is that this is the most powerful yet gentle form of acupuncture that I’m aware of, and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to practice it and offer it to my patients.

One thing that amazes me when I think about any system of medicine or healing modality, be it Western biomedicine or Chinese medicine, is the genius of the men and women who discovered and developed them.  What an incredible, open mind coupled with dedication must be necessary to create these incredible methods of healing.  These are some of the most profound gifts that an individual can make towards humankind.

Another amazing thing is that we live in an age in which we can access a healing technique from across the globe which can benefit and help us with so many different health challenges, whether they be physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual.

For the next few blog entries, I’m going to go through some of the different aspects of Kiiko style acupuncture and explain how and why they are so effective for so many people.  These will include entries on hormone function, immune system strengthening and balancing, stress reduction and nervous system balancing, treating blood pressure, muskuloskeletal issues and plus entries on more specific conditions.

If you have any subjects you’d like to hear about, then please drop me a line and I’ll do my best to accommodate you!