Palpation

Japanese Acupuncture is much more hands on than it’s Chinese cousin.  Incredibly, for a period in Japan, Acupuncture was a profession mainly practised by the blind.  This created a rich tradition of diagnosing by touch (palpation) which has been passed on to modern practitioners.

Needle Stimulation

Chinese needling involves lifting, thrusting, twisting and twirling the needles until the qi arrives.  The practitioner know this occurs when the patient notifies them that they feel a dull and distending feeling around the needle.  In Japanese Acupuncture the practitioner relies on their keen sense of touch to feel the qi arrive.  It is not essential at this point for the patient to feel anything at all, but any sensation is usually described as warmth, tingling  and generally pleasant.

Depth of Needling

Chinese needling tends to be aimed more at the fleshy areas of the body.  To get to  these areas the needles are inserted generally between 1 – 5 cm.  Japanese Acupuncture is more interested with the area on or just below the skin (with its enormous number of nerves sending messages to the brain this is a very potent area to work with).  As such, the needles generally need only be inserted between 1 – 5 mm.

Thickness of Needles

Japanese Needles are thinner and sharper than their Chinese counterparts.  This gives them a much kinder passage through the skin resulting in little to no pain.

Harmonising the Body

Often in the modern practice of Chinese Acupuncture the treatment will be solely focused on the individual problem that the patient comes in for.  In Japanese Acupuncture there is a particular emphasis on first balancing the energy in your body and then dealing with the   problem at hand.  This not only results in a faster recovery for the patient but will also leave you feeling on top of the world after the treatment.

Traditional Oriental medicine is based on thousands of years of intellectual thought and clinical experience and is recognized by WHO (World Health Organization). It is beneficial for both acute or chronic disorders as well as preventative treatment

What can acupuncture treat?

• General health problems
  Sleeping problems, lack of energy, fatigue, loss of appetite, high stress levels
• Bone, muscle and joint problems
  Injuries, RSI, high muscle tension, muscle pain, joint pains
• Immune system troubles
  Allergies, hay fever, asthma, arthritis
• Respiratory troubles
  Flu, sinus problems, cough, bronchitis
• Gynecological problems
  Fertility issues, premenstrual troubles, menstrual troubles, menopausal problems
• Digestive troubles
  Disorders of the digestive system, loss of appetite, food allergies
• Problems with circulation
  Heart problems, high or low blood pressure, cold hands or feet
• Emotional and mental troubles
  Depressions, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, nervousness, low self-esteem, burn-out

Diet and lifestyle advice

Food can be considered the medicinal herbs that we take three times a day. Being aware of what we eat can help to maintain internal balance and prevent disease on a daily basis.

I use my background in western and eastern nutrition to help you know your constitutional strengths and weaknesses and the specific effects of your diet and lifestyle. I help you find what keeps you feeling well and healthy,in a way that suits you.

My aim is to correct the flow of Ki by inserting needles or to specific points along the channels. In so doing, a change in part or function of the body is achieved. Changes in Ki precede physical change, so acupuncture can act as preventive medicine, correcting energy flow before a serious illness occurs. If physical change has already occurred, it can be reversed by adjusting the flow of Ki.

Western medical science proved acupuncture to stimulate our body’s biochemical defence mechanism and autonomic nervous system. Acupuncture has an affect on electrical conduction in our body and stimulates the release of endorphins (also known as pain relieving or anti-stress hormones)