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Acupuncture and moxibustion, are traditional eastern medical practices
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with a history of over 2000 years.
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Many people seek out treatment for pain management
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and also, other issues like insomnia and injuries.
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However, the exact scientific mechanisms of actions weren’t fully understood,
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but in recent years, efforts are being made to gather clinical evidence
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and scientific data of the effectiveness of acupuncture
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and validate them through Western medical standards.
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Today, we’ll focus on acupuncture and moxibustion treatment that has evolved uniquely in Japan.
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In recent years, acupuncture and moxibustion have gained attention as a complement to Western medicine.
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Workshops are being held in Europe and the United States.
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British acupuncturist, Edward Obaidey, studied in Japan and obtained a national qualification.
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He has been practicing for 35 years.
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Can you tell me a little bit about the difference between Japanese acupuncture versus Chinese acupuncture?
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So, for instance, this is a Chinese needle.
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This is an extreme example I’m showing you.
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And if you have a look here, I don’t know if you can see the head.
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And this can be used to cause vibration in the needle.
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And the needle is basically inserted like this. Yeah?
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– And quite thick.
– Yeah.
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But the Japanese one, and actually, I can show you how thin it is. I hope you can get this on the camera.
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Even if I do this, it’s impossible for me to put it in.
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So in order to put this in, we have a tube.
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And basically, the needle goes inside there,
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and then we tap the needle in.
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Chinese acupuncture uses thick, long needles that are inserted deeply,
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while Japanese acupuncture uses thin, short needles that are inserted shallowly,
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aiming to achieve effects with less stimulation.
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Acupuncture is based on the concept of meridians, or “keiraku.”
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They are energy pathways believed to run throughout the body, connecting to internal organs.
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Along these meridians are acupoints.
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Stimulating these points with needles is thought to regulate the flow of energy,
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leading to effects such as better blood circulation and pain relief.
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And so, for instance, a typical line that we all know about is this line here,
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which is the large intestine line which actually goes up to the teeth
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and that is connected with the large intestine organ inside.
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And so, by using the “keiraku,” as we call them on the outside of the body,
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we can not only help the local area.
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So if the arm’s stiff or if there is a toothache, we can help,
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but also it will change the functioning of the internal organs.
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And how they found that out, I don’t know.
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A lot of trial and experience.
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Efforts are underway in Japan
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to scientifically prove the effects of this treatment focusing on meridians.
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This university has an acupuncture department that brings together Japanese specialists.
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I’m inserting a needle into the Gokoku acupoint on your right hand.
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Kasuya Daichi demonstrated the effects of stimulating the acupoint
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located where the bones of the thumb and index finger meet.
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I’m pulling it out.
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Thermography detected a rise in body temperature not just in the right hand,
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where the needle was inserted.
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Temperature also rose in the left hand.
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Areas with more blood vessels respond better.
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Both hands had the same response, indicating autonomic nervous system involvement.
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The autonomic nervous system automatically regulates vital functions
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such as body temperature, breathing and heartbeat.
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One part of it is the sympathetic nervous system,
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which prepares the body for action by increasing heart rate and other responses.
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The other part is the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body to relax
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by decreasing heart rate and in other ways.
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One of the characteristics of acupuncture is its ability to normalize the functioning of the autonomic nervous system.
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For many years, Kasuya has used acupuncture to treat the aftereffects of stroke.
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How is the discomfort?
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Kubota Toshihiro suffered a stroke in October 2023.
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Seven months later, the left side of his body remains paralyzed.
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How about your face?
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This part feels stiff.
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Immediately after the stroke, facial paralysis made it difficult for him to speak and eat.
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There are several acupoints that can help with this.
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One is in the middle of the eyebrow.
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Another is at the joint between the upper and lower jaws.
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They are located along the trigeminal nerve, which controls sensation and movement in the face.
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Stimulating these acupoints increases blood flow to the brain,
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easing general body pain and facial discomfort.
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I couldn’t move one side of my face. It was paralyzed.
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But now, I can move it a lot better.
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I couldn’t believe the difference.
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He also had sensory impairment in his left arm.
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It became difficult for him to sense temperature.
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When I took a bath, one side of my body felt cold.
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My neurosurgeon said it wasn’t clear whether this aftereffect would heal.
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For sensory problems, acupuncturists look at how the body’s meridians
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are connected to decide where to insert needles.
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This may not always be in the same spot as the affected area.
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They may consider an acupoint just below the knee cap.
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There is also an effective point where the bones of the thumb and index finger meet.
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Let me apply electrical currents to your arms and legs.
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In some cases, Kasuya also applies electrical stimulation to the needles inserted in the arms and legs
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to promote the secretion of opioids, a substance that relieves pain.
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Opioids are released by the brain and spinal cord.
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There are different types with varying effects, such as pain relief and stress reduction.
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Research has shown that the type of opioid produced in the brain
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depends on the frequency of the electrical stimulation applied.
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This graph, based on blood tests, shows the type of opioids that are secreted at different frequencies.
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At a low frequency of 2 hertz, opioids promoting relaxation and calm are produced.
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A high frequency of 100 hertz leads to the secretion of opioids
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that help balance the autonomic nervous system.
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Kasuya combines various frequencies in treating sensory problems.
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The vibration feels like I’m being tapped. It’s like getting a massage.
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I can clearly tell that it has improved my skin sensations.
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Seven months have passed since Kubota had a stroke.
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Rehabilitation and monthly acupuncture treatments have led to a major improvement in his symptoms.
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What other applications are there possibly for acupuncture and moxibustion?
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Acupuncture can be applied to mental health conditions, such as depression or insomnia.
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Mental illnesses are linked to abnormal brain function and cause various symptoms.
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Many sufferers complain of fatigue and weariness.
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There’s evidence that acupuncture is effective for mental health conditions.
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It has been proven to improve brain function and regulate the autonomic nervous system.
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Therefore, I believe that acupuncture will be utilized in this new area.
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Kasuya has also been studying the effects of moxibustion.
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Moxibustion involves placing dried mugwort leaves on acupoints and burning them to warm the area.
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It improves blood circulation and relieves pain.
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The aftereffects of stroke can include dizziness and unsteadiness.
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Kasuya has been treating patients with these symptoms
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by applying moxibustion to the soles of their feet to improve balance.
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He conducted an experiment to verify its effects.
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This device measures the distribution of body weight on the soles of the feet.
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Even a healthy university student can struggle to maintain balance while standing with eyes closed.
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His center of gravity shifts, causing him to sway.
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Kasuya applied moxibustion to the soles of his feet for about 10 minutes.
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He targeted areas known as mechanoreceptors.
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Mechanoreceptors are located on the soles and detect pressure and vibration.
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They transmit information to the central nervous system to help control posture and balance.
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After moxibustion, his balance was measured again.
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This is the data taken before the treatment.
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And this is the data taken afterward.
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The treatment helped to align his center of gravity, improving his balance.
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Moxibustion has been proven to improve balance.
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We are now using it not only on people with stroke aftereffects, but also those with dizziness.
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We also apply it to patients with post-surgery numbness and unsteadiness.
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Would it be effective then also for something like Ménière’s disease as well?
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Dizziness, including Ménière’s disease, is caused by abnormalities in the inner ear.
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Stimulating mechanoreceptors on the body’s surface can help with such symptoms.
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This is known as somatosensory stimulation.
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It can compensate for the inner ear dysfunction.
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Therefore, I stimulate the mechanoreceptors when treating Ménière’s disease patients.
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These images show the improvement in symptoms of atopic dermatitis
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after about 10 months of acupuncture and medication.
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This patient had severe itching and hard lumps on her hands and feet,
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which didn’t improve with medication alone.
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She decided to try acupuncture as well.
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More people with atopic dermatitis are trying the treatment.
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This woman has also had symptoms since birth and started having acupuncture sessions a year ago.
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I can’t stop thinking about the itchiness. I guess I just have to live with it.
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I’ve tried various treatments and medications, but nothing seems to work for long.
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Before starting treatment, acupuncturists ask patients about their health in detail.
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I haven’t been able to sleep well. I’m not sure if it’s because of the itchiness.
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How’s your sleep quality overall?
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Do you have any stress from work, study or other things?
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Yes, a lot. I’m so behind because I’m so slow at doing everything. It’s very frustrating.
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Any other concerns besides the itchiness?
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It’s not as bad as asthma, but I have difficulty breathing.
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During this session, Tsuji targeted not only the acupoints for improving skin condition,
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but also, for relieving stress.
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We use points like Gokoku on the back of the hand and Taisho on the foot.
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These acupoints are good for relieving itchiness caused by stress.
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The connection between overall health and eczema was a significant focus for a researcher
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who once mentored Tsuji.
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Egawa Masato has been using acupuncture to treat atopic dermatitis for over 20 years.
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I’ve treated atopic dermatitis patients for many years.
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I’ve come to realize that their symptoms are not just skin-related.
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They also have insomnia, stiff shoulders, chills, irritability, and, in women, irregular periods.
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These issues indicate an imbalance in the body, which many patients are not being treated for.
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I believe that improving the body’s overall health can improve atopic dermatitis symptoms.
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Egawa is trying to objectively measure how well acupuncture works for treating atopic dermatitis.
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One of the indicators he uses is the level of IgE antibodies in the blood.
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IgE antibodies help to remove foreign substances from the body.
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High levels of these antibodies worsen the symptoms of eczema.
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Experts believe an excessive reaction against foreign substances causes skin inflammation.
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Egawa examined patients’ blood after acupuncture sessions to check their IgE antibody levels.
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He found the levels dropped in 91.7 percent of those who saw a significant improvement in symptoms.
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This was much higher than in those who had minor or no improvement.
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Acupuncture improves allergies by reducing IgE production via the autonomic nervous system.
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That’s my hypothesis.
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The woman receiving acupuncture and medication for the past year
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has gradually seen her symptoms improve.
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She has been recording her symptoms using a survey provided by her acupuncturists.
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She receives a score based on seven questions
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about the frequency of symptoms over the previous week.
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At the start of treatment, her score was 20, showing she had severe eczema.
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Her latest score was 6, indicating mild symptoms.
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I couldn’t stop thinking about the itching before, but that’s no longer the case.
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My body used to feel really dry from the inside. It feels completely different now.
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And I guess, professor, what challenges do you think that acupuncture working together with Western medicine-
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What challenges do you think it faces?
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Every area of treatment plays a different role.
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Whether it’s medication, rehabilitation or nursing care, each serves a specific function.
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Acupuncture should also be recognized for its role in team-based healthcare.
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Acupuncturists need to demonstrate how it can help patients.
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For example, acupuncture can ease pain in patients who can’t take medication.
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It can also ease drug-related nausea and peripheral nerve dysfunction.
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It’s important to make known how acupuncture can help with different symptoms.
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Doctor, thank you so much for your time today.
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Today, we will learn self-care techniques to ease various types of pain from Edward Obaidey,
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a licensed practitioner of acupuncture and moxibustion in Japan.
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The first technique is for headache relief.
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We will use moxa sticks, which warm the acupoints without touching the skin.
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This type of moxibustion is available online.
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It comes from, a herb.
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In English, it’s called Artemisia vulgaris.
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And in Japanese, we call it “Yomogi.”
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The main reason that they use Yomogi is the heating curve is very calm and regular, it’s not explosive.
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And so, you can warm things up. So, it’s a very good herb to use.
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The acupoints targeted will vary depending on the location of the headache.
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For pain at the front of the head, use “Shoyo,” at the index-finger nail’s lower corner on the thumb side.
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For pain on the sides of the head, target “Kansho.”
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It’s at the ring-finger nail’s lower corner on the pinky side.
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And for pain at the back of the head, focus on “Shotaku,” at the pinky nail’s outer bottom corner.
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And when you use this, you put your finger in between it, so that you’re not going to burn her finger.
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And the hottest part is here.
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And basically, I hold it here about 1 cm away.
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And she tells me when it’s hot.
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And how hot? I mean, it feels quite warm, but not “hot” hot.
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When it gets to a sharp heat, you tell me.
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Because it’s actually quite pleasant, isn’t it?
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Yes. It’s very nice.
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If you did this say 2 or 3 times a week, then actually when it’s not painful,
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then you could probably prevent a full headache coming on.
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And where for people who don’t have access to Moxa, could you just as you mentioned, just press it?
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Literally like this.
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– OK. So quite gentle.
– Yeah.
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So, it’s not painful. Okay.
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Don’t go too strongly, because the main thing is to sensitize
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to get the link between up here and this meridian going.
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So, just press it lightly.
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The second technique is for menstrual pain.
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Target “Saninko,” located about four finger widths above the inner ankle.
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This acupoint is a meeting point for the meridians connected to the liver, kidneys and spleen.
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Warm the point with moxa sticks.
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Then you want a gap of about 1 cm or 1.5cm.
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And just wait until it warms up nice and slowly.
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So when you’re warming up this specific point, what action is it having in the body?
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It’s going into these 3 meridians,
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and they will fill up and affect the organs inside.
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And then when they’re full up you will feel heat.
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If you don’t have access to moxa, gently press on the acupoint for three seconds
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and then release for three seconds.
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Repeat this process.
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– And would you do it on both sides.
– Yes.
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– OK, great.
– So everything we’ve done on this side.
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Repeat it on the other side here.
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The third technique is for lower back pain.
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The target is “Jinyu,” located at the narrowest part of the waist, about two finger widths away from the spine.
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This point helps to relieve fatigue.
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First, lie on your stomach.
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Next important thing we need is this, hot water bottle.
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– Is it just a regular standard hot water bottle.
– Yeah.
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All we need to do is we just put it here and we can just, if they’re not that weak and it’s not that painful,
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then what we can do is we can start to do some very light massage.
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I don’t know if you can see this, but I’m just moving the muscles.
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Back and forth, back and forth.
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And you’re not pressing hard because sometimes if you press hard,
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it can irritate the problem, and make it worse.
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So, for those who don’t have a hot water bottle at home, what could you do instead?
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We have the answer.
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Yeah. But with hot water.
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That’s very ingenious. Brilliant.
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You can also roll a plastic bottle containing hot water over the painful parts of your lower back and legs.
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Make sure to cover yourself afterward with a towel or other item to stop the heat from escaping.
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I guess so the key point, the point, is finding the right point as well.
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Yes. When you first find it, you’re never going to be 100% correct anyway.
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But if you get roughly in that area, and you do the moxa which isn’t pinpoint,
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you’ll be okay; with the hot water bottle, even more so.
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You don’t really have to worry too much about getting a spot on, and over time you’ll feel it anyway.
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It was brilliant. Fantastic. Thank you so much.
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Oh, my pleasure. It was good to talk to you.
