Volume 1, Special Edition | Current Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2010used4). Tsukayama also reported that during the earlyphase mostly needle retaining was used, whileReferences
1

2

sequelae of facial paralysis with asynchronoustransdermal low frequency electrization (AET)6).
Moreover, micropuncturing to let blood is also very

3

effective for this disease. In particular, if there are any
fine visible vessels micropuncturing in the buccal

4moxibustion treatment is effective, but compared toBell's palsy the effectiveness is insufficient.

AcupunctureandOkabe S.: The Essence of Acupuncture andMoxibustion Therapy p 96-97, Sekibundo 1983
Fukaya I.: Stories about Healing Diseases withMoxibustion, Collections No. 1 to 10, Shinkyu noSekai Publisher, 1972
Tsuta Y., Hosokawa Y., Umeda T., et al.: Treatmentof Facial Palsy; Shinkyu Osaka Vol.13, No.1 54-72
1997

5

Ordinary needles would be sufficient for this purpose,but there are only very few reports on this form of

the herpes zoster virus, causing the Ramsay Hunt
syndrome marked by poor prognosis. Acupuncture andPractical1, p. 292-296, Sogensha 1966

reported they achieved improvements in various
evaluation scores treating patients suffering frommicropuncturing.
Among the diseases causing facial palsy there isalso a viral infection of the geniculate ganglion withB.:

Moxibustion Therapy Based on Case Reports, Vol.

electroacupuncture was often used once the paralysis
had become fixed to a certain degree5). Arai et al.

region on the affected side should always be used to let
blood. Even a minimal amount will be effective.

Shirota

Yoshida N., Tsukayama H., Okada A., et al.:Diagnosis and Treatment of Facial Pain and Palsy;
Ido no Nihon 59(10) 7-20, 2000

6Arai C., Yamaguchi S., Omata H., et al.: On theEffectivenessofAcupuncture

TreatmentofPatients with Sequelae of Facial Palsy, Summary
Collection of the 54th Conference of the Japan
Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, No. 201,
2005

Generally, needles need to be inserted to a depth of 3 toClinical Application:
Low Back Pain

5 cm, but when the patient has a fever like during a

Low back pain can have various causes, anddepending on the cause, requires the corresponding
specific treatment. Acupuncture and moxibustiontreatment is suitable for low back pain of any origin.
Shirota frequently used the following treatment
points for both acupuncture and moxibustion.
CV12, ST27, BL20, BL23, GB25 (Sawada style), BL25,GV3 (waist), BL32, Onodera's gluteal point, Kampu,
GV34, LR4.

cold or immediately thereafter, needling for low backpain to a depth of 1.5 to 2 cm will be sufficientlyeffective. If in these cases the entire back musculature
is tender, scatter pricking targeting the muscles along
the second line of the bladder channel from top tobottom often elicits a needle sensation (Hibiki) andproduces an immediate, marked effect.
Among the forms of low back is also one thatoriginates from neurasthenia and requires the use of
the acupoints GV20, BL10, BL11, GV12, etc. Without

Occasionally BL18 may be required. GB26 orcalming the central nervous system in this way,

GB28 can also be required. In either case, spots ofimprovements are rather unlikely. Subdermal needles

marked tenderness or induration are needled. In casemay be unexpectedly effective for pain of the lumbarof a strained back (acute myofascular low back pain),myofasciae causing pain while lying in bed. In caseapplication of acupuncture and moxibustion close toblood network vessels are visible in the lumbar region,

the vertebra at the level of BL26 can be very effective.

blood letting from these can be markedly effective1).

70

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)

Volume 1, Special Edition | Current Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2010

Keiraku Chiryo (meridian therapy) is performed in

The results were evaluated based on VAS, andaccordance with the descriptions in the classics. For

according to the JOA score, superior improvements

example, the text Shinkyu Choho Ki (1718), publishedwere observed in the groups A, B and C, but not in

about 300 years ago in Japan, states that "greatergroup D3). This showed that either therapy is effective

yang low back pain is pain extending from the nape ofso some degree, while further studies will be required

the neck to buttocks, rendering the back heavy.

to determine which of these is superior.

Brighter yang low back pain prevents the patient fromlooking to the sides and suffer from stiffness. Lesser

As in this study, low frequency electroacupunctureyang low back pain feels like a needle piercing the skinis currently widely used in Japan and produces

and prevents the patient from assuming a supine

considerably good therapeutic results. The use ofposition. Greater yin low back pain feels feverish andvarious other new therapies for the treatment of low

like a tree in the back, leading to leakage of urine.

back pain have also been reported. A therapy using

Lesser yin low back pain is like a bent bow, causing

trigger points is one of those and has alreadysilentanddeveloped in Japan into an established treatment form.

treatment

Research showed that it yields better results thandiscomfort."

moxibustion

Currently,

therapists

acupuncture

perform

theirreferring to this description.

simply the treatment of tender points4).

Sodo Okabe said, "The waist is the pivot of theMoxibustion, warming needle, intradermal needles,entire body. Here six channels are involved. Among

pricking of the network vessels and Ryodoraku andthese, treatment of the lesser yang channel is ofmany other treatment forms are also practiced, butcentral importance. In case of a strained back notthere are few publications in the form of case reports.

overly long after the onset of the symptoms, strong
reactions are found along the bladder channel, but in

References

prolonged cases the condition will be difficult to cure

1. Shirota

Practical

B.:

Acupunctureandunless the lesser yang channel is treated. Immediately

Moxibustion Therapy Based on Case Reports,

after the onset of the pain, when the patient is unable

Vol. 2, p.6-17,

to move, treatment of the acupoint Chufu of the liver

Sogensha 1966

2. Okabe S.: The Essence of Acupuncture andMoxibustion Therapy p. 123, Sekibundo 1983

channel is beneficial."2)
The "Taikyoku Therapy" developed by Ken Sawada

3. Kawase Y., Ishigami T., Nakamura H., et al.:and further improved by Shirota is currently practiced

Acupuncturein Japan. Kase, et al. used Taikyoku Therapy andmultifacility randomized comparative trial using

conducted the following research.

sham acupuncture as a control, Journal of theA total of 64 patients with low back pain weredivided into four groups:

therapyforlowbackpain–Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion 56(2) 140-149, 2006

Group A: receiving Taikyoku Therapy + low
frequency electroacupuncture;

4. Hirota S., Katsumi Y.: Comparative trial using
trigger point therapy and treatment of tenderGroup B: only Taikyoku Therapy;

points for patients with chronic low back pain,

Group C: only low frequency electroacupuncture;

Journal of the Japan Society of Acupuncture andGroup D: sham acupuncture.

Moxibustion 56 (1) 68-74, 2006

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)71