Volume 6, Number 1 | Spring 2011

Clinical Report 1 (Acupuncture)
Two Cases that had Treatments Effect with Infant
Acupuncture Therapy
Takeshi Matsumoto
Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences,
Kashiwanoha Acupuncture Clinic of Chiba University[Introduction]
Since old days, there has been a special type ofacupuncture called “infant acupuncture therapy” forthe treatment of children in Japan. Although its
origin is not fully elucidated, it is one of traditional
acupuncture styles.1)
Infant acupuncture therapy was popular in the
Edo period (about 1600-1867) and mainly practiced
in the surrounding areas of Osaka (Figure 1).2) It has
been administered to treat various major conditions
generally seen in children of not only cries at night,
enuresis, infantile malnutrition but also diseasesof the respiratory system and diseases of thedigestive system problems. For the treatment ofpediatric patients, special needles of different shapes
specifically designed for children are used. The
modality of this type of acupuncture stimulates thewhole body using non-insertive techniques such as
touching and rubbing.

Figure 1

16

In recent years, fewer parents bring theirchildren to pediatric acupuncture practitioners forthe treatment of their children even in Osaka.
According to a report, there are more people who do
not know of the existence of a method of treatment
for children, compared to those who do.3)
During the initial opening period of our clinic,
only adult patients visited us and there were no
chances of treating children. However, in the area
where Chiba University Kashiwanoha Campus islocated, one of leading corporations started thedevelopment of this area as a new residential areafrom about 2005 and many condominium buildings
stood side by side. As a result, the households withchildren increased and the population of the area
also grew year by year, and our acupuncture clinic
had visits of infant patients. And so, for familiarity
with and easy access to infant acupuncture, a half
price discount on the regular adult fees has beenoffered for children of 10 years old or below since2008. This discount information has been and isbeing distributed through such media as our website,
fliers, and posters. Moreover, the activity of lecture
meetings has been carried out even now todisseminate
theinformation
about
infantacupuncture and to obtain people’s understanding.

Map of JapanThe Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)

Volume 6, Number 1 | Spring 2011

As above, our clinic is performing everyday

showedstrongresponses

totensions

weretreatment aiming for a clinic open to children. The

stimulated with pressing force with the relatively

cases that had excellent results of Shonishin will bepointed part of the pediatric needle.

introduced below.
Case I[Object and method]
Patient: N.H. 8 years old elementary school boy
Chief complaint: Nocturnal enuresis
Present condition: Height 130 cm, weight 25 kg.
As his father was the manager of a boys’ rugby team,the patient also played ruby with him. The patient,
who was all dark sunburned, was a thin type withless muscle. The body was stringy and hard. He
Figure 2 Disposable infant needles

always had a smile on his face. He was dependent on
his mother and the youngest of three male siblings.

Cooperated by SEIRIN Co., Ltd.

Anamnesis and complications: No special mention
Diagnosis: No special mention[Course]Present illness: Although he was an elementary

The frequency of enuresis is shown in Figure 3.

school boy, the frequency of bedwetting had been four

In 2009

times a week since he was little. His mother woke

1st treatment (March 14): The patient felt well.

him up once at 12:00 midnight, but he became wet in

2nd treatment (March 23): After the previous

the morning. As he was scheduled to go out for antreatment, the frequency of four times a weekextended learning (with lodgment), his motherreduced a little.

wanted to manage to improve by that time. The child

3rd treatment (April 11): Went to the grandmother’s

did not seek medical care from clinics or hospitals.

and stayed there for a long time, which changed
his life rhythm.

Assessment method

4th treatment (April 27): The frequency reduced after

The patient was asked to paste a seal with his
favorite pattern on the date of a calendar when hereturning home.
5th treatment (May 18): Due to consecutive holidays

did not wet his bed.

for a long time (Golden Week), the bed time

Treatment method

became irregular, and the rhythm changed.

He loved sports and was a good worker but he wasskinny with stringy muscles of the entire body.

In

6th treatment (June 15): Arouse without being woken
when he has an urge to urinate.

consideration of internal body cold, the whole body

7th treatment (July 13): Became able to hold up urine

was stimulated for five minutes with disposabletill 5 o’clock in the morning without being woken.

infant needles made by SEIRIN Co., Ltd. (Figure 2).

When it became 5 o’clock, went to the toilet andEspecially the lower legs that were found intensely

then returned to bed.

tense on palpation were smoothly rubbed with theflat part of the needle to ease tensions. And the

8th treatment (August 31): Was able to withstand
until the time to rise.

nearby areas of 築 賓 (K19) zhubin, 三 陰 交 (SP6)sanyinjiao, and 郄 門 (PC4) ximen acupoints that

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

17

Volume 6, Number 1 | Spring 2011

morning,

回

10Number of times
9
7
6

and

evening, to cut down on salt

9

8

8

afternoon,

intake, and to prevent him

7from becoming chilled. The

6

patient

wet

his

bed

5

frequently in April and May

4since he often went out and3

had the long holidays in

2

2

1

1
0

these months and the life
rhythm

MAR.

APR.

3月

MAY

4月

（３月１４日以降）(AfterMarch 14)

5月

JUN

6月

JUL

AUG

7月

8月

Figurefrequency
図 33 Enuresis
夜尿回
数

of

the

patientchanged.

Afterward,

heresumedhis

stableandnormallife

rhythm.

He

looked forward to showing
the practitioner the seals pasted on the calendar[Consideration]
Many of the mothers who visit our clinic forand trustful relations could be built up, which

treatment of nocturnal enuresis of their children

further inspired him to strive for improving his life

desire the approach that does not require wakening

rhythm. Although not many documents have been

the child during the midnight. And such mothers

released on treatment effects of nocturnal enuresis

visit our clinic as they may have concerns and fears

in children, effectiveness has, in effect, beenfrom various sources of information, like websites,

reported.5)that awakening children at midnight will cause toinhibit growth hormone release, affecting their

The patients who visits clinics with the chief

growth, and that the disturbance of antidiuretic

complaint of nocturnal enuresis are of relatively

hormone secretion will affect the control of urine

higher age and the insertive treatment for thesevolume during the night. However, the Guideline

children is often performed using Goushin.5)6)7) For

presented in June 2004 for diagnosing nocturnal

the subject patient, infant needles were used as heenuresis prepared by The Japanese Society on

had a strong fear, targeting to ease excessive whole

Enuresis4)

providesmodalities

of

main

treatment

body tensions confirmed on palpation. As a result,guidance,

behavioral

stringy excessive tensions in the body were eased;

treatment, and medicinal treatment.

The alarm

the muscles became moderately elastic condition astreatment for enuresis in the behavioral treatment

a whole; and his physical rhythm had adjusted -category where you wake the child during the nightthese may have caused the improvement of

to toilet has stable effects is used as treatment. The

nocturnal enuresis in this case.

threelifestylematter of wakening during the night needs to be
discussed. However, upon consultation with theCase II

patient’s mother, treatment was carried forward for[Object and method]

the time being by wakening the patient to take to

Patient: S.A. one year and 8 month old boy

the toilet. The patient’s mother had the instructions

Chief complaint: Difficulty falling asleep, poor

to adjust the patient’s life rhythm, to spread theappetite, sleep lightly.

amount of fluids the patient drank through the

Present condition: Height 89 cm, weight 12 kg.

18

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

Volume 6, Number 1 | Spring 2011

Anamnesis and complications: No special mention

walk to the kitchen, but groaned a moment andDiagnosis: No special mention.

fell back asleep. His mother did not need to read

Present illness: The patient was one year and eighta picture story book to him. So she really felt

months old. He began to wake up during the night

greatly relaxed.

from a year ago. He had been waking up every two

O: Skin turgor on the body surface became

hours for five months and when waking up, he

adequate and the balance of muscle tensions

walked to the refrigerator to drink milk. After

became appropriate.

drinking in sips, he went back to bed and sleep. He

3rd treatment (July 22)

became very picky about food and his food intake

S: After this, he was in good condition and slept

was reduced.

well. He fell asleep easily and had appetite.

He went to bed about 8:00 pm and it took him two

A: As the patient was in good shape, thehours to fall asleep.

treatment was finished on the day.

Daytime napping was once a day from about 13:00
to 14:00.

[Consideration]

Cow’s milk was started from 8 months. At thepresent time, he took a mixed diet with food.

Stimulating the skin is essential to mental andphysical developments of children. According to a
study by Schanberg and Field,8) rats of 8 to 10 days

Treatment method:

old that were being separated from their mothers

The whole body was stimulated for five minutes

for two hours showed lowered levels of growthwith infant needles made by SEIRIN Co., Ltd.

hormone secretion, but rats that had tactile stimuli

Especially the upper arms and lower legs were

did not show a reduction in the secretion of growthsmoothly rubbed with the flat part of the infant

hormone. They also reported that in immatureneedle to ease strong tensions confirmed onbabies who had the skin stimulated every day, thepalpation.

body weight increased faster than those who did nothave it.

[Course]In 2010Skin stimulation in children is significantly

1st treatment (July 12)

linked to their growth. For this reason, the state of

S: The patient had difficulty falling asleep, his

inner surface such as being excessively sensitive

seep cycle was short. He has little appetite.

and emotionally unstable appears readily on the

O: No hardness was found in the abdomen, andbody surface. In performing infant acupuncture

the condition was not so bad.

therapy, the acupuncturist reads the information

Arms and legs were lacking of power, he did notfrom the body surface and gives stimulations

have much energy.

appropriately according to the information. The

A: He did not show reluctance to infantskin of children, which is thin and sensitive,

acupuncture therapy and quietly received it. He

responds acutely to external stimulations or

was in a good mood.

irritations, so that small amounts of stimulation

2nd treatment (July 15)

easily cause effects. Thus, the effects appeared with

S: From the day of the previous treatment

the fewer number of the treatment in the patient.

onward, he went to bed at 8 o’clock in the evening.

Usually

Although he woke up at the midnight, he did notacupuncture therapy is finished in minutes.9) The

one

time

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

treatment

withinfant19

Volume 6, Number 1 | Spring 2011

time to simulate was only about five minutes in the

Kashiwanoha area in Kashiwa-shi of Chiba-

patient. Too much stimulation may make the child

prefecture of Japan.15)16) In the campus, which was

exhausted or develop fever. When the author first

formerly

began the infant acupuncture therapy, some of theKashiwanoha Kampo Clinic of Chiba University

children became feverish. From the experiences,

was established in June 2004 to realize the “town-

the length of one treatment was determined as fivebuilding based on environment and health,”

minutes.

implementing the tradition and philosophy of

The suitable ages of the children to receive

Orientalusedmainlymedicine.17)18)

for

This

horticulture,

Clinictheprovidesinfant acupuncture therapy are generally from thetreatment using mostly Kampo medicines andages that can have an understanding of insertingprescribes extract products and decoctions madeneedles down to a few months of age. However,with medicinal herbs covered by the national healthinfant acupuncture therapy is not only for children.

insurance

It may be applied to aged people who are sensitive

Tsukuba Express, a new railway line, opened nearto stimuli or the patients who have depression.

the campus of the university. In conjunction with

Yoshimura10)

this, Kashiwanoha Acupuncture Clinic of Chiba

uses infant needles to prevent the

progression of dementia.

program.

In

November

2006,

the

University opened in a giant commercial facility

A right amount of stimulation is comfortable tonear the Kashiwanoha station.19) This acupuncture

people of any age. In recent years, there is a touchclinic was founded based on the idea that if thetherapy appealing to the importance of skin-to-skinfacility is a shopping mall with many people

contact between mother and child, which iscasually milling around, physicians of Chiba

the

University could grapple with disease-prevention

modern age of Japan when it is easy to noticemeasures with Oriental medicine. It is the first casechildren who caused or are causing problems orin Japan that a national university corporation has

those who are emotionally unstable, the importanceopened an acupuncture clinic. Furthermore, it isof skin ship or physical contacts during infancy hasquite unusual for the acupuncture clinic to be

attracting

worldwide

attention.11)12)13)

been brought to realize once

again.14)

In

We as

operated as a tenant of a commercial facility. Chiba

practitioners of acupuncture and moxibustion think

University launched this project for the purpose ofthat there comes the time when we have to makecontributing to the community people.

once again the method of skin contact stimulus,
which has been taken over from the ancient times,

The numbers of patients who visited the Clinic

and infant acupuncture therapy, which is theduring the one-year period from the opening date of

culmination of tradition and techniques and theNovember 22, 2006 to November 22, 2006 were 448

method of providing treatment by acupunctureof new patients, 312 of female, 136 of male, and thepoints or catching responses, more familiar or

total of 2,774 patients. The number of treatment

accessible to people.

days during the one year period was 234 days andthe average number of patients who visited theIntroduction of facilities:
Chiba

university

and the age distribution was in their 50s, 60s, 30s,

corporation, has the campus of the Center forand 70s in descending order. Generally among theEnvironment, Health and Field Sciences in thechief complaints of the patients who receive

20

University,

Clinic was 11.9 per day. The average age was 53.8
anational

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

Volume 6, Number 1 | Spring 2011acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, motor

As of April 2011, four years have passed. The one-organ disorders accompanied by pain, such as stiffstoried Kampo Clinic and the Acupuncture Clinic

shoulders and low back pain accounts for 80% instand in the idyllic campus where there are vegetable

Japan.20)21) Similarly the most patients visiting thefields and fruit field (Figures 4, 5). With facilities of 3

Clinic complained of motor organ disorders followedcare beds and 1 massage bed, 4 practitioners (one is aby headaches, sensitivity to cold, noise in the ear,general malaise, and sleeplessness.
The

numberofpatientsofKashiwanoha

Acupuncture Clinic of Chiba University began toincrease year by year after the third anniversary
and the Clinic as business grows steadily. However,it has been relocated into the present Kashiwanoha
Kampo Clinic of Chiba University on April 2010 inorder to place a strong emphasis on research andstudies, which are now being progressed from thestaff member specialized in massage therapies)
providestreatments

withmoxibustion and massages.

acupunctureandIn this campus,

professionals from different areas of horticulture,
education, pharmaceuticals, and medicine have cometogether and this enables to take approaches fromdifferent angles for a single purpose. In the study on
growing mugwort leaves used for moxa, its selection,and house cultivation – these are now taking place - acollaborative project is now being carried out between
the professionals who have knowledge of moxa, its

aspects of both acupuncture and moxibustion, andproperties,

Kampo.

professionals who have the knowledge of qualities of

production

andresearch,

and

the

mugwort leaves (a material of moxa), its cultivation,and proliferation. As such, a study that reflects thecharacteristics of the field scientific center is being
carried forward.

Figure 5 In the treatment room
Figure 4 Kashiwanoha Acupuncture Clinic of Chiba University

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

21

Volume 6, Number 1 | Spring 201111) Tiffany

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3)

M

Field,

etal.,(1986).

TactileHitoshi NAGANO, et al. (2010). Shonishin no

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