The goal at Kenzai Acupuncture is to provide a comfortable and therapeutic treatment experience while effectively addressing patients’ health conditions. Kenzai’s many services include:
Japanese-style Acupuncture
In Japanese style acupuncture, finer needles are inserted more superficially and stimulated more gently than in traditional Chinese acupuncture. Studies show a marked response in parasympathetic activity with Japanese style needling, and that small amounts of superficial stimulation produce significant responses in the body. (these statements needs to be cited or linked)
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbs are prescribed for a wide range of different diseases. After a comprehensive diagnosis, a customized herbal formula may be recommended to address the specific health condition and particular constitutional pattern.
Teishin (needleless acupuncture)
A teishin is a small healing instrument made of gold, silver, jade or other precious materials. These instruments do not penetrate the skin. They are used to apply focused pressure on acupuncture points and to stimulate meridians. This is a very useful technique for children or for those patients who are afraid of needles. While this method may appear simple, it can be extremely powerful, allowing for strong treatments without an excessive number of points (which can make people tired) and without insertion of any needles.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a traditional Asian medicine technique involving the burning of mugwort to facilitate healing. Like acupuncture, moxibustion has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years to expel cold and warm the meridians, which leads to smoother flow of blood and qi.
Moxa can be applied directly or indirectly. In direct moxibustion, a small, cone-shaped amount of moxa is placed on top of an acupuncture point and burned. Japanese moxibustion uses the highest grade of pure moxa possible, which is applied directly on the skin. The result is an intense, penetrating heat that stimulates the acupuncture point without discomfort to the patient.
In indirect moxibustion, a practitioner either lights one end of a moxa stick and holds it close to the area being treated for several minutes, or ignites moxa on the top of a needle, generating heat to the acupuncture point and the surrounding area.
Today moxibustion is used to strengthen the immune system, as treatment for chronic low energy, chronic fatigue, and cold hands and feet, as well as for painful conditions like menstrual cramps, arthritis, and muscle pain. Western research shows that moxibustion treatment increases white blood cells and reduces pain and inflammation.
Acutonics®
Acutonics® is a needle-less and non-invasive treatment similar to acupuncture. It involves applying precision calibrated tuning forks to specific acupuncture points to access the body’s meridian and chakra energy systems for therapeutic effect. The harmonic oscillations of the tuning forks travel deeply into the body and human physiology. Applying the forks stimulates and balances the body’s physical and subtle energy field to promote healing.
For people who are needle-sensitive, Acutonics® provides the benefits of acupuncture without penetrating the skin. The use of Acutonics® in conjunction with needling can also prolong and deepen the effects of acupuncture treatment.
Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture and Massage
Cosmetic acupuncture has been done since at least 960 AD during the Sung Dynasty. Facial rejuvenation acupuncture involves the insertion of very, very fine needles into specific points on the face and the body (usually on the ankle, foot and wrist) to revitalize the skin, sculpt the muscles of the face, reduce wrinkles, and tighten flaccid skin around the neck, jaw, cheeks and eyes. From a western standpoint, many of the points used on the face are in areas where the nerves innervate facial muscles. Needling increases nerve conduction and blood flow to the surrounding muscle-skin matrix and increases lymph circulation to the face. This can increase moisture, increase collagen production, and refine muscle tone.
Cosmetic acupuncture may erase as many as five to ten years from the face. Results are apparent after just a few treatments.
Some of the aesthetic benefits that cosmetic acupuncture may show:
- Erasure of fine lines, diminishment of deeper wrinkles
- Reduction of bags under the eyes
- Firmed jowls
- Lifting of droopy eyelids and brows
- Minimization of double chins
During this treatment there is a release of stress – stress that becomes embedded in our facial expressions. Patients will see more color, vitality, and youthfulness in their face following treatment.
For best results, an initial course of 10 one-hour treatments 2 times per week for 5 weeks is recommended. . Following the initial course, a maintenance series of 3-4 treatments every 6 months will prolong and enhance the initial results.
Sotai Movement Therapy
Sotai (ho) is a Japanese form of muscular and movement therapy. It is a method of neuromuscular reeducation and untwisting of muscular holding patterns. This balances the nervous and muscular systems. Treatment focuses on returning natural body alignment by working with the breath and by comfortable positioning with gentle movements. The goal is to increase mobility without forcing movement in areas where restriction is present in the body.
Auriculotherapy – Ear Acupuncture
Auriculotherapy is a form of acupuncture applied to the auricle (the outer portion) of the ear. Modern ear acupuncture is based on both ancient Oriental medicine and modern western research. In the 1950’s, Dr. Paul Nogier discovered that various parts of the body correspond to specific areas of the ear in the form of an inverted fetus. He believed that the ear is a microsystem (a miniature representation) of the body and the entire body is represented on the ear. Practitioners may check for irregularities or painful spots on the ear or rely on electrical devices to measure skin resistance at points on the ear. By stimulating corresponding acupuncture points on the map of the ear, patients experience relief from pain and disease in the associated body parts.
Shiatsu
A Japanese form of bodywork, “shiatsu” means “finger pressure” in Japanese; practitioners use finger and palm pressure in a continuous, rhythmic sequence to promote smooth qi and blood flow along meridians that run the course of the body. Similar to acupuncture, the goal of shiatsu treatment is to correct imbalances in the body by looking for and treating areas where energy may be stagnant or blocked. Shiatsu can help to stimulate the immune system and facilitate the functions of the nervous system, circulatory system, bone structure and muscular system.
Tui Na
Tui Na is another form of Oriental bodywork that includes massage and manipulation techniques using palms, fingertips, knuckles and implements to help remove blockages along the meridians of the body. This form of bodywork was originally used on the elderly and infants. Today Tui Na techniques are specialized for infants, adults, trauma, sports injuries, orthopedics and rehabilitation.
Cupping
Cupping is a therapy using heat and suction via glass cups on specific areas of the body to stimulate the flow of qi and blood within the superficial muscle layers. It’s useful for treating sore muscles, tension, neck pain, chronic back pain, acute sprain or injury, and the common cold.