On Monday I finally went in for some acupuncture. It took me a while to find someone who speaks English in my area. Most are up in Tokyo. It sounds like a lot of businesses in Tokyo actually have English speaking personnel. Anyway, I thought you all might like to hear what Japanese acupuncture is like in Japan. Keep in mind, Ive had both Chinese and Japanese acupuncture back in the states, so anything that shocks me would be a really big shock to someone who has never had any acupuncture.
Lets see, first he served me some ocha (green tea), and we talked about what I needed for my back. (For anyone who doesnt know, I herniated a disk in my back a good 4 years ago and it still hurts sometimes). In Japanese acupuncture, the doctor finds the blocks in the flow of your energy by touching you and feeling around. In Chinese acupuncture, they use bigger needles (both thicker and longer) and insert them based on description and points. A Japanese acupuncturist could be blind and still aid you. So after he poked around on my back, looked at my tongue, fingernails, and eyes, and poked at my stomach, he started to work. First were the sets of needles in rounds of about 5-10 minutes each. He put them in on both my back and front. I requested not to have one in the top of my head as it freaks me out despite the fact that it is the most calming point. Then came the moxa. Moxibustion, aka moxa, is a Japanese (and sometimes Chinese) herb that they like to burn directly on your skin. The heat and the herb and the oils in this fine, fluffy herb, can do a lot for healing. He told me Id be ok, but having anything lit while sitting on your skin like a little cone of incense is a very scary thing. Moxa can scar if it isnt removed promptly. He did a good job, it only got too close to my skin once, and he lit it on my body in a bunch of spots to promote healing and what not.
Now if you arent scared for me yet, here was the kicker. After all this he told me I still had 2 needles in my back and I was to leave them in for 3 days! Eeek! These were little 3mm needles that were attached to hard plastic under a little round band-aid. So it wasnt too bad, but the thought of walking around with needles in my back was still a bit scary.
So thats Japanese acupuncture in Japan. If anyone has ever had acupuncture in the states you’ve got something to compare, and if youve never had acupuncture, I do recommend it. You dont need to be broken, acupuncture is for general and acute well being. And in Ventura, I recommend the Holistic Healing Center by the hospital.
Ta Ta For Now!