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"Kiiko Matsumoto's Clinical Strategies - Vol.1"
INTRODUCTION
This book will discuss and demonstrate Kiiko Matsumoto¹s work and clinical experience. It is intended to be a guide and practical reference for the clinic as well as a presentation of thoughts and approaches by various Japanese Masters and classical texts. A special emphasis is given to Master Kiyoshi Nagano's extraordinary work from which the authors have learned a vast range of practical approaches with a tremendous clinical effect. This book is dedicated to Master Kiyoshi Nagano.
The reader will find that Kiiko Matsumoto¹s style of acupuncture is a synthesis of the approaches of many prominent Japanese acupuncturists along with her own clinical findings and ideas. Kiiko Matsumoto studied closely with Dr. Manaka (who was very eclectic in his approach as well), Master Nagano and Master Kawai. Through a long and very busy history of clinical experience, reading the Chinese classics and their interpretations she has succeeded in integrating different approaches into a coherent and highly effective style of her own.
The reader will find references to different practitioners as well as to the Chinese acupuncture classics. In general, the acupuncture work presented here is very practical due to the immediate palpable changes in the patient's body but it is also very close to the works presented in the Nan Ching, Su Wen, Ling Shu etc. Many ideas presented here are practical interpretations of these classic works (which are some times written in a very obscure language) integrated with modern Western medicine. David Euler has worked diligently to establish a coherent link between the Chinese acupuncture classics and theories of Western medicine. This link makes this a very unique style to learn as it allows the practitioner to comfortably merge Eastern and Western terminology.
The main characteristic of this style of acupuncture is the very close relationship between the various medical theories and the human body. Such a relationship is obtained by palpation and verification of acupuncture points as explained further in the introduction. In general, acupuncture points are chosen only if they have a positive effect on the body, verified by palpation, pulse-taking or measuring other changes in the body.
OVERVIEW
The first chapter is an overview of the diagnostic procedure and the major diagnostic reflex zones used in this style of acupuncture. The reader will find a detailed explanation of the intake procedure and its significance as well as an explanation of the various areas palpated for the diagnostic purposes. Many reflex zones relate to several possible pathological conditions and treatment points that successfully reduce the pressure pain are used for the differential diagnosis as well as for the treatment. The rest of the text in this book is divided into three main sections: Constitutional treatments, Zang-Fu Organ treatments (including commonly used point description and Metal Water treatment approach), and treatments geared toward specific medical conditions and complaints (found in the Second Volume of this book).
CONSTITUTION
The first section will explain the diagnostic approach and the constitutional treatments that form the basis of almost every treatment given in this style, regardless of the specific complaint. This could be called the root treatment. The constitutional diagnosis and treatments are based on palpable findings, clinical presentation, and the medical history of the patient. Treatments defined as constitutional are geared toward the underlying problems that have led to a specific clinical presentation or that block the natural healing capabilities of the body. Without the constitutional treatments, local or specific approaches to treating the main complaint frequently do not hold the benefit of the treatment for very long. In some cases, the treatment for a specific complaint may become worse or not work at all if the constitutional treatment is not given first. This is very common in patients that present with Stomach Qi deficiency, "adrenal deficiency" and/or with stagnation of Blood in the abdomen (Oketsu). Other constitutional problems such as structural imbalances, scar tissue, hormonal imbalance or autonomic nerve disturbances can also have a profound effect on the body.
It is clear, from looking at the experience of many well known
practitioners, from clinical experience or from reading the classical Chinese works or Master Nagano's teachings, that treating the symptoms alone does not "cure" or give the patient a long lasting feeling of relief. Underlying conditions that have created a certain disease or disabled the body from recovering must be treated first or integrated in the treatment protocol. This approach is not new; it is taught and practiced in many schools. There are many ways of defining these constitutional or underlying conditions: using the Five Element theory, Zang-Fu theory, Eight principles, extraordinary vessels, root and branch and many more. In this book, the reader will find a different approach, mostly inspired by Master Nagano's work and Kiiko Matsumoto's theories and clinical experience, combined with many effective treatments and findings of well known Japanese practitioners.
Eleven major categories of disharmony are referred to in this text as
constitutional.
- Blood stagnation in the Hara ("Oketsu"), in the head and in the vertebral artery.
- Imbalanced immune system.
- Stomach Qi deficiency
- Birth trauma, Shock and trauma or "Navel imbalance."
- Systemic Detoxification
- Autonomic nerve imbalance
- Blood pressure imbalance and cardiac problems
- Hormonal imbalance
- Scar tissue disturbance
- Structural imbalance
- Vascular compression (of the neck, vertebral artery and thigh)
Each of these conditions mentioned above has specific reflexes that become reactive when one of these disharmonies is present, as well as specific signs and symptoms that the practitioner is looking for in order to diagnose and treat the underlying constitutional weaknesses. By treating these conditions first, or adding the treatments for these conditions to a specific treatment, the body is helped in its recovery process and can facilitate a deeper, more complete healing. In many cases, after treating the constitutional conditions, there will be a need for only very few specific points in order to help the patient's full recovery.
These eleven constitutional imbalances are inter-related and affect each other; they all may cause or relate to almost all complaints a patient may present. For example: a client complains of constantly spraining an ankle. From the intake form, it is apparent that as a child he suffered from many attacks of streptococcal throat infections. In the Hara and the neck, the immune reflexes are found. Therefore, the treatment protocol should include acupuncture points addressing the immune system. Structural imbalance treatments are also given to this patient because of the constant favoring of one leg over the other, which in turn causes further damage to the ligaments. Then, after making sure that the painful reflex zones in the body are treated and present with significantly less pressure pain, treatments aimed directly at the ankle are added to the protocol . In the third chapter (treating immune system imbalances), the connection between a weakened immune system and weak connective tissue will be explained.
ORGANS
In the second section of this book, treatment strategies and discussions relating to the Zang Fu Organs are presented. Master Nagano¹s understanding of the disharmonies of the Lung, Spleen, Liver, Kidney, and Heart are also explained. The reader might find a different approach to the disharmonies of the Organ systems from that of TCM textbooks. Although Master Nagano and Kiiko Matsumoto base much of their understanding on the Chinese Classics, the patterns are organized through their clinical experience. Here, as in the rest of this book, the Eastern and Western physiological understanding will merge and an acupuncture treatment protocol will be suggested. At the end of each Organ section, the reader will find a summary of the most common points used. The point description will include the location of the point, indications of usage and the most frequent ways to needle the points so that the optimal clinical results are obtained. The angle of the needle and individual location of the points is very important and will be discussed. Some of the points mentioned are of diagnostic value and not necessarily needled. In these cases, the reader will find treatment strategies to reduce the pressure pain on these points.
The Second Volume of this book will discuss the differential diagnoses and treatments of specific complaints and medical conditions. These complaints and medical conditions are organized according to Western functional organ systems: e.g., urogenital disorders, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disorders, musculoskeletal, etc. The reader will be referred to the constitutional treatments and the Organ concepts presented in the First Volume as needed. In the Second Volume the reader will find descriptions of how to combine the constitutional and the Organ treatments with the specific treatments in a step-by-step explanation.
CASE HISTORIES
Discussion of treatments in this book include an explanation of the signs, symptoms, diagnostic procedures, reflex areas and treatment points. A practical in-depth description is given of how to use the diagnostic reflexes and treatment points, in addition to an explanation of the treatment strategy based upon the classics, the Japanese masters that use these treatments and the authors' own experience. All of this is enhanced by detailed case histories at the end of each chapter or condition described. Some case histories include a discussion which will explain the decision-making process and the clinical results. In some case histories, the reader will find what to do if the initial treatment that was suggested does not help, or if the discussed treatment points do not release the reflex areas or the main complaint. All case histories describe the entire treatment procedure. This will help the reader to understand where and how to include the specific points or procedure in the course of the treatment. All case histories are actual patients that Kiiko Matsumoto or David Euler have treated. The names and some personal facts have been changed to protect their privacy.
Throughout the text, the reader will find that certain treatments require the use of special instruments or tools. Most of these tools are very simple and inexpensive. In addition to needles, they may include the following: super pure moxa, Tiger Warmers, various kinds of magnets, Manaka hammer and dowel, Shiunko cream, ion pumping cords, Pachi-Pachi sparker, triple bypass cords, diode rings, silver diode chains and Ito magnet stimulator.
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