Huon Valley Acupuncture
Bachelor of Nursing Science; Master of Science (Acupuncture) – RMIT;
Post Graduate Certificate in Traditional Japanese Moxibustion Therapy
Hi there! My name is Yoshiko. I have lived and worked in Australia for over 20 years, first as a Registered Nurse and now as Acupuncturist / Moxibustionist. I find myself fortunate to be able to follow my two main passions in life – Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese/Japanese Medicine. These two different modalities of medicine are like having two languages. I speak Japanese and English, and I can see that each language is the reflection of two very different world views.
My Focus
In my acupuncture method, the emphasis is on:
- Supporting a weakened Immune System
- Helping the body to increase blood circulation
- Helping the body to balance the Endocrine and Autonomic Nervous Systems
- Alleviating pain
- Helping the patient’s energy to flow smoothly
With those foundation in my mind, I look at the patient’s body holistically and come up with detailed and appropriate treatment plants.
As an example, let’s look at lower back pain. One might think it is a localised problem, and I should just treat where the pain is. Actually, lower back pain is, for us, not that straightforward. It can be caused by infections, old injuries, age related wear and tear, stenosis, or have myofascial origins. It could be caused by an autonomic nervous imbalance due to prolonged stress; it could have originated with a head injury which occurred 20 years ago; or it could be related to hormonal imbalances due to menopause, etc. It is important for us to listen to the patient’s history and stories, as well as to perform thorough palpation.
Many patients present problems with neck, shoulder, back, lower/upper limb pain and each has their unique story associated with them. The same applies with any illness. However, I also commonly see many of us having a compromised immune system due to day-to-day stress, from which secondary infections can occur – affecting skin, musculoskeletal systems, joints, circulatory systems, and even some major organs such as the kidneys and heart. Acupuncture, appropriately combined with moxibustion, can treat many of these health issues, and is not limited to musculoskeletal systems.
Treatment Day
In my acupuncture practice, we begin with a thorough review of your history. I look at your pulse, tongue, and abdomen to search for clues for what has been going on to cause the health issues. It is also important to observe your gait, posture, the colour of your face, voice, skin, swelling, and old wounds. It is not uncommon to find out that the cause of a current issue can be traced way, way back in your history to something you may not even remember!
History Taking – It is important to go back and discuss “all” past injuries, operations and procedures, since childhood.
Pulse Taking – I listen carefully to what your pulse is saying at multiple times during your treatment. Improvements in your pulse are an important indicator of whether the treatment is working.
Palpation – Many health issues are reflected in the abdomen. It is important that pressure, pain, weakness and tension in the abdomen are released after treatment. I also palpate around the area of concern. Appropriate acupuncture/moxa treatment should alleviate the pressure pain (active point).
Please drink plenty of warm water and take ample rest on the day of the treatment. Acupuncture/Moxibustion treatment moves the clogged energy to where it should circulate, so please avoid vigorous exercise on the day of the treatment.Please bring loose clothes, and avoid tight tops and tight jeans.
Pricing
| Initial Consultation (90 minutes) | $100 |
| Ongoing (90 minutes) | $100 |
| Ongoing (60 minutes) | $85 |
* If you have private health insurance, I can issue you with an invoice to submit with your claim.
Moxibustion is one of the practices in Traditional Chinese/Japanese Medicine which involves burning small cones of ‘Moxa’ directly on the skin at specific points on the body. Whilst Acupuncture has settled well in Australia and around the world, my impression is that Moxibustion has not yet landed with full appreciation. It is my mission to introduce Moxibustion to you.
Yamasan Shinkyu 