Japanese Acupuncture - Five Phase Meridian Therapy Treatments

Five phase treatments are a root (initial) treatment intending to treat the patients central imbalance. The diagnosis is made primarily from presenting signs in the patients pulse and abdomen as well as reactivity in secondary points.

The five phase treatment follows a 4 step protocol and adjunctive techniques may be used within these steps and/or afterwards to address the patients symptomology directly.

The Deficiency/Heat, Deficiency/Cold patterns are more advanced meridian therapy techniques. They are more specific than the broad sho, however, the treatment generally follows the same steps with slight variations in points. Additionally, step 2 - balancing the control cycle - can be skipped and more systematic points may be substituted to balance the overal condition/symptomology.

Note: Japanese acupuncture uses sophisticated theories to determine the treatment points and methods used for each patient. The ideas within our presentation are one of many possible ways to apply these theories and treatment protocols. Before using Japanese acupuncture you should be well versed in the theories behind these protocols and trained in the many techniques unique to this style of acupuncture.

If you have not had an acupuncture treatment and are looking for more general information, you may want to read our acupuncture basics page as well as our first acupuncture treatment information.

The following pages will lead you through the steps of a five phase meridian therapy acupuncture treatment: