これら以外にもいろんな効果がありますが、これらの結果、色々な病気にかかりにくい体をつくったり、色んな症状を取り去ることができるのです。では、どんな病気に効くのかというと、これらの作用に当てはまるものには全て有効なのですが、具体的には別掲の鍼灸適応症をご覧下さい。また、鍼灸はご存知のように薬を使わずにその人の体の中の機能を最大限に引き出して治すため、心配な副作用や習慣性は一切ありません。

i i）ツボ刺激による効果（特異的効果）・・・今までは、体に鍼や灸をすると多くの場所で起こる変化について述べてきましたが、これにツボ（経穴）の働きを加えると更に多種多様の効果が期待できます。体の表面には360程の正穴（経絡に存在するツボ）と更に多くの奇穴（経絡上には無いが特に効果的なツボ）があります。つまり、全身がツボに覆われていると言っても過言ではないでしょう。それらのツボがいろんな効能を持っており、時には単独で、また多くは幾つかの組み合わせで信じられないような効果を発揮します。

　そのひとつをご紹介しましょう。松尾芭蕉の奥の細道に出てきた足三里というツボがあります。芭蕉は旅の前にこのツボに灸をすえていたようで、「三里に灸すうるより心まず松島にかかりて〜」の文句はあまり に有名です。さて古来より健脚のツボとして知られていたこのツボは足の陽明胃経という経絡に属しています。場所は膝の少し下の外側にあるのですが、このツボが胃に大きな影響を及ぼしているのです。ここに鍼をすると下垂していた胃がみるみる持ち上がっていきます。これは、レントゲンでの観察で証明され、テレビなどでご覧になった方もおられるでしょう。更に、胃酸の分泌を促進したり、胃壁の血流を増加させますので、消化不良にも効果的です。これもファイバーの先に装置を付け、それを飲み込んで測定して得られた結果です。
さて、このような検査法の何もなかった大昔に、このツボが胃に影響を及ぼすことを知り、胃経という経絡に分類したことは、まさに驚嘆に値します。このようなツボはそれだけで効果を発揮する場合もありますが、専門家である鍼灸師は幾つかを組み合わせて、更にそのツボへの刺激量を考慮に入れて治療します。その中から例を挙げてみましょう。

　その1・何カ月も前から毎日、夕方になると咳が出て、のど飴をいつも持っているという49才の女性。鍼で咳なんか止まるのかな、と半信半疑で治療を受けられました。しかし、たったの１回で止まり、大喜び。数カ月間は、その苦しみから解放されたと聞いていましたが、その後は来院されていないので不明。（この時は特に腕、補助的に背部、頚部のツボを使用）

　その2・しゃっくりが2カ月位止まらず、いろんな検査、薬物療法、神経ブロック注射、電気療法を受けたが効果が無く、ゆううつ極まり死にたいとさえ言い出した初老の男性。とあるお医者さんがこんな患者さんがいるんやけど、鍼で何とかならへんか、と言われてその医院に往診し、これも１回で劇的に効果があり、その後何度か再発したが、何れも大事にいたらずに治った。（この時は主に頚部、補助的に腹部、背部のツボを使用）

　このように鍼灸は時として信じられないような効果を発揮しますが、ずべて真実です。さて現在、沢山の鍼灸学術団体や各学校（京都日吉町の明治鍼灸大学など）などがおこなっている研究成果がどんどん発表されています。これらの研究機関の中には、一般大学医学部も多く含まれており、鍼灸医学はその効果を認められてきました。にも拘わらず、医学に精通しているはずの医師に「鍼の痛みで病気の痛みをごまかしているに過ぎない。」とか、「鍼なんか痛いだけで効かない。」などと言われる患者さんが時々おられます。挙げ句の果てには、何の根拠もなく「あなたは鍼が体に合わない。」などと言われ、症状が好転していたにも拘わらず、治療を中止させられる場合さえあります。これをよんで皆様が鍼灸の何たるかを正しく理解し、その上で自分の信じる治療を受ける参考にしていただきたいと思います。




What is Acupuncture Like?
Acupuncture is a treatment method that we make acupuncture needles touch or pierce your skin. Moxibustion is a treatment method that we make moxa which is made of daisy leaves smolder on your skin directly or indirectly. Both make your body cordinate functions of your body and strengthen your resistance power . So both are treatment methods by which you can recover, prevent diseases and obtain a wholesome body.

The common effects of acupuncture and moxibustion (A&M) treatments.
To put it briefly, A&M treatments activate greatly your various functions inside your body. For instance newbornbabies have good methabolism and immunesystem given from their mothers. In other words, A&M treatments make similar condition to this. Having A&M treatment regularly prevent many patients from suffering various illnesses. According to a survey in my clinic, there are ten patients who had have A&M treatments regularly and died. One died with cancer, one died with a stroke and others died with acute heart attack with other no diseases. That is to say, most of patients who had the treatments regularly died suddenly with no pains. For example, such like this, in a morning a family found the patient dead in the bed. In addition to that we often hear patients say that they haven't recently caught a cold.

Moreover I mention other effects of A&M treatments proved scientifically.
1. Activating methabolism and some functions of tissues
2. Accelerating blood flows in the region where needles pierced or moxa smolded (Extension of blood vessels and cleanliness insides of the blood vessels)
3. Softening pains ( Secreting a kind of morphines in the brain)
4. Intensification of immunesystem ( Increasing of leucocyte, lymphocyte and adrenal cortex hormone in the whole body, immune-response substanses gathering in the places where needles pierced or moxa smolded )
5. Anti-histamine action (For example suppression of constriction of trachea when you caught a cold or had asthma )
6. Inducement ofα-wave on electroencephalogram (α-wave can be seen when you are in meditation or ZAZEN.)
7. Relaxing the muscles ( As soon as we pull the needles we can often find the muscle relaxed with disappearing of stiffness. It is caused by not accelerating of blood flows and so on but physical stimulation, because the reflexion can be seen too imedeately.)

Besides them there is a variety of effects and each makes your body prevent disease and get rid of various symptoms. Right then, please look at the page " What kinds of diseases can Acupuncture treat effectively? " As you know, A&M treatments don't have any side effects because in the treatments we never use any medicines.

The special effects of stimulations on KEIKETSU
So far I've mentioned common effects which cause some changes everywhere. Next I'd like to mention special effects which arise from KEIKETSU (acupoints) particularities, for various effects are expected on both effects mixed.
There are about 360 acupoints called KEIKETSU on KEIRAKU lines like meridians on a body. But there are many other KEIKETSU don't exist on KEIRAKU. In other words, it is no exaggeration to say that our body is covered with innumerable KEIKETSU. Each acupoints have special effects. Sometimes they are applied single but mostly in a good combination of some or many acupoints. And their characters make us surprise.

Let me explain one of acupoints called ASHISANRI（足三里） that is on the itinerary OKUNOHOSOMICHI written by Matsuo Basho. It seems that he always put a moxibustion on the acupoint before his starting off. There is a very famous phrase " When I put the moxa on ASHISANRI my mind already had gone forth to Matsushima (famous sightseeing place in Tohoku area) , , , . " in the itinerary. Thus, this acupoint known from the past is classified in one of meridians called ASHINOYOHMEIIKEI (足の陽明胃経) which includes many KEIKETSU concerning working of the stomach. The place of the acupoint is under the knees outside. As soon as a needle is inserted here the stomach in gastroptosis under X ray observation goes up as many people have ever seen on a TV program. In addition to that, the stimulation on the acupoint has effects for digesting in the stomach because it makes the stomach urge secretion of gastric acid and increase the flow of blood beneath the gastric mucous membrane. These effects are proved with gastrocamera. We are very surprised that the acupoint was known as the one has effect for the stomach and classified in YOHMEIIKEI in ancient times in which there were no examination methods !
Occasionaly the acupoint shows us some effects but mainly the acupoint combined with some other acupoints controled by acupuncturists shows us various effects. In additon to that, we stimulate the points considering degrees. Let me introduce you few cases which acupuncture could help.