Meridian Therapy

Meridian therapy (Keiraku Chiryo) was developed in Japan in the 1930s as a return to classical acupuncture principles. It places the meridian system and the circulation of Qi at the centre of treatment. Using five-element theory, practitioners identify primary meridian imbalances. Deficient meridians are strengthened and excesses reduced through carefully selected points to restore balance.

Needles are finer and often inserted shallowly, making treatment suitable for sensitive patients and those wary of needles. Diagnosis relies mainly on pulse reading and abdominal palpation to assess meridian balance, after which symptoms are addressed using subtle techniques, many of which do not involve needles.

Dr Manaka’s Yin Yang Balancing Therapy

Dr Yoshio Manaka was a Western-trained physician from a family of doctors who, after the Second World War, studied extensively with leading Japanese acupuncture masters. He devoted his life to developing a systematic, reliable, and clinically repeatable acupuncture protocol that addresses both the root (underlying imbalance) and branch (presenting symptoms) of disease through a structured treatment.

Working in post-war Japan with limited medical equipment, Dr Manaka immersed himself in classical acupuncture, learning Chinese and Korean to study original texts. He refined abdominal diagnosis, observing that blockages in the meridian system consistently produce tender areas on the abdomen. To correct these imbalances, he developed the innovative use of ion-pumping cords attached to acupuncture needles, facilitating deep energetic and structural realignment.

Treatment progresses through further practical steps to release the back and clear symptoms, incorporating techniques such as ear and hand points, channel tapping at specific frequencies, and other non-invasive methods. Dr Manaka became particularly renowned for his successful treatment of whiplash, using specialised point combinations and ion-pumping cords to release the neck and spine.