Four-Step Treatment

adapted from the work of Dr. Yoshio Manaka
by Darren Starwynn, O.M.D.
As taught at East-West Seminars 2000 seminar series

Those of us who have studied acupuncture have had to deal with massive amounts of often confusing and contradictory information.This includes TCM (traditional Chinese acupuncture), Japanese meridian work, auricular therapy, Korean hand acupuncture, electrical stimulation, hara diagnosis, back shu points, and of course good old symptomatic treatment. This four-step treatment procedure is very valuable because it is an effective and well organized way to give a truly holistic acupuncture treatment to a patient. It brings together all of the above elements in a truly elegant manner.

I have taken the four-step treatment system taught by Dr. Yoshio Manaka and adapted it to use with microcurrent electro-acupuncture. This is the basis for the system taught in my seminars. Dr. Manaka has contributed greatly to the field of acupuncture, perhaps more than any other modern practitioner. Starting during World War II, he innovated ways to speed the healing of military burn victims using metal foils over the burned areas connected with cords to distal acupuncture points. He later added elements of polarity therapy to his acupuncture protocols. Eventually he developed his famous ion-pumping cords, which connect pairs of master acu-points, only allowing one-way flow of ions through the cords. This one-way flow creates a powerful induction of internal Qi flow through the internal energy systems of the body. Until his death a few years ago, Dr. Manaka applied rigorous modern research methods to the work of testing and validating traditional acupuncture techniques. Manaka used needles, moxa, magnets, wooden hammers and several types of electrical polarity devices in his research and practice.

The four-step treatment protocol presented in this seminar is one his most valuable contributions. The Acutron Mentor and some other microcurrent devices can be used to carry out most of the aspects of this system. The four elements of this system are, in order of use:

STEP ONE: Meridian testing and balancing

STEP TWO: Back Shu Points

STEP THREE: Structural Balancing

STEP FOUR: Symptom Control Treatments

EXPLANATION OF THE STEPS:

STEP ONE: Meridian testing and balancing. This uses the extraordinary vessels and principal meridian tonification and sedation points. We will teach both abdominal alarm point kinesiology and electronic meridian testing (EMT) for testing to determine the distortions in the body's energy hologram. We use specific palpation points to confirm the correctness of the diagnosis. Polarized microcurrent probe therapy or acupuncture with ion cords can then be used to correct the distortions. Therapy is administered through one of two systems:

A. Through Master and Coupled master points of the extraordinary vessels.

B. Through polar meridian pairs that are opposite on the Chinese Clock, through their tonification and sedation points. All of the test points, confirmatory palpation points, and treatment points are summarized in the provided seminar book, Advanced Electromedicine.

STEP TWO: Back Shu Points. The meridian balancing work in Step One is primarily dealing with the more Yin energies of the body, that is, more internal and deep. To have a balanced treatment, we follow this with direct stimulation of the back shu points associated with the meridians treated in Step One. Dr. Manaka used moxa burned on the handles of needles for this purpose. This puts pure Yang energies into the back shu points, which are primarily Yang, and allow direct input to the internal Organs. Polarized microcurrent probe stimulation can also be used for Step Two, as we shall demonstrate. As part of Step Two, you can also palpate the gastrocnemius palpation points after Step One, and if still sore, treat them as well, or treat any sore points on UB 55, 56, 57, or 58 that are sore. Choose one of these final options, not both gastroc and lower UB points.

STEP THREE: Structural Balancing. After the Yin and Yang energies of the body have been addressed through the above two steps of treatment, it is the most appropriate time to perform hands-on bodywork or manipulation to adjust the body's structure. The step one treatment of the extraordinary vessels can adjust the body's structure internally, and the back shu points create a Yin-Yang balance for this. Now, the body is much more open and ready for hands-on work. Some examples of Step Three treatments taught at the seminar are microcurrent-based sotai, electrically-enhanced kinetic therapeutics, and electro-massage.

STEP FOUR: Symptom Control Treatments. Acupuncture and electrotherapy treatments to control symptoms are a large part of modern practice. Dr. Manaka and other holistic practitioners made this the final priority after first working on a more root level. In this four-step procedure, symptom control treatments are for two purposes: To "clean up" any remaining painful symptoms that were not addressed by the first three steps of treatment. For ongoing home treatment through use of intradermal needles and ion pellets. Step four treatments may take many forms, including use auricular, Korean Hand or Dr. Tong's special point systems, or various symptomatic microcurrent, interferential or combination therapies.

© Copyright Darren Starwynn 1999 All Rights Reserved

Microcurrent Great Loops Pain Control

As taught in East-West Seminars 2000 series
By Darren Starwynn, O.M.D. Copyright 2000, all rights reserved

This powerful, effective clinical approach brings together three important principles of pain management into one, easy to perform technique. The three principles are:

1) Treating opposite quadrants of the body through related meridians on the upper and lower extremities.

2) The Law of Polarity as applied to the relationship between electrical currents and the natural polarities of the human body.

3) The receptivity of the body to correctly applied subtle energy stimulation (microcurrents)

One of the classics of acupuncture states: "For diseases of the upper body, treat the lower, for diseases of the lower body, treat the upper, for diseases of the front, treat the back, for diseases of the back, treat the front, for diseases of the right, treat the left, for diseases of the left, treat the right." Great Loops treatment works according to this understanding. Great Loops treatment is most useful for extremity conditions such as, but not limited to:

* Tennis elbow
* Shoulder injury and restricted ROM
* Carpal tunnel sydrome and other wrist injuries
* Hip pain
* Knee pain and sprain
* Ankle pain and sprain

There are two important principles to understand before you can perform microcurrent Great Loops therapy. They are proper polarity placement and the anatomical relationship of joints. Once these principle are understood, there are several meridian relationships between upper and lower extremities that may be called upon in customizing effective treatment.