OUR APPROACH

Assess the body.Consider the care.

Our approach is to assess posture, movement, the body's responses and daily life, then plan care suited to each person's condition.

SYMPTOM IS AN ENTRY

A symptom name is a starting point for understanding the body, rather than an answer that determines treatment.

Even when concerns share a name such as "stiff shoulders," "lower back pain" or "headache," posture, muscle tension, movement habits, fatigue and sleep vary from person to person. We therefore begin by assessing each individual's condition.

WHAT WE LOOK AT

What we look at

Your posture and the way you walk when you arrive,your voice and the pace of your speech,your breathing and physical tension.We look beyond the questionnaire and the area that hurts.Small changes that appear in everyday life alsohelp us understand your body.Assessing your body extendsbeyond the consultation itself.Your posture and the way you move when you arrive,your voice and the pace of your speech,your breathing and unconscious tensionalso offer clues.We do not draw conclusions from a single piece of information.We consider your responses to touch and your daily circumstances,together with what you tell us,to understand your current condition.

Your Posture and Movement on Arrival

We look at your actual posture and movement, as well as listening to what you tell us.

Standing posture
How you walk
Sitting posture
Body movement

Your Physical Condition and Responses

We consider muscle tension and stiffness, responses to touch and the changes you notice yourself.

Muscle tension and physical stiffness
The body's response to touch
Whether you tend to tense up
How you perceive changes in your body

Your Daily Life and What You Want

We ask about your daily circumstances and wishes, rather than considering your body in isolation.

Sleep and fatigue
Work and daily circumstances
Situations that cause tension in daily life
What is troubling you and what you hope for

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

We do not judge the body from just one perspective.

We use several perspectives to understand your current condition, rather than fitting your body to a single theory.

A Western Medicine Perspective

We consider the body's structure and movement, as well as previous tests and diagnoses at medical institutions.

An East Asian Medicine Perspective

We look beyond the area with symptoms to consider the overall condition and connections between the body's responses.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

We form a working view, then revise it as we observe your responses.

We do not assume that the cause or the right approachis clear from the outset.We base our decisions on the information available at the timeand on how your body actually responds.Our initial assessment before careis not something we assume to be correct from the start.We check changes before and after care,such as how you raise your arms or breathe,and adapt our understanding and approachto your body's responses.

01Symptoms and concerns
02Observation
03Assessment
04Working hypothesis
05Choice of treatment methods
06Check the body's responses
07Revise the working hypothesis and methods as needed

ROLES & BOUNDARIES

We distinguish our role from that of medical institutions.

We do not provide medical diagnoses or tests. If a diagnosis or medical assessment is needed, a medical consultation takes priority over treatment at our clinic.

You can consult us alongside medical treatment. After reviewing your diagnosis and treatment, we discuss physical concerns that fall within our scope.

Read about safety and our role alongside medical care

About the care we provide

Our Treatments page explains the roles of acupuncture, moxibustion and manual therapy in our care.

Learn more about treatments