Icho bari

(やまもと）

今朝、通りすがりのお母さんに「子供のオネショは治りますか？」と尋ねられました。
This morning, I was asked by a mother, who was a passing visitor, whether the bed-wetting of a child can be cured.

「小児鍼」の看板を見たからでしょう。
I guess she found the notation of "Shoni shin ( Pediatrics Acupuncture)" on my signboard, and asked the above question of me.

これは、子供に行う鍼法のことです。
The pediatrics acupuncture is acupuncture technique to be applied to infants and children.

僕は過去に２例だけ、小学生のオネショ治療をした事があります。
I treated primary schoolchildren for bed-wetting in only two cases in the past.

多分、半年くらい治療を続けたと思います（週に一回程度）。
In one of these cases, I think, I probably continued the treatment for half a year at a frequency of about once a week.

小児鍼が効いたのかは解りませんが、確かにオネショは止まったそうです。
After the above treatment, I was told that the symptom of bed-wetting had surely stopped although I am not sure how greatly my infant acupuncture treatment contributed toward the cure.

その時に使った道具がこれです。
The photo below shows the tool I used for the treatment.

「イチョウ鍼」と言います。
This is a tool called icho-bari (ginkgo-leaf needle).

イチョウの形をした道具で、銅で出来ています。
It has the shape of a ginkgo leaf, and is made of copper.

広い方で、皮膚を優しく撫でます。細いほうは、特定のツボに軽く当てます。
I stroke skin softly with the wide side of this tool, and I use the narrow side to touch a specific acupuncture point lightly.

大体５分くらいの治療になると思います。
The treatment usually lasts for about five minutes.

子供だけでなく、皮膚の弱い大人や、刺激に過敏な人にもこれを使います。
The icho-bari is used not only for children but also for adults who have weak skin or sensitive to　stimulation.

この他にも、色々と面白い道具がありますが、それはまた後日紹介します。
In addition to this icho-bari, there are various interesting tools, which I would like to introduce in future opportunities.

Hiroshi Yamamoto