What Is YNSA Scalp Acupuncture?Scalp Acupuncture on the Sunshine Coast
After more than 30 years practising Chinese Medicine, I still look for ways to deepen my clinical skills. One of the most interesting additions to my practice is Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture, known as YNSA.
What is YNSA?
YNSA is a specialised system of scalp Acupuncture developed in Japan by Dr Toshikatsu Yamamoto in the 1970s. It works with points on the scalp that are mapped to the brain and nervous system. Rather than placing needles across the body, YNSA uses small, precise zones on the head.
A YNSA treatment starts with palpation. I gently press specific reflex zones on the hands and arms to gauge which scalp zones to treat. Fine, sterile, single-use needles are then placed.
Palpation continues throughout the session. After each needle goes in, I recheck the reflex zones to confirm its position and how the body is responding, adjusting in real time. In YNSA this is understood as a nervous system feedback loop between the scalp, the reflex zones and the brain. You then rest during the treatment.
Learning from Dr Kamiya
In 2023 and 2024 I travelled to Melbourne to train with Dr Tetsuharu Kamiya from Japan. With a system as precise as YNSA, learning directly from an experienced teacher matters. Locating zones accurately, reading the assessment and pacing a session are skills best learned hands-on.
How it fits my practice
YNSA doesn't replace the traditional Acupuncture I've practised since the 1990s. It adds another option. Some sessions use one approach, some combine both. We decide together, based on your needs and preferences.
My original training came from texts developed in China in the 1970s. Since then, practitioners around the world have connected these traditions with modern neuroscience. YNSA sits naturally in that space: a traditional needling practice with a clear focus on the nervous system.
Is YNSA right for you?
The best way to find out is to talk it through. If you're curious about scalp Acupuncture on the Sunshine Coast, ask me at your next appointment or book a consultation at my Buderim clinic. Patients travel from across the Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Gympie and Brisbane.
Book online at timdean.com.au or call 0476 060 829.
Tim Dean, Doctor of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncturist. Master of Applied Science (Chinese Herbal Medicine). AHPRA-registered Acupuncturist. AACMA member. 30+ years of clinical practice.
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