Underlying Theories of Acupuncture Treatment Ⅹ
The Basic of the Technique – selecting a point from yin and yang meridian, respectively
By Brandon SJ Oh, L.Ac.
On Upper Body, Select a point from yin meridian first. On lower body, Taking a Point from Yang Meridian is Preferential(上先陰取, 下先陽取)
Now I will introduce basic principles for acupuncture treatment technique, which is for control Qi movement on meridians for treatment purposes.
▲ Things You should Know
First thing you should do is determine location of a pathogenic factor. In order to diagnose location of pathogenic factor regrouping 12 meridians by the sky, the earth, and the human meridians it is more efficient.
Meridians that travel front of the body, such as the lungs, large intestine, stomach, and spleen are called the earth meridians. Meridians that pass rear side of the body, such as the small intestine, urinary bladder, and kidneys are considered as the sky meridian. Meridians are distributed on lateral of the body which are pericardia, triple burner, gall bladder and liver meridian are groped as the human meridian
By grouping meridians by the sky (back side of the body), the earth (the front of the body), and the human or meridians (right and left of the body) makes easier for a practitioner to find where a pathogen located.
There are techniques to find the location of pathogenic factor. First thing you should do is palpitation of the head and face area. And find an acupuncture point which a patient reacts to palpitation the most sensitively. This is the most important method to find or determine location of pathogenic factor. If you have a trouble to find the most sensitive spot on the face and head, there is alternative technique to find the location of pathogen.
Use back Shu points or Mu points. If a patient responds to palpitation on an either Shu or Mu point, you will consider location of the pathogen by the meridian which the acupuncture point is belonged. For example, if a patient felt the most pain on Lu 1 which is Mu point of Lung meridian, it is understood as the location of pathogen is on the Lung meridian and the earth meridian. Then, you need to find out which is fullness and emptiness among upper and lower body in order to guide Qi movement. Acupuncture treatment should be focused on balancing emptiness. To treat emptiness, Qi movement should be guided to empty part from full part by acupuncture point selection.
▲ Stimulation of a meridian
The acupuncture technique, meridian control technique recommends finding an acupuncture point which is the most efficient acupuncture point that could stimuli all meridian. It is important to find the one acupuncture point to control Qi movement on target.
Procedure according to meridian control technique should be;
First, take an acupuncture point on yin meridian if you want to insert your first needle on upper body. Likely, take an acupuncture point on yang meridian if you want to insert your first needle on lower body.
Second, if a target meridian or if you diagnose a pathogenic factor is on a yang meridian on the upper body take a yin meridian on the upper body which is in relationship of interior and exterior. Then, use an acupuncture point on yang meridian which is in relationship of interior and exterior. For example, if you want insert needle on an acupuncture point on the large intestine take an acupuncture point on the lung meridian then use an acupuncture point on the large intestine.
If a target meridian is yin meridian which is on upper body, select an acupuncture point on the yin meridian and insert your second needle on the yang meridian which is in relationship of interior and exterior.
The third, if a target meridian is located on lower body and yin meridian use an acupuncture point on yang meridian which is in relationship of interior and exterior first then secondly take an acupuncture point on the yin meridian.
If a target meridian is yang meridian on the lower body, use an acupuncture point on the yang meridian of the lower body then select an acupuncture point on a yin meridian which is in relationship of interior and exterior.
