A Great Acupuncture Point

Acupuncture is one of the branches of Chinese medicine. It is also one of the oldest medical modalities in the world. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine has been utilized to diagnose and treat disease for 3,000 years. It is truly both an art and science.

One of the distinguishing factors about acupuncture is that it is based on the channels in the body. Within your body you have what we call channels. The channels correspond to organs within your body. For example, there are channels such as the spleen channel, heart channel, and liver channel. Along the channels are the acupuncture points. There are many acupuncture points. On the regular channels on the body, there are a total of 361 points; however, there are a number of extra points. Some sources say there are a couple of thousand points. Among one of the most common acupuncture points used is Bai Hui (Du 20).

Du 20 is the meeting point of all the Yang Channels and the point of the Sea of Marrow. The location of the point is above the apexes of the two auricles, approximately 7 cun (cun is an anatomical measurement for acupuncture) directly above the posterior hairline.

There are many indications for Du 20. Some of the main functions include clears the senses, calms the spirit, clears or dispels liver wind, and settles the liver yang. This means that Du 20 is commonly used for headaches, high blood pressure, stress, coma, and emotional disorders. There are times when you can use Du 20 for different types of prolapses and even severe diarrhea. Du 20 according to classical Chinese medical theory can help with lower sacral pain or problems as well. There are many practitioners who will use Du 20 to improve your over all energy also.

I commonly use Du 20 and find it very effective for stress and emotional disorders as well as headaches. I will also use it when there is a patient who will have problems focusing.

Du 20 is a great point and can help you with many different health ailments. I hope that you find it helpful to find out more about this great acupuncture point.

The health effect of acupuncture

Moxibustion can clear the meridians, reconcile the camp, replenish the qi and blood, reconcile the yin and yang, coordinate the organs, and thus achieve the purpose of prevention, strengthening, anti-aging and treatment.

(1) Wentong meridian blood

"Lingshu? This Tibetan article" said: "The meridians, so the blood, the yin and yang, the tendons and bones, the joints are also." The blood and blood circulation is popular, can operate the whole body, support the body, and moxibustion Its warmth can warm the meridians and promote blood circulation. Just as "The Plains of the Spurs and the True Evil Theory" said: "The blood in the veins, condensed and stayed, the fire of Fu, the Buddha can take it." The operation of qi and blood has the characteristics of being met with temperature and condensing when encountering cold. Moxibustion uses blood to pass through the veins.

(2) Strengthening vitality and preventing diseases

The moxibustion method has the function of strengthening the Yuanyang and preventing diseases. The "Bian Shu Xin Shu" says: "The true element of the lady is the master of one body. If the person is strong, then the person is strong, the true qi is the person who is sick, and the person who is really angry is dead. The method of life-saving, the first moxibustion." Ai is the medicine of Xin Wen Mo, with the help of fire, the two yang can get the yang, the yuan is sufficient, the human body is strong, "the righteousness, the evil can not "Dry", it is known that moxibustion has the effect of strengthening the vitality and preventing diseases.

(3) spleen and stomach, and cultivate the day after

Moxibustion has a strong and strong effect on the spleen and stomach. "Acupuncture and Moxibustion" is in the cloud: "Where the diet is not thinking, the heart is swollen, the complexion is sallow, the world is called the spleen and kidney disease, and the moxibustion should be used in the moxibustion." Warming up the spleen and yang, supplementing the vital energy. Regular moxibustion Zusanli not only can make the digestive system function vigorously, increase the body's absorption of nutrients, and support the whole body, but also can achieve the effects of preventing disease and treating diseases, anti-aging and prolonging life.

(4) Lifting yang, dense skin table

"Su Wen? Meridian" cloud: "There is a moxibustion." When the qi is deflated and the sun is sag, the fur is not allowed to be cold, and the Qingyang is not allowed to lift. Therefore, Weiyang is not solid and it is unreasonable. Often applied moxibustion, can lift yang, dense muscle table, resist evil spirits, reconcile the camp, play a role in fitness, disease prevention and treatment.

The main therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture

Acupuncture treatment is a unique method of acupuncture and moxibustion to achieve its purpose of preventing and treating diseases. It has the functions of reconciling yin and yang, strengthening the body and eliminating evil spirits, and dredging the meridians.

Reconcile yin and yang

The occurrence of the disease is basically the result of the destruction of the relative balance between yin and yang, and the result of partial prosperity. For the pathological changes of these visceral meridian dysfunction, the use of acupuncture can regulate yin and yang, supplement the remedy, restore the relative balance between yin and yang, promote the Yin and Yang secret, keep the essence, the gas phase, and the memory.

The role of acupuncture in regulating yin and yang is mainly achieved through the compatibility of meridians and acupoints and acupuncture techniques. For example: toothache caused by stomach fire, yang heat is too prosperous, cure stomach and purging fire, take the foot Yangming stomach through the atrium cavity, acupuncture and diarrhea.

The cold stomach hurts the stomach caused by stomach pain, which belongs to the yang evil. It is suitable for warming and dispelling cold. Take the foot Yangming stomach, the sputum, the foot and the stomach, and the acupuncture and diarrhea, and moxibustion.

The deficiency of kidney yin and the vertigo caused by liver yang sputum are yin deficiency and yang stagnation syndrome. According to the principle of "yin disease cures yang, yang disease cures yin", it is necessary to cure yin and yang, take the foot of Shaoyin and kidney. Creek, acupuncture and supplementation; take the foot sputum yin and liver through the acupoints, acupuncture and diarrhea.

Chronic diarrhea caused by insufficient spleen and yang, is a yin deficiency and yin, should be treated with warm and yang, take the foot of Taiyin spleen, spleen and spleen, and acupuncture and moxibustion.

Since yin and yang can be mutually metamorphosed and interact with each other, the rule of Yin should take care of the yang, and the yang should take care of the yin. In the case of yin and yang, the method of “leading from the yin and yin from the yang” is often used. It is the use of raising points and backing points to regulate the yang and yin of the organs.

Fuzheng

The process of disease development is the process of mutual struggle between righteousness and evil spirits. The strength of positive and evil forces determines the development and outcome of disease. The evil is better than the regular disease, and the condition is better than that of evil. Therefore, it is to ensure the disease trend. It is indispensable for a benign outcome. Acupuncture treatment is to be able to play its role in helping the righteousness and eliminating evil.

The role of acupuncture and moxibustion is mainly achieved through the combination of acupuncture and acupoints. E.g:

In the aspect of acupuncture and moxibustion, acupuncture and moxibustion have a positive effect; on the contrary, acupuncture and diarrhea and lancet therapy have a sinister effect.

In the aspect of compatibility of acupoints, the points such as creamy Yu, Qihai, Guanyuan, and Mingmen are mostly used in the righting of the right; the twelve wells, the ten Xuan, and the middle points are mostly used in the evil spirits.

Such as seeing pale, sweating, cold limbs, pulse of micro-deficiency syndrome, rehabilitated back to Yang solid, take the Guanyuan, the gods, the big Ai moxibustion, and take the three miles, acupuncture and supplement. If you see high fever, dizziness, irritability, thirst, pulse and large number of exogenous warming syndrome, expedient diarrhea, open the sputum, use the triangular needle to puncture the bleeding, and then take Dazhui, Quchi acupuncture and diarrhea .

The righteousness and the evil spirits are different, but the two are mutually useful and complement each other. They can either help the evil and then correct the right, or they can help the right and the evil, or use the righteousness and evil together. Generally speaking, the principle of "supporting the right, not leaving evil, and eliminating evil and not hurting the right" is the only way to achieve the desired effect.

Dredge the meridian

The meridian system is spread all over the body, vertical and horizontal contact, cross-in and out, communication table, and up and down, forming a human blood and blood circulation pathway to maintain the normal physiological functions of the human body. If for various reasons, the meridian is unreasonable, the visceral limbs are lost, but the qi and blood are blocked, and the disease will be clustered, or stagnation or stagnation, or imaginary or real, or cold or hot, or qi and blood, or yin and yang. Biased. Acupuncture treatment can use its role of "clearing meridians and reconciling qi and blood". According to the mechanism of interaction between meridians and viscera in physiology and pathology, mutual influence, some acupoints are selected in the circulation route and contact range of meridians. The thorn or moxibustion makes the meridian smooth, the operation is moderate, the blood and blood are harmonious, and the yin and yang are balanced.

Acupuncture treatment principle

After acupuncture, pain is first generated, and at the same time, attention is paid to the original discomfort of the body, the pain medium is consumed, and the threshold for pain is raised. Local stimulation causes vasoconstriction secondary to expansion and congestion, through the adjacent veins of the body, the association of the poles, and the stratification. Contact makes the body produce an adaptive (self-healing) response, regulating the function of gas, blood, yin and yang, body fluid, and viscera to normal.

General understanding of the principle of acupuncture treatment

The common saying is to dredge the meridians, soothe the nerves, wake up the gods, promote the blood, sip the sputum, replenish the viscera, and replenish the yin and yang. What is the actual situation?

Dredging meridians: Everyone often said that "nothing is painful, general is not painful". After acupuncture, the pain is stopped. Is it because the meridians are dredged? It sounds very reasonable, but if you think about it, there are still some doubts. After the acupuncture, the pain is first produced. According to the "nothing is painful", the conclusion that the meridian is blocked after acupuncture can be inferred.

Soothe the nerves and wake up: no matter whether you have insomnia or lethargy, no matter which acupuncture point is acupuncture, the acupuncture will instantly wake up due to pain. A coma acupuncture is a good example. It has been found clinically that Fengfu is excellent in treating insomnia and lethargy. The same acupuncture point can be used to calm the nerves and wake up. Therefore, it is now popular to say that acupuncture has a two-way adjustment effect, but the detailed mechanism does not understand.

Blood circulation: The effect of acupuncture on blood vessels is firstly the contraction of blood vessels, and the expansion and congestion of secondary blood vessels. A closer look reveals that after acupuncture is localized, first the white around the needle turns white, then it turns red, and the blush expands to the surroundings. Therefore, it cannot be said in general terms that acupuncture treats diseases through blood circulation.

Sputum sip: After acupuncture, there is less sputum and dry mouth. Therefore, some books write about which acupuncture points can be used to reduce phlegm and thirst. In fact, these works only record the surface effect, but the internal mechanism does not explain. How does acupuncture dissolve phlegm and thirst? After acupuncture, you can't add body fluid or remove sipping from the needle.

Replenishing the viscera: There is no blood, fineness, etc. in the needle, and it is not possible to directly give the viscera, blood, subtle and other substances, so the acupuncture can not directly fix the viscera. At the same time, there is a pinhole after the needle is tied, but the visceral gas, blood, subtle, etc. will not run away with the needle eye, so the acupuncture will not directly bleed the viscera.

Replenishing yin and yang: no yang in the needle, can not make up the yang; no yin in the needle, can not nourish the yin; no evil in the needle, will not damage the yin and yang in the body. Therefore, the statement that acupuncture supplements yin and yang is also worthy of scrutiny.

So how does acupuncture work? First, you need to understand the contact system of the body.

Five links of the human body

The human body is exactly a connection between a coherent and self-contained system. The various parts of the body can be divided into Weimai, Blood, Adjoining Pulse, Polar Link, and Linkage.

Wei pulse: the nervous system.

Blood: the vascular system, which contains the lymphatic system.

Adjacent veins: Tissues that are tightly connected around the nerves and blood vessels.

Extreme contact: the system of contact between the pole and the pole, between the lower pole and the front and rear poles. For example, hemorrhoids, the upper layer with nodules, if scratched, hemorrhoids will be easy, even better. This is the use of the connection between the upper and lower poles to treat the disease.

Layer-to-layer linkage: the connection between layers, such as the skin layer, cortex, subcutaneous layer, muscle layer, bone layer, and organ layer. When the scraping is stimulated by the skin layer, it can also treat the visceral disease, which is the layered connection between the skin layer and the organ layer.

The role of acupuncture

It is much easier to understand the principles of acupuncture treatment with the above knowledge base. Acupuncture has the following four main functions:

Treating with "pain": Acupuncture first produces pain, painful stimulation until the last pain or discomfort disappears, is a process from "pain" to "tolerance" pain or discomfort.

Tune up: When you pay attention to pain, it becomes sensitive, and when you don't pay attention, it is not so sensitive. Everyone may have a similar experience. After acupuncture, the local part of the acupuncture produces pain, which shifts the attention to the original painful part, thus alleviating the original pain, so the acupuncture is used to treat the disease.

Guarding the pulse: After the acupuncture, the pain medium is consumed, the chemical that causes the pain is consumed, the pain is relieved, and the threshold is improved. That is to say, the original acupuncture is very sensitive, and then the acupuncture is not so sensitive. Therefore, the acupuncture is the first pain, and then the pain medium is less, it is not so painful.

Blood transfer: After acupuncture is localized, first the white around the needle turns white, then it turns red, and the redness will expand to the surroundings. This is the effect of acupuncture on the blood vessels first contracting blood vessels, and then secondary expansion of blood vessels, regulating the blood vessels.

Adaptive: Pain after acupuncture, the body in order to adapt to this pain, thereby mobilizing and coordinating the strength of the whole body. This ability to adapt, as well as the ability to mobilize and coordinate, is righteous. If you have enough qi, you will adapt quickly and relieve quickly. If you have insufficient righteousness, the reaction will be slow and the treatment effect will be bad.

To sum up, it is the first pain after acupuncture, and at the same time shift the attention to the original discomfort of the body, consume the pain medium, increase the threshold for pain, local stimulation leads to vasoconstriction secondary to expansion and congestion, through the body adjacent veins, polar tissue Contact, layer connection to make the body produce adaptive (self-healing) response, regulate gas, blood, yin and yang, body fluid, and viscera function to normal. Therefore, the foundation is the self-adaptive ability of the body, that is, we are righteous, righteousness, regulation is rapid, disease recovery is fast; positive qi deficiency, slow response, and poor results.

The above is the principle of acupuncture treatment of diseases, but the therapeutic effect of different acupuncture points is different. The same acupoint can treat pain in many parts, and the same painful part can be treated with different acupoints, which is a non-specific analgesic phenomenon. The same acupuncture point only works well for some pains, but has poor effect on other pains; there is also a certain pain that is most sensitive to a certain acupoint reaction, which is a specific analgesic phenomenon.

Herbal Heroes

They look as enigmatic as their names sound. Here is a legend of the herbs

Lily bulb

Slightly bittersweet, these thin shavings are commonly used to treat chronic coughs and other febrile and respiratory diseases.

Dried Longan

Dried longans, or long yan rou, are usually found in sweet desserts and sweet-and-sour dishes. These herbs promote mental fortitude: they calm the mind and improve concentration and memory. Besides revitalising the mind, long yan rou are also useful for those deficient in qi and those suffering from anaemia.

Red Date

The flowers and leaves of red dates are used in perfumes and potpourri in other countries. But in TCM, the herb tonifies the spleen, replenishes qi, nourishes blood and eases the mind. As such, it is good for those suffering from loss of appetite and loose stools due to deficiency syndromes of the spleen.

Lingzhi Mushroom

With a name that literally means ‘supernatural mushroom’, you can be sure this herb has a bevy of healing properties. The bitter fungus will boost your immune system, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, replenish qi, relieves cough and asthmatic symptoms. It can even be used to treat insomnia.

Chinese Yam

Also known as huaishan, these pale yellow tubers are one of the most commonly used in TCM. Consuming the herb strengthens the kidney—a key organ that maintains fluid balance in the body and viewed as the root of all organ functions—and is also beneficial to the liver.

Chinese Wolfberries

Not only do these berries impart a tantalising bright red hue to the dish it is cooked in, they are packed with medicinal properties. They improve circulation, ameliorate dizziness and tinnitus, and possess a wealth of ophthalmologic benefits.

Apricot Kernel

Use this with caution: apricot kernels contain hydrogen cyanide, a strong toxin. Eating more than 20 pieces may result in death, but the cooking process usually renders it safe. Those suffering from lung and large intestine ailments can take these herbs to alleviate symptoms.

Six sub-health symptoms

Have you overlooked the clue that health may be out of the way? From the point of view of Chinese Medicine, even if the body does not have symptoms such as fever or flu, some mild symptoms (such as dry mouth or runny nose) may be considered as signs of unhealthy health. Quickly understand the definition of sub-health and some of its symptoms.

“Sub-health refers to a state in which the body is dysfunctional but not yet ill,” explains Lin Jiayi, a Chinese Medicine practitioner at the Renren Health Chinese Medicine Health Management Clinic  (located in the Lion City Building). “Sub-healthy people often feel uncomfortable, but they can't find any problems when they go to the hospital for examination.” This is because Western doctors are looking for pathogens as a prerequisite for identifying diseases.

However, Chinese Medicine evaluates health by observing the overall state of the human body. Although sub-health usually does not cause significant discomfort, it represents an imbalance in the body, and this imbalance may result in a more serious condition or condition. Therefore, Chinese medicine practitioners will call on us to monitor our sub-health symptoms.

Causes of sub-health

The imbalance in organ system operation is the most common cause of sub-health.

Chinese Medicine believes that a person's health depends on the harmonious relationship between the five organs of the heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys. Each organ is a system that contains functions that are not limited to anatomical organ functions. For example, the heart is in charge of blood and emotions. There is also an interdependent relationship between the five internal organs: the heart can help the spleen to transport, but the spleen is restricted by the liver.

Sub-health may be caused by a problem in one or (usually) multiple organs of the body. "The cause of sub-health is usually a problem with multiple organs of the body," Dr. Lin said.

Common sub-health symptoms

Sub-health symptoms are easily overlooked. Here are a few common symptoms.

Symptom 1: Insomnia

Possible Causes: A common cause of sleep difficulties is heart fire—that is, the yang in the heart system is too strong or the yin is too weak. This can lead to excessive heat and affect the mind and body.
Dr. Lin said that heart fires and liver fires often occur together because the two organs are closely related in function.

Symptom 2: restlessness

Possible causes: The feeling of irritability or stress may be caused by liver qi stagnation, that is, the gas flowing through the liver is hindered. This makes the liver unable to perform its functions effectively, including regulating mood.

Symptom 3: Morning runny nose

Possible cause: Morning runny nose or sneezing may be a symptom of insufficient lungs. Other symptoms of insufficient lungs include shortness of breath, flu, and sweating.

Symptom 4: Constipation

Possible cause: Spleen deficiency can cause difficulty in defecation. Spleen deficiency can also cause other digestive problems such as flatulence and stomach pain.

"Many people's temper is caused by lifestyle," Dr. Lin said. “They eat too much junk food and cold drinks, and the three meals are not regular.”

Symptom 5: Frequent urination

Possible causes: Frequent urination, especially nighttime urination, may be caused by kidney deficiency. Another symptom of kidney deficiency is lower back pain.

Symptom 6: Hair loss

Possible causes: Hair loss is usually caused by kidney deficiency and liver deficiency. These two organs control the nourishment of the blood and the body, and the relationship is very close.

Sub-health simple therapy

To restore your body's balance, Chinese medicine practitioners may suggest treatments for specific organs or suggest that you change your diet and lifestyle. Here are some possible treatments:

Symptoms caused by heart fire: drink tea with reduced fire, such as chrysanthemum tea and light bamboo leaf tea. Going to bed early will also help.

Symptoms caused by liver and kidney deficiency: taking Polygonum multiflorum beneficial to liver, kidney and blood function.

Symptoms caused by spleen: avoid cold food and ice. Don't eat too much, and eat regularly.

Basic Chinese medicine concept

What is Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, is one of the oldest medical forms in the world. Its history is more than 2,500 years. It is the essence of Chinese history, philosophy and medical knowledge. For many Chinese, Chinese Medicine is still the main medical form.

As research continues to deepen and the world's interest in natural products continues to rise, Chinese Medicine is increasingly considered to be an alternative to other forms of medicine in other parts of the world.

The important point of TCM theory is the balance between form and spirit. Physical health constitutes a solid foundation for mental health, including people's thoughts, emotions and psychological state.

Simply put, Chinese Medicine not only treats diseases, but also treats people who are sick. This treatment is based on the concepts of Tibetan, Yinyang and Five Elements.

• Tibetan phase

The literal meaning of the Tibetan phase is the external manifestation of the health status or state of the internal organs.

The Tibetan phase constitutes the basic principle of most Chinese medicine diagnosis. The internal causes of the disease are determined by examining external symptoms, and the corresponding treatment principles are formulated and implemented.

Tibetan refers to the internal location of the organs of the organs, which refers to their external appearance or symptoms.

The organs include the five internal organs (heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney) and the six sputum (the gallbladder, stomach, bladder, large intestine, small intestine and triple burner).

Trifocal refers to the upper part of the body (the upper part of the diaphragm), the middle part (the part between the diaphragm and the navel), and the lower part (the part below the navel). The most important function is to supervise the water metabolism in the body.

•yin and yang

Everything in the universe has two forces that oppose each other and depend on each other - yin and yang, yin and yang are two opposing parts of the whole, interdependent and indispensable. Yin literally means “back yang or inactivity” (such as water, black, cold, night, inactive, female), while yang refers to “sunward or active” aspects (such as fire, light, heat, day, active, male).

In Chinese Medicine, the concept of yin and yang is used to explain the complex interrelationships and constant changes of the human body. All organs and systems are interconnected and interdependent. In general, when the yin and yang are balanced, our body is in a healthy state, but if one force overpowers another, pain and disease can occur. Traditional Chinese medicine uses the concept of yin and yang to diagnose the type of disability and develop a treatment method to restore balance.

• Five elements

The five elements include wood, fire, earth, gold, and water, each of which represents a different character, function, or performance. Everything in the universe can be classified according to this. The five elements are used to describe the relationship between all natural phenomena.

The five elements mainly interact in two cycles: phase and phase. In the phase cycle, various elements assist each other and transform each other, while the phase cycle controls various elements to ensure balance and harmony.

Chinese Medicine believes that mutual care is very important for health care.

Acupuncture improves the circulatory system by chartering energy pathways in the body

Acupuncture is now a widely known medicinal alternative to relieve chronic pain. Through skin penetration using small needles, certain nerve endings in our body become stimulated which help relieve us from a lot of health conditions including cardiovascular diseases.

Acupuncture does a great deal in promoting a healthy circulatory system. In just one session, blood vessels are more dilated and our blood flow improves thanks to the stimulation of our energy pathways.

Here’s exactly how this traditional practice benefits our circulatory system:

Helps in poor circulation in the legs – People often experience poor blood circulation in the legs since it’s located far from the heart. With the help of acupuncture, oxygen supply is restored in the tissues and lactic acid buildup is reduced. Different kinds of vascular diseases can also be treated by boosting the circulation. The healthier the blood circulation is, the less tendency for a person to suffer from diseases like restless leg syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, and develop varicose veins.

Helps wounds heal faster – According to Dr. Jihad Abbas, “Sixty percent of the wounds we see are chronic or non-healing for vascular reasons.” This means that keeping the circulatory system healthy with the help of acupuncture will aid in wound healing. However, before relying on this medicinal alternative, it is best to first consult your healthcare provider to ensure that the treatment is suitable for you and won’t have any bad effects on your wounds.

Relaxes blood vessels – Acupuncture helps the body reduce blood pressure. Even after the body goes through something stressful, the treatment manages to maintain a low level of blood pressure and even reduces muscular stress. Furthermore, once the blood vessels relax, the blood flow in our bodies also increase.

Acupuncture as an all-around treatment

Puncturing various parts of the body with needles releases hormones that travel to the brain, which help increase our pain thresholds. This is the reason why people who suffer from severe back and/or neck pain seek acupuncturists. In fact, the treatment is so effective, it is said to increase t

he survival rates after a heart attack.

Through preventive acupuncture, the impact of a heart attack can be reduced. The needling acupuncture point PC6, or what is called Neiguan, can effectively protect the heart. Moreover, the practice reduces the heart’s damage after suffering from a condition called myocardial ischemia-reperfusion which attacks the body’s tissues. It also addresses the issues of arrhythmia and infarction. (Related: Acupuncture found to promote weight loss by boosting appetite-suppressing hormones.)

Reperfusion is also a common problem which occurs in the circulatory system. It is commonly caused by the sudden return of blood after being deprived of regular blood supply. Acupuncture helps prevent possible inflammation and oxidative stress by regulating gene expression and enzyme secretion.

Other health conditions which can be treated by this traditional form of medicine are:

Anxiety – Although experts cannot define exactly what the correlation is between anxiety and acupuncture, clinical trials have shown positive results between the two. Treatment and prescription for this illness also appeared to be more effective when combined with acupuncture.

Insomnia – With the help of this treatment, the secretion of nocturnal melatonin increases which helps people fall asleep easier and faster. A previous study showed a significant decrease in the presence of insomnia on participants who had an acupuncture session.

Arthritis and migraines – Acupuncture helps send signals to the brain saying that the muscles or other parts of the body are in pain. The brain will then release endorphins which are combined with normal neurotransmitters which may help stop the pain.

Meridians in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese medicine (a form of alternative medicine that originated in China), meridians are invisible energy pathways or channels that run through the body. Our vital life energy, or "qi", is thought to flow along these meridians, and anything that disrupts the smooth flow of chi is said to cause illness. The Chinese term for meridian is "jing luo".

Most acupuncture and acupressure points lie on a meridian and stimulating these points using acupuncture needles, acupressure, moxibustion, or tuina is thought to help correct and rebalance the flow of energy. There are over 300 acupuncture points on the meridian system.

Meridians in Chinese Medicine

There are 12 regular meridians and 20 meridians in total in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Each regular meridian is believed to correspond to an organ and run along the body to either the hand or the foot. Organs without an empty cavity (such as the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys) are called yin organs and organs with an empty cavity (such as the gallbladder, stomach, bladder, and large and small intestines) are called yang organs. Meridians that are linked with yin organs are called yin meridians and those linked to yang organs are called yang meridians.

Yin meridians run along the inside of limbs and yang meridians run along the outside of limbs.

In TCM, qi is believed to flow from the chest area along the three arm yin meridians (heart, lung, and pericardium) to the hands. There they connect with the three corresponding arm yang meridians (small intestine, large intestine, and triple burner or "san jiao") and flow up to the head, where they connect with their three corresponding leg yang meridians (bladder, stomach, and gallbladder) and flow down to the feet. They connect in the feet to their corresponding leg yin meridians (kidney, spleen, liver) and return to the chest area.

In addition to the 12 regular meridians, there are eight extra meridians that are not tied to a major organ system, but instead store qi and blood for the regular meridians, circulate a person's essence or "jing" and defensive qi ("wei qi"), and also provide further connections between the 12 meridians. Among the eight extra meridians, the Governing Vessel ("Ren Mai") and the Conception Vessel ("Du Mai") are considered the most important meridians, partly because they contain points that are not on the 12 regular meridian lines.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is an ancient form of heat therapy which involves the burning of moxa. Moxa is usually made from the dried leafy material of Chinese mugwort, but it can be made of other substances as well. It is a therapy which can prevent and treat medical conditions with heat stimulation on acupuncture points of the body. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, moxibustion can warm the meridians to dispel cold. It is applied for all medical conditions caused by cold obstruction, blood stagnation and blockages of the meridians, such as cold and damp pattern arthritis and stomachache. It is a technique used by acupuncturist. The moxibustion technique is used by acupuncturist for many reasons. One of main reasons is to increase blood circulation. It provides the best result compare just using tuina or acupuncture.

Types of Moxibustion

There are three types of moxibustion: (1) Direct moxibustion uses a small, cone-shaped amount of moxa which is placed on top of acupuncture point and burned on the skin. This is rarely used by acupuncturist. Nowadays, direct moxibustion is not a popular Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment in China. (2) Indirect moxibustion is the more popular type of moxibustion because there is a much lower risk of pain or skin burning. In indirect moxibustion, acupuncturist lights one end of a moxa stick and holds it one or two inch away from the skin. It brings mild warmth to the area without burning on the skin until the skin becomes slightly red. (3) Needle moxa technique is a combination of needling and moxibustion. Acupuncturist attaches a small piece of moxa stick on the needle’s handle, and lights the moxa stick from its bottom while the needle is still retained in the acupuncture point. The heat is conducted through the needle to the acupuncture point.