Questions on first part of Course D

bbsadmin

Dear Dr. King,
I have some questions on first part of Course D.

1. In the Section of the general principals of treatment noticed that “the acupuncture time is also important. For instance, treatment of malaria is usually applied two to three hours before its attack, and dysmenorrhea is usually treated before the menstrual periods”. Are the Meridians maximal activity hours used too?

2. Among the examples of therapeutic methods of acupuncture and moxibustion there some points with not so clear for me indications:
• Qihai (RN6) for reinforcing spleen and stomach,
• Sanyinjiao (Sp 6) for replenishing qi and blood (was this point chose because it is important point of Spleen meridian and spleen is the chief Zang organ for manufacturing Qi and blood?),
• Zhishi (BL52) for nourishing kidney yin (was this point chose because of adjacent to the kidneys area?),
• Baihui (Du 20) and Qihai (RN 6) for ascending method.
It is interesting in particular why Baihui (Du 20) is used for prolapse of anus and metroptosis?

3. After most of examples is denoted “etc.”
Can I understand that for reinforcing and reducing methods specific points on the fourteen meridians can be used according to syndromes? Refers it for invigorating blood circulation and removing blood stasis too (especially to the Xi-(Cleft) Points where qi and blood in the meridians is converged and accumulated) or there are specific points for this aim?

4. Among my first questions when I only started to study Medboo Course was question on promotional and sedative points on each of 12 regular meridians. At that time you advised me wait and see course D.
Now, according to the description of the Five-Shu points I’m understood that it refers to reinforcing and reducing by means of Five-Shu points. If I’m right, the meridian "mother" and "son" points for reinforcing and reducing accordingly are:
Lung Meridian of Hand – Taiyin: Taiyuan (LU9), Chize (LU5);
Large Intestine Meridian of Hand: Yangming Quchi (LI 11), Erjian (LI 2);
Stomach Meridian of Foot – Yangming: Jiexi (ST 41), Lidui (ST 45);
Spleen Meridian of Foot – Taiyin: Dadu (SP 2), Shangqiu (SP 5);
Heart Meridian of Hand – Shaoyin: Shaochong (HT 9), Shenmen (HT 7);
Small Intestine Meridian of Hand – Taiyang: Houxi (SI 3), Xiaohai (SI ;
Bladder Meridian of Foot – Taiyang: Zhiyi (BL 67), Shugu (BL 65);
Kidney Meridian of Foot – Shaoyin: Fuliu (KI 7), Yongquan (KI 1);
Pericardium Meridian of Hand – Jueyin: Zhongchong (PC 9), Daling (PC 7);
Sanjiao Meridian of Hand – Shaoyang: Zhongzhu (SJ 3), Tianjing (SJ 10);
Gallbladder Meridian of Foot – Shaoyang: Xiaxi (GB 43), Yangfu (GB 3;
Liver Meridian of Foot – Jueyin: Ququan (LR , Xingjian (LR 2).
Just these points were indicated in sources as promotional and sedative points on 12 regular meridians for reinforcing and reducing the meridian themselves. For example, Taiyuan (LU9) and Chize (LU5) were referred as reinforcing and reducing points of Lung meridian.

So, if I’m understood right, clinically they are selected for treatment according to the principle of "reinforcing the mother" in case of deficiency and "reducing the son" in case of excess to create balance.

For example, when the Liver Meridian (wood) is involved in a deficiency syndrome, the “mother point” of the Liver Meridian Ququan (LR (attributes to water) is used with the reinforcing method. When the Liver Meridian is involved in an excess syndrome, Xingjian (LR 2) (attributes to fire), the “son point” of the Liver Meridian is used with the reducing method.
But there is other possibility too - reinforcing or reducing the exteriorly - interiorly related meridian: the deficiency syndrome of the Liver Meridian (wood) can be treated by reinforcing Xiaxi (GB 43) (attributes to water), the “mother point” of the Gallbladder Meridian, but the excess syndrome of the Liver Meridian can be treated by reducing Yangfu (GB 3 (attributes to fire), the “son point” of the Gallbladder Meridian.

Thus, it was probably not correct to denote these points only as promotional and sedative points of the affected meridian; it is possible to use them as reinforcing and reducing points for the exteriorly - interiorly related meridians too.
On the other hand, for reinforcing and reducing related meridian on the “mother” or “son” channel on the basis of the relations of the Five Elements others Five Shu points can be used also. For example, the deficiency syndromes of the Liver Meridian can be treated by reinforcing Yingu (K10) - the water point of the Kidney Meridian, and the excess syndrome of the Liver Meridian can be treated by reducing Shaofu (HT , the fire point of the Heart Meridian.

Please, correct me, if I’m mistaken.

tutor

Dear Sophia,
It's nice to have you here online again!
Now, let's discuss your enlightening questions.
[quote:3225325401]1. In the Section of the general principals of treatment noticed that “the acupuncture time is also important. For instance, treatment of malaria is usually applied two to three hours before its attack, and dysmenorrhea is usually treated before the menstrual periods”. Are the Meridians maximal activity hours used too? [/quote:3225325401]
1). If it's convenient for both you and patients, you can also do acupuncture in terms of the maximally active hours of the related meridians. But often, it's not very convenient to do so. However, you should always have an idea in which hour which meridian is most acitive. This is not only helpful for the treatment, but also helping to make a rough idea which organ at least which meridian is mostly affected.

[quote:3225325401]2. Among the examples of therapeutic methods of acupuncture and moxibustion there some points with not so clear for me indications:
• Qihai (RN6) for reinforcing spleen and stomach,
• Sanyinjiao (Sp 6) for replenishing qi and blood (was this point chose because it is important point of Spleen meridian and spleen is the chief Zang organ for manufacturing Qi and blood?),
• Zhishi (BL52) for nourishing kidney yin (was this point chose because of adjacent to the kidneys area?),
• Baihui (Du 20) and Qihai (RN 6) for ascending method.
It is interesting in particular why Baihui (Du 20) is used for prolapse of anus and metroptosis? [/quote:3225325401]
2). I think the indications are clear, just as what the text is said.
Qihai is good to reinforcing spleen and stomach, so all the disorders due to the deficiency of hypofunction of spleen and stomach can be treated by this point.
Sanyinjiao is a bit different, it's more used to deal with disorders of blood, for it is the crossing point of all the three foot Yin meridians all of which have more or less connections with blood. And you can also review the course C and see the exact indications of this point.
Yes, Zhishi is located quite close to kidney, so it's used to nourish kidney Yin.
Qihai is one of the major Qi-tonifier, so it's good for the ascending method.
Baihui, the topmost point in the body, is one of the best for the ascending method.

[quote:3225325401]3. After most of examples is denoted “etc.”
Can I understand that for reinforcing and reducing methods specific points on the fourteen meridians can be used according to syndromes? Refers it for invigorating blood circulation and removing blood stasis too (especially to the Xi-(Cleft) Points where qi and blood in the meridians is converged and accumulated) or there are specific points for this aim? [/quote:3225325401]
3. Sorry, Sophia, I don't understand well this of your question.


4. You have a good understanding for the Five-Shu points for reinforcing mother and reducing child.
Yes, you think well the mother or child points of the related meridians, not only those of the affected meridians or the interiorly-exteriorly related meridians. So in traditional Chinese medicine, there is also the saying of "earth point in earth meridian", "water point in water meridian", etc. They are considered more or less being special in terms of clinical significance.

[/quote]

tutor

Dear Dr. King,
Thank you very much for your so irrefragable answer. It is very nice and instructive to converse with you in this Forum.
With respect to my third question, sorry, that it was not formulated clear enough. I wanted to understand system of choosing points for reinforcing and reducing, described in Section 2 of Course D “Therapeutic methods of acupuncture and moxibustion”.
In this Section the commonly-used methods of reinforcing and reducing are described, such as reinforcing kidney qi, reinforcing qi of the spleen and stomach, replenishing qi and blood, nourishing kidney yin, dispelling wind to relieve the exterior syndrome. For this methods in the text of the Course are given examples acupoints and after each one signed “etc”. So I understood that it possible in addition to mentioned in examples acupoints to choose some supplementary points too. But a principle of choosing is not so clear for me. There are no examples of the acupoints at all in the text for invigorating blood circulation and removing blood stasis.
That why I asked: “Can I understand that for reinforcing and reducing methods specific points on the fourteen meridians can be used according to syndromes? Refers it for invigorating blood circulation and removing blood stasis too (especially to the Xi-(Cleft) Points where qi and blood in the meridians is converged and accumulated) or there are specific points for this aim?”

tutor

Dear Sophia,
Now, I understand much better the third question of yours.
As we know, there some therapeutical methods of acupuncture and moxibustion, so some points are listed belewin each method, but there must be some more points in concerns with each and every method. Besides, different physicians would have different understaning and experience when using these methods, so they would take different points according to their experience.
But for sure, the lack of the points for invigorating blood circulation and removing blood stasis is the shortcoming of the text. Personally, I prefer Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Xuehai (SP 10), and Geshu (BL 17). Some other points which promote the flow of Qi such as Taichong (LR 3) and Hegu (LI 4) are also very helpful in this aspect.
The principle of choosing is simple: the experience!!!
The long-term experience has enabled the physicians of traditional Chinese medicine in China to find the functions or actions of the points on the basis of their indications.
Hope this is convincing enough, .

tutor

Dear Dr. King,
Of course, your answer is convincing enough! Thank you very much.
What is nice, I’ll not afraid now to use my own experience too.