A Letter Answering DV's Question on Acupuncture (1)

Dear DV,
Yes, I agree with you on the development of traditional Chinese medicine and the opinion on the difference between traditional Chinese and western medicine.Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the philosophy, so it is deeply rooted in the rich soil of Chinese culture. Ond day the Chinese culture is existing, traditional Chinese medicine will work well in China.
Now, let's discuss your questions.
1). It's difficult to answer this questions! For at the moment nobody knows what the essence of the meridians is, so how could we say what an acupoint is? Then further, how big a point is?
So, there are different opinions in China, i.e. it's a small point (but couldn't concise how small it is), it is a small area (no confinement for how large the area is), etc.
So, you see, how could I tell exactly the diameter of an acupoint?
2). In the 4.2, Chapter one, course C, there is a table, illustrating how to find the longitudinal distance on the head. As what is puzzling you, I think you could also take the Yintang (EX-HN3) which is located between the eyebrows and the 7th cervical vertebra (Dazhui, DU 14) into consideration, so if any hairlines are not clear, you just try to find these two loci and to measure the longitudinal distance of the head.
3). I don't quite catch what you meant in this question, but I try to explain it according to what I figured out. They are generall known as Taiyin meridians, often mentioned together. But, to treat diseases, usually they are used seperately. For sure spleen is the mother of lung, then there is a treating principle known as: to build up the earth to create metal, so some points of spleen meridian could used to treat chronic disorders of lung, or I'd rather say it's not really the spleen, but rather the stomach meridian. It's clear that we couldn't find many indications of lung which are in concerns with the spleen and stomach.
4). I think in the general introduction of meridian-collateral system, there is one point about their functions, i.e. being used to assist the diagnosis. This meridian-collateral system is also a disease-transmitting channel, so by pressing certain acupoints, we do find some changes which reflect the diseases of certain organs or systems.
So, you have a right understanding.

(to be continued)


[quote:b7cba5d4ad]Dear David King

I am satisfied with your answer about the usage of TCM in native China ..
As far as I know western medicine focuses on symptom treatment just as one looks after a leaf but loses the tree .. what a pity . and believe that the future owns to TCM.
On the other hand especially chinese herbal products have helped much western pharmacology ..
By the way I have some queries about my study of the course C .
what is the diameter of an acupoint ?
if fixed landmarks of anterior or posterior hairline is not obvious due to baldness how can I locate acupoints on these areas ?
meridians par example : hand taiyin and foot taiyin can be helpful to imagine just as one great tai yin meridian for reasons of treating the upper part form below and vice versa ?
indications in each acupoint serve a valuable tool to treatment as it seams but I want to ask if has something to do with diagnostic aim par example from hand taiyin lung meridian an indication just as pain in chest LU02 LU04 LU05 is common to all of them .. if I palpate these points may I take a reaction of possible pain or tenderness or to see any obvious deformity on the area of these points ?
Diagnosing a patient and reaching by differentiation to a syndrome if on his complaints there are two or three symptoms that may included in the indication of a point to a meridian that is nearby to this syndrome .. can I use this point to build the prescription of treatment as can be offered in course D ?

(to be continued)
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