What is TCM and Acupuncture?
Traditional Chinese Medicine is an ENTIRE medical system.
It encompasses a number of different theories and methodologies that accumulated over thousands of years of observation of healing of the human body and studying of the human circuits and anatomy.
The medical foundations lie in the body's similarities to our elemental world and how we can re-establish a healthy thriving body by addressing the underlying imbalances and/or invasions.
This medicine collectively aims to heal the mind and body using the body's own innate healing abilities to restore it to a more homeostatic state.
Traditional Chinese Medicine includes modalities such as Acupuncture, Fire Cupping, Gua-Sha, Tui-Na, and Acupressure. In this blog post we will cover the very basics of Acupuncture.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the insertion of an acupuncture needle to stimulate very precise points on the body. These points basically help to re-circuit the body's natural healing ability and very effectively address many mental/emotional and physical symptoms.
What is an acupuncture needle?
Acupuncture needles have evolved immensely over the centuries.
Acupuncture needles come in a variety of diameters, lengths and materials.
The most used material is stainless steel, but gold and copper are also used.
Different metals have different electrical conductivity, so practitioners may choose a different needle material based upon the treatment plans desired effect.
Because Acupuncture points reside at different depths within the body, some require much deeper stimulation, while others are needled superficially and at very specific angles.
Therefore needles come in a variety of lengths, but the most common are 0.5”, 1”, 1.5” and 2”.
How did they locate these points?
To this day, it is still unknown how the Ancients knew about and located these extremely specific point locations.
Some say that arrows penetrated the skin on the battlefield and warriors noticed that lifelong symptoms such as migraines, and headaches disappeared.
Some say that it was intuitive, because we were less busy, distracted and occupied, therefore more Intune with our bodies and that over the years the ancients were able to document the points actions through collective personal experiences.
Others say it was handed down from the Yellow Emperor – who’s been akin to a god, deity or someone not from this world. I guess, in reality, we may never know the truth of their origin story.
BUT What we do know, is that these points do exist – and that they are effective. What is also apparent is that the Ancients understood the body meticulously, and practiced a system of medicine that modern science is just beginning to understand, measure and confirm.
How many points are there on a channel?
There are 14 Main meridians, and each one has a different number of points.
Yin meridians include Lung, Heart, Liver, Spleen, Kidneys and Pericardium.
Yin is representative inward, downward, smaller.
Yin meridians have a smaller amount of points than compared to the Yang Channels. Lung = 11
Heart = 9
Liver = 14
Spleen = 21
Kidneys = 27
Pericardium = 9
Yang meridians include Large Intestine, Gallbladder, Stomach, Bladder and San Jiao.
Yang is representative of upward, growing, and larger.
Yang meridians have a larger amount of points than the Yin Meridians.
Large Intestine = 20
Small Intestine = 19
Gallbladder = 44
Stomach = 45
Bladder = 67
San Jiao = 23
Du and Ren are two other very important channels in this theory, also known as the "Conception Vessel" and the "Governing Vessel".
Ren = 24
Du = 28
Are you curious to try acupuncture or does the use of needles totally freak you out?
Cheers,
Samantha, xxo.