Acupuncture Meridians RM Clemmons DVM Ph D CVA

Acupuncture Meridians RM Clemmons, DVM, Ph. D, CVA, CVFT University of Florida

Acupuncture and Meridians “Meridians not only feed vital energies to their related organs, they also reflect any pathological disturbance in those organs, thus providing a convenient and highly accurate tool for diagnosis as well as therapy. ”

Concepts of Meridians & Acupoints • No one knows how meridians were originally identified. • Some believe that acupoints originated by practitioners treating tender spots, also called trigger points, using acupressure or acupuncture. • The radicular pattern of pain during stimulation of the tender spot may have been interpreted as a meridian. • Early practitioners may have believed pain represented blockage of Qi through a meridian. • Needling or pressure to reduce pain was then thought to restore the normal flow of Qi through the meridian.

An Ancient View of Pain • Qi travels through our meridian system • Qi provides nourishment for every cell, tissue, muscle, gland organ • When Qi becomes blocked and imbalanced, pain and disease result • As water flows through river networks nourishing our planet, Qi flows through our meridian networks nourishing our body

Acupuncture Background • Meridian channels (n=12) – run length of body • Form the basis for theory and clinical application of acupuncture • Part of traditional Chinese medicine – Used for >3, 000 yrs – Empirical basis – Rare in U. S. until Nixon visited China in 1972

Flow of Qi Stagnation = Pain Acupuncture and Back Pain Meridians are the river network inside Water flows in rivers, Qi flows in meridians

Meridians: Myth or Reality? • Close correlation between – AP Meridian – Peripheral Nerve Pathways • Meridians appear to possess bioelectric function similar to PN • Meridians follow PN – Lung (LU) = Musculocutaneous N – Pericardium (PC) = Median N 8

Meridian Research • Stimulation of AP points on meridian lower resistance at other meridian points • Radio signals places over one AP point can be picked up at other AP points along the meridian • Injection of radioisotopes into one point gradually accumulates at other points 9

Nuclear Medicine to Identify Meridians • Technetium 99 -m injected into acupoints • Migration studied with scintillation camera Injection at non-acupoint No migration 307 sec after injection Injection at acupoint Migration 6 cm/minute

Local Effects: De Qi PRABM response in horses (pilomotor reaction along bladder meridian) 11

12 Regular Channels Chanel Location Fang Fu Organ Abbreviation Tai Yin of the thoracic limb Lung LU Tai Yin of the pelvic limb Spleen SP Shao Yin of the thoracic limb Heart HT Shao Yin of the pelvic limb Kidney KID Jue Yin of the thoracic limb Pericardium PC Jue Yin of the pelvic limb Liver LIV Yang Ming of the thoracic limb Large Intestine LI Yang Ming of the pelvic limb Stomach ST Tai Yang of the thoracic limb Small Intestine SI Tai Yang of the pelvic limb Urinary Bladder BL Shao Yang of the thoracic limb Triple Heater TH Shao Yang of the pelvic limb Gall Bladder GB

Energy Levels of 12 Channels Limbs Three Yang Fu Organs Three Yin LU Limbs 1 st LEVEL LI Zang Organs Thoracic Pelvic ST SP Pelvic SI HT Thoracic Yangming Thoracic Taiyin 2 nd LEVEL Thoracic Pelvic BL KID Pelvic 3 rd LEVEL Thoracic TH PC Thoracic Taiyang Shaoyin Shaoyang Pelvic Jueyin GB LIV Pelvic

8 Extraordinary Channels Channel Name Location Meridian Connection Point Connections Du Governing Vessel Dorsal Midline CV, ST GV 1 to GV 28 Ren Conception Vessel Ventral Midline GV, ST CV 1 to CV 24 Chong Penetrating Parallel to KID Meridian KID Internal sex organs to lips via ST 30 & KID Channel Dai Girdle Encircling Lumbar Area GB Hypochondriac region to GV 3 via GB 26 -28 Yang-Qiao Yang Mobility Lateral Hindlimb, Shoulder & Head SI, BL, LI, ST, GB BL 62 to GB 20 via BL 1 Yin-Qiao Yin Mobility Medial Hindlimb to Eye KID, SI KID 6 to BL 1 Yang-Wei Yang Linking Lateral Stifle to Shoulder GV, SI, BL, TH, GB, ST GB 63 to GV 15 Yin-Wei Yin Linking Medial Hindlimb to Neck CV, GB, SP, LIV Ki. ID 9 to CV 23 via LIV 14

TCM 24 Hour Clock

Lung Meridian • Contains 11 points – Begins in front of shoulder – Runs on medial side of leading edge of front leg – Ends at medial nail bed of first (functional) digit • Man/Cats P 3 of digit 1 • Dogs P 3 of digit 2 • Tai Yin

Large Intestine Meridian • Contains 20 points – Begins at medial nail bed of 2 nd functional digit of foreleg • Man/Cats P 3 of digit 2 • Dogs P 3 of digit 3 – Travels on the lateral aspect of the leading edge of the leg – Crosses at GV 26 to end 1 fen from widest portion of the nares • Yang Ming

Canine LU/LI Meridians

Stomach Meridian • Contains 45 points – Begins in center of the orbit – Forms big smile & then travels in front of body (ventral surface of animals) & lateral side of the front of rear leg – Ends on the lateral nail bed of 2 nd function toe • Man/Cats P 3 of digit 2 • Dogs P 3 of digit 3 • Yang Ming

Spleen Meridian • Contains 21 points – Begins on the medial surface of 1 st functional toe • Man P 3 of digit 1 • Dogs/Cats P 3 of digit 2 – Travels up medial side of the front of the rear leg and ventrolateral trunk to axial – Ends in the 7 th intercostal space level with shoulder • Tai Yin

Canine ST/SP Meridians

Heart Meridian • Contains 9 points – Begins in center of axilla – Travels on medial aspect of the caudal part of the foreleg – Ends at the nail bed on the medial side of digit 5 • Shao Yin

Small Intestine Meridian • Contains 19 points – Begins at the nail bed of the lateral side of the 5 th digit – Travels up the lateral aspect of the caudal foreleg & neck – Ends at the end of the tragus of the ear • Tai Yang

Canine HT/SI Meridians

Bladder Meridian • Contains 67 points – Begins 1 fen lateromedial to the medial canthus of eye – Travels down the back (dorsal surface of animals) 1. 5 to 3 cun off midline • Inner meridian 1. 5 cun • Outer meridian 3. 0 cun – Ends at lateral nail bed of 5 th digit of rear leg • Tai Yang

Kidney Meridian • Contains 27 points – Begins at the functional center of rear foot between metatarsal/phalangeal joint • Man between digit 2 & 3 • Dogs/Cats between digit 3 &4 – Travels up caudolateral aspect of rear leg & near midline of ventral truck – Ends in pectoral muscles • Shao Yin

Canine BL/KID Meridians

Pericardial Meridian • Contains 9 points – Begins just lateral to the cranial nipple – Travels down the center of the medial fore leg – Ends at center of middle finger • Man/Cats tip of 3 rd digit • Dogs medial nail bed of 4 th digit. • Jue Yin

Triple Heater Meridian • Contains 23 points – Begins on the lateral nail bed of the 4 th digit – Travels up the middle of the lateral aspect of the fore leg & neck – Loops around ear and ends at the orbit where the eyebrow ends (if the eyebrow is extended like in man) • Shao Yang

Canine PC/TH Meridians

Gall Bladder Meridian • Contains 44 points – Start 2 fen ventrolateral to lateral canthus – Travels down the medial part of the lateral trunk & leg – Ends at lateral nail bed of the 4 th digit • Shao Yang

Liver Meridian • Contains 14 points – Begins on lateral nail bed of the 1 st functional toe • Man at 1 st digit • Dog/Cats at 2 nd digit – Travels up the middle of the medial leg and trunk – Ends at 6 th costrochondral junction • Jue Yin

Canine GB/LIV Meridians

Governing Vessel Meridian • Contains 28 points – Begins between anus and tail – Travels up the dorsal midline – Ends under lip at gum line • Yang

Conception Vessel Meridian • Contains 24 points – Begins between the anus and the external genitailia – Travels up the ventral midline – Ends in center of metolabial groove • Yin

Canine GV/CV Meridians

Multiple Meridians

Multiple Meridians

Conclusion • Meridians make up the highways for organized energy circulation throughout the body. • Acupuncture points are the major cities along the highway which control traffic. • Knowing the location and timing of the energy flow in the body helps develop appropriate treatment strategies. • Remember, that the surface meridian also connects with the central one.