4 factors in meridian problems

[Guest guest]

" Channel problems can arise from four factors.

 

" 1) First of all, they arise from invasion of exterior

pathogenic

factors,

such as Cold, Wind, Dampness, or Heat. These invade the

superficial

channels first, and then the main channels, settling in the

joints and

causing Painful Obstruction Syndrome. " (arthritis/ rheumatism)

" This

is an

extremely frequent cause of channel problems which affects most

people at

one time or another. " (Exterior invasion by Pernicious Evils is

the

number

one cause of channel problems.)

 

" Channel pathology is, in fact, closely related to joint

pathology.

Joints

in are more than just anatomical entities:

they

have an

important function with regard to the circulation of Qi and

Blood,

with

several implications in pathology. "

 

This is an important paragraph for the students on the list.

The

paragraph

that follows goes into a little more detail on the significance

of

joints in

TCM physiology and pathology.

 

" Joints are places where Qi and Blood concentrate or gather, and

they

are

also the places where Qi goes from the Interior to the Exterior

or

vice

versa. As will be remembered from chapter 4, Qi has complex

directions of

movement, upwards and downwards and in and out. " (This is

important

for

those new to TCM. Sometimes health problems will be due to Qi

flowing

the

wrong way, Rebelling when it should be descending in certain

meridians,

Sinking when it should be ascending (like in the Spleen

meridian),

failing

to move outward, or failing to move inward. There are acupoints

and

herbs

which have properties of affecting the direction of movement of

Qi.

For

example, Liver 3 (in the webbing between the big toe and the toe

next

to it)

has the property of subduing Liver Yang when it rises (as well

as

expeling

Interior Wind, promoting smooth Liver Qi flow, calming the mind,

and

calming

spasms). (Maciocia, Foundations, p. 454.) Liver 13 is used in

cases

of

Liver Qi Invading Stomach and (especially the) Spleen. It

harmonizes

the

Liver and Spleen. (p. 456.)

 

" The joints are the places along the channels where Qi enters

and

exits. It

is not by chance that many of the major Transporting points "

(special

acupoints) " of the limbs below elbows and knees, are situated on

joints. As

a consequence of the concentration of Qi, the joints are the

places

where a

pathogenic factor easily settles. " (The Transport points lie

between

the

toes and the knee and the fingers and the elbow. Qi flow is

superficial and

unstable here. This is where Exterior Pernicious Evils enter the

body, but

the impact from working a Transport point will be greater than

that

from

working non-Transport points simply because the Qi flow is so

swallow

and

unstable. In sensitive and aware individuals, pain, numbness,

feelings of

heat or cold, etc. along the course of a meridian below the

knees or

elbows

can be like an early warning system, allowing the person to take

steps to

prevent the Evil from invading deeper and causing even more

serious

problems. For example, some migraine sufferers will experience

one

hand or

foot getting colder than the other prior to the onset of a

migraine

on that

side of the head. If the hand or foot is warmed up enough, the

migraine can

be prevented. This is something that some Western doctors and

migraine

sufferers discovered without any knowledge of acupoints. It's

been

known

for a number of years in the West that this one hand or foot

being

colder

than the other occurs prior to a migraine headache in some

migraine

sufferers (not all). Transport points also get used in 5

Element

Theory,

and some writers in the West call them " Element points " instead

of

Transport

points. Maciocia makes the point that it's theoretically

possible to

practice acupunction using just Transport points. (Foundations,

pp.

335-336.)

 

" When a pathogenic factor invades the joint, it alters the

blance of

Yin-Yang, it upsets the circulation of Qi in the channel and it

causes Qi and Blood to stagnate: this causes pain and in the

long

run it gives rise to Painful Obstruction Syndrome. If the

pathogenic

factor is associated with Heat, the joint will feel hot; if it

is

associated with Cold, it will feel cold. " (Keep in mind that

under

the wrong conditions, any Pernicious Evil, including Cold, can

transform into Fire. He says, " associated with Heat " . This

does not

mean that Heat necessarily was the original trigger. This may

be a

case of Cold transformed into Fire in which case the Cold

problems

are still going to have to be addressed.)

 

" Besides being affected by exterior pathogenic factors, joints

are

affected by general deficiency of Qi and Blood which may cause

their

lack of nourishment and hence weakness. "

 

This is that double whammy thing I talked about yesterday. If a

person also suffers from an Interior imbalance, Exterior

Pernicious

Evils can invade channels more easily, produce even more pain

than is

usual with Exterior Invasion of Pernicious Evils, and even

affect the

Organs themselves, making the Organ imbalance even more extreme

and

producing Interior symptoms and signs. I compared it to a

smooth,

straight superhighway into the Interior.

 

The two main Interior imbalances (that you will see the most

often)

are general Qi Deficiency (not just Protective Qi Deficiency)

and

Blood Deficiency. TCM Blood (capital B, as opposed blood) is

defined

as moistening and nourishing all parts of the body. If the

joints

are not being nourished properly, they are weak and have a

harder

time resisting Exterior Pernicious Evils. Qi is the commander

of the

Blood (leads the Blood). If the Qi in insufficient to lead the

Blood, it doesn't get to the joints properly. This has some

treatment

implications in some cases of Painful Obstruction Syndrome (as

well

as some other things). If the Painful Obstruction Syndrome has

an

underlying factor of Blood and/or Qi Deficiency (not all cases

of POS

do), there is no way to get the POS under control until the

Blood

and/or Qi Deficiency also are treated. Until that underlying

Blood

and/or Qi Deficiency is addressed, just giving the person Herbs

that

Expel Wind-Dampness is like trying to bail a leaky rowboat. As

fast

as one bails water out, the boat continues to fill up. Fix the

leak,

in this case the Blood and/or Qi Deficiency problems.

 

" 2) Another frequent cause of channel problem is from over-use

of a

limb or part of the body, giving rise to local stagnation of Qi.

Anyone who, because of their work circumstances, has to

constanly

repeat the same movements, will be liable to suffer from channel

problems, manifesting with local stagnation of Qi. "

 

Over-use of a limb or part of the body is not limited to

long-term

repetitive motion problems. These problems can arise even after

relatively few moments, if the movements are difficult. For

example,

one day I was caulking with an old caulk gun. It took a lot of

pressure on the trigger and a lot of pressing of the trigger to

get

the caulk to come out. Within a few hours I had a severe

headache on

the side of the body that had worked the caulk gun.

 

Certain healthcare professionals like physical therapists,

chiropractors, etc. who administer tests or treatments which

involve

repetitive motion with pressure are likely to see cases of

channel

problems caused by over-use of a limb or part of the body. If

the

client is coming down with headaches (or some other problems)

following testing or treatment, what you're probably are looking

at

Qi Stagnation problems caused by the testing or treatment.

There are

acupoints that can be massaged or certain movements that can

prevent

this side effect from occuring.

 

It also should be mentioned that if the person already is

vulnerable

to Exterior Invasion by Pernicious Evils, problems with

repetitive

motion (especially with force) are more likely to occur than if

the

person was not already vulnerable.

 

" 3) Sports injuries are another frequent cause of channel

problems,

causing local stagnation of Qi in the channel. "

 

This is not limited to sports injuries but also includes any

causes

of trauma like a car wreck, surgery, a beating, etc.

 

" 4) Finally, channel problems can of course spring from

Internal-

Organ disharmonies. "

 

All information (except where indicated) taken from The

Foundations

of Chinese Medicien, Giovanni Maciocia, pp. 307-308.

 

Victoria