What is an Acupuncture point really??

[Guest guest]

Ken posed the question a few days ago, "What is an Acupuncture point"?

As I was thinking about it, I realized that at no time did my school answer that question.

We get maps, are told they move around, but what makes a point,,,, a point?

 

Anybody got any suggestions?

 

Thanks,

Chris

[Guest guest]

hi, as far as i am concerned - an acupuncture point is

a point of electrical potential at variance from the

skin.

it is a charged area which gives effective benefit

when needled or massaged.

it gets inflamed & changes size when we are under the

weather.

anand

 

 

--- Musiclear wrote: >

> Ken posed the question a few days ago, " What

> is an Acupuncture point " ?

>

> As I was thinking about it, I realized that

> at no time did my school

> answer that question.

> We get maps, are told they move around, but

> what makes a point,,,, a

> point?

>

> Anybody got any suggestions?

>

> Thanks,

> Chris

>

 

=====

Anand Bapat

Pain Management Specialist

Sports Injury Specialist

Blacktown, Parramatta, Punchbowl, & Hammondville

0402 472 897

 

 

 

______________________

Want to chat instantly with your online friends? Get the FREE

Messenger http://uk.messenger./

[Guest guest]

hi, as far as i am concerned - an acupuncture point isa point of electrical potential at variance from theskin.it is a charged area which gives effective benefitwhen needled or massaged.it gets inflamed & changes size when we are under theweather.>>>I can go with this for some of acup "qualities" one however find many such points that have nothing to do with meridians. I am very skeptical on the validity of much of the skin resistance studies do to many many technical difficulties

Alon

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

I will add my two cents to this discussion by also expanding the question to the one asked by patients/clients which is "how does acupuncture work"?

 

Originally, I gave the ones I was taught which fell into two categories. One, that the points relate to the nervous system (into which the information in the post regarding high electrical energy and energy gaps might fall) and the other that the system of point location tells the brain how to make physiological changes somewhat like a a computer program works. I myself have resorted to the idea that since we are in fact energy beings in a body that acupuncture treats by being able to adjust our energy (field). This would also include the "intention" is everything concept which I was also taught.

 

I am curious what others think about this. I will also say that no matter what we may think that as near as I can tell people get better with Oriental Medicine (acupuncture and herbs) and the lifestyle changes that are part of our medicine. I live in a small town and am able to follow many people both my clients and those of my fellow practitioners over a long period of time and those who take their treatment seriously do better on many levels of their lives including but not limited to physical health. I think this validates our work. What do others think?

 

Bobbi

[Guest guest]

You may be interested in what’s

described as the mechanical model as well. Researcher and acupuncturist,

Helene Langevin is doing a good bit of research on acupuncture mechanisms; she

has done a number of studies exploring the role of connective tissue, noting

that when stimulated at acupoints, it appears to promote cellular changes.

 

In my eyes, the nerve stimulation model doesn’t

sufficiently explain the outcomes that have been documented and which we see as

clinicians.

 

For info on Langevin’s work, see

* Her website

http://www.med.uvm.edu/neurology/TB1+BL+I+C.asp?ContentItemID=10081 & SiteAreaID=582

 

* NIH clinical trial link

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00064818?order=8

 

* A recent publication

Evidence of Connective Tissue Involvement

in Acupuncture, FASEB Journal, June 2002.

 

Best,

Della

 

 

 

 

Della Lawhon, MAOM,

Lic AC, Dipl CH, Kelly

Library

New England School of

Acupuncture

40 Belmont Street

Watertown, Mass

02472

Ph: 617-926-3969

Fax: 617-924-4167

dlawhon

www.nesa.edu/library.html

 

 

 

bobbiaqua

[bobbiaqua]

Tuesday, August

12, 2003 10:48 AM

To:

Chinese Medicine

Re: What is an

Acupuncture point really??

 

 

Hi,

 

 

 

 

 

I will add my two cents to this

discussion by also expanding the question to the one asked by patients/clients

which is " how does acupuncture work " ?

 

 

 

 

 

Originally, I gave the ones I was

taught which fell into two categories. One, that the points relate to the

nervous system (into which the information in the post regarding high

electrical energy and energy gaps might fall) and the other that the system of

point location tells the brain how to make physiological changes somewhat like

a a computer program works. I myself have resorted to the idea that since we

are in fact energy beings in a body that acupuncture treats by being able

to adjust our energy (field). This would also include the " intention "

is everything concept which I was also taught.

 

 

 

 

 

I am curious what others think about

this. I will also say that no matter what we may think that as near as I

can tell people get better with Oriental Medicine (acupuncture and herbs)

and the lifestyle changes that are part of our medicine. I live in a

small town and am able to follow many people both my clients and those of my

fellow practitioners over a long period of time and those who take their

treatment seriously do better on many levels of their lives including but not

limited to physical health. I think this validates our work. What do others

think?

 

 

 

 

 

Bobbi

 

 

 

 

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and those interested in TCM.

 

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[Guest guest]

In my eyes, the nerve stimulation model doesn’t sufficiently explain the outcomes that have been documented and which we see as clinicians

>>>>There are other effects to the insertion of needles that are mediated by other ways. The only problem is that all the studies show that if you anaesthetize a point acupuncture does not work. Which suggest that even the other effects have neural involvement

Alon

[Guest guest]

hi,

but with pts with stroke, paralysis & nerve injuries

we still can get de qi. how is this possible.

i do not know about the anaesthetic effect & study.

but i was under the impression that points are active

& work even when the limb is paralysed.

anand

 

 

--- Alon Marcus <alonmarcus wrote: > In my

eyes, the nerve stimulation model doesn't

> sufficiently explain the outcomes that have been

> documented and which we see as clinicians

> >>>>There are other effects to the insertion of

> needles that are mediated by other ways. The only

> problem is that all the studies show that if you

> anaesthetize a point acupuncture does not work.

> Which suggest that even the other effects have

> neural involvement

> Alon

 

=====

Anand Bapat

Pain Management Specialist

Sports Injury Specialist

Blacktown, Parramatta, Punchbowl, & Hammondville

0402 472 897

 

 

 

 

______________________

Want to chat instantly with your online friends? Get the FREE

Messenger http://uk.messenger./

[Guest guest]

hi,but with pts with stroke, paralysis & nerve injurieswe still can get de qi. how is this possible.but i was under the impression that points are active & work even when the limb is paralysed.anand>>>>>>>>

I did see one study were anesthetic effect did not effect treatment, however most do show it blocks the effects. I think as far as paralysis it depends on the extent. I do not think you get an effect on a totally denervated limb

Alon

[Guest guest]

> I do not think you get an effect on a totally denervated limb

 

What effect are you looking for?

 

I understand that conventional anaesthesia interferes with acupuncture induced pain blocking. My take is that anaesthetics block efferent (pain control) neurological impulses that have been mediated by the nervous system and which intercept afferent (incoming pain) impulses. Stimulation of the relevant acupoint and transmission by the meridian concerned interfaces with the nervous system at the level of th Organ. I am basing this on Shangs description of the meridian as a high concentration of gap junctions that facilitate non-local communication and control independent of the nervous system.

 

Sammy.

Alon Marcus [alonmarcus]13 August 2003 16:20Chinese Medicine Subject: Re: What is an Acupuncture point really??

 

hi,but with pts with stroke, paralysis & nerve injurieswe still can get de qi. how is this possible.but i was under the impression that points are active & work even when the limb is paralysed.anand>>>>>>>>

I did see one study were anesthetic effect did not effect treatment, however most do show it blocks the effects. I think as far as paralysis it depends on the extent. I do not think you get an effect on a totally denervated limb

AlonFor practitioners, students and those interested in TCM. Membership requires that you do not post any commerical, religious, spam messages or flame another member. If you want to change the way you receive email message, i.e. individually, daily digest or none, then visit the groups’ homepage: Chinese Medicine/ Click ‘edit my membership' on the right hand side and adjust accordingly.

[Guest guest]

Della: Researcher and acupuncturist, Helene Langevin is doing a good

bit of research on acupuncture mechanisms; she has done a number of

studies exploring the role of connective tissue, noting that when

stimulated at acupoints, it appears to promote cellular changes.

 

Excellent post. Thanks alot. Have you got any more info on this as

two of the links point towards proposed studies. I'm looking for an

article with some theory also.

 

Can you help?

 

Attilio