Guest guest Posted July 30, 2000 Report Share Posted July 30, 2000 In a previous post we saw how there are 5 special points on each of the 12 meridians called Shu or Transporting or Element points. These Shu points lie between the tips of the fingers or toes and the elbows or knees. Shu points are important because the Qi is unstable and very close to the surface of the body in the area between the fingers/ toes and elbows/knees. Because of the unstable and superficial nature of the Qi in these areas, the Shu points can be very powerful. Because the Qi is so superficial in these areas of the body, these also are areas where Exterior Pernicious Evils often enter the body. The 5 Shu points on each meridian have names - Well, Spring, Stream, River, and Sea. The Well points are the points nearest the fingers or toes. Well points will always be the first or last point on the meridian depending on the direction of the flow of energy. If the flow of energy is ascending (starting near the tip of the finger or toe and rising to the head), the Well point will be the first point on the meridian - i.e., Kidney 1, Small Intestine 1, Large Intestine 1, Spleen 1, etc. If the flow of energy through the meridian is descending (going from the top of the body to the fingers or toes), the Well point will be the last point on the meridian - i.e., Heart 9, Lung 11, Bladder 67, Stomach 45, etc. Each of these 5 different Shu points have special characteristics regardless of what type of meridian (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) it is. In a previous post we saw how the Well points all tend to be good for treating and expelling Exterior Evils very quickly. The Well points also can be particularly good to use when Yin organs are effected (i.e., Lungs, Heart, Spleen, Kidneys, and Liver). They also are good for " fullness under the heart " and to treat mental symptoms like irritability, restless mind that keeps churning, anxiety, etc. The Spring points are always the second closest points to the tips of the fingers or toes - i.e., Kidney 2, Small Intestine 2, Large Intestine 2, Heart 8, Lunge 10, Bladder 66, Stomach 44. The main use of the Spring points are for febrile (feverish) diseases or to clear Heat. Most of the Spring points will clear Heat. These points can be very good to use when a person has a fever or when Heat is in a channel/ organ. For example, suppose a person is Kidney Yin Deficient with symptoms like feeling too hot in the afternoon, hot flushes, night sweats, weak and sore lower back, vertigo, and malar flush in the face. Maciocia reports that Kidney 2 is a good point for clearing this Deficiency (Empty) Heat from the Kidneys. (Foundations, p. 339) Heart 8 and Pericardium 8 can be used to clear Heat from the Heart, Stomach 44 can be used to clear Stomach Heat, and Lung 10 can be used to clear Lung Heat. (Foundations, p. 339) The Spring points also can be used for disharmonies which are affecting the complexion. Victoria ______________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2000 Report Share Posted July 30, 2000 Hi Victoria, This is the way I like to use Shu points. Whether it be Yin or Yang meridians. I put more stock in starting from wood for these points. The idea that the Yang meridians start from Metal just doesn't feel right to me. I like what you say that the spring points all clear heat in that same band area shared by Yin and Yang meridians. For example, I like to use L.I.1 as a Wood point and not as a Metal point. Wood associates with 'well', that is what the point is. I would use L.I.2 to clear L.I. heat too. As far as the idea of tonification and sedation points. For L.I. one might choose L.I.11 to tonify. But I would rather choose L.I.3, because it is the Earth-Shu point (stream point). The stream points are indicated for heaviness in the body. Heaviness associates with Earth. To me, relieve heaviness and the L.I. will tonify. Ed Judy Fitzgerald wrote: > In a previous post we saw how there are 5 special points on each of the 12 > meridians called Shu or Transporting or Element points. These Shu points > lie between the tips of the fingers or toes and the elbows or knees. > > Shu points are important because the Qi is unstable and very close to the > surface of the body in the area between the fingers/ toes and elbows/knees. > Because of the unstable and superficial nature of the Qi in these areas, the > Shu points can be very powerful. Because the Qi is so superficial in these > areas of the body, these also are areas where Exterior Pernicious Evils > often enter the body. > > The 5 Shu points on each meridian have names - Well, Spring, Stream, River, > and Sea. The Well points are the points nearest the fingers or toes. Well > points will always be the first or last point on the meridian depending on > the direction of the flow of energy. If the flow of energy is ascending > (starting near the tip of the finger or toe and rising to the head), the > Well point will be the first point on the meridian - i.e., Kidney 1, Small > Intestine 1, Large Intestine 1, Spleen 1, etc. If the flow of energy > through the meridian is descending (going from the top of the body to the > fingers or toes), the Well point will be the last point on the meridian - > i.e., Heart 9, Lung 11, Bladder 67, Stomach 45, etc. > > Each of these 5 different Shu points have special characteristics regardless > of what type of meridian (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) it is. In a > previous post we saw how the Well points all tend to be good for treating > and expelling Exterior Evils very quickly. The Well points also can be > particularly good to use when Yin organs are effected (i.e., Lungs, Heart, > Spleen, Kidneys, and Liver). They also are good for " fullness under the > heart " and to treat mental symptoms like irritability, restless mind that > keeps churning, anxiety, etc. > > The Spring points are always the second closest points to the tips of the > fingers or toes - i.e., Kidney 2, Small Intestine 2, Large Intestine 2, > Heart 8, Lunge 10, Bladder 66, Stomach 44. > > The main use of the Spring points are for febrile (feverish) diseases or to > clear Heat. Most of the Spring points will clear Heat. These points can be > very good to use when a person has a fever or when Heat is in a channel/ > organ. For example, suppose a person is Kidney Yin Deficient with symptoms > like feeling too hot in the afternoon, hot flushes, night sweats, weak and > sore lower back, vertigo, and malar flush in the face. Maciocia reports > that Kidney 2 is a good point for clearing this Deficiency (Empty) Heat from > the Kidneys. (Foundations, p. 339) Heart 8 and Pericardium 8 can be used to > clear Heat from the Heart, Stomach 44 can be used to clear Stomach Heat, and > Lung 10 can be used to clear Lung Heat. (Foundations, p. 339) > > The Spring points also can be used for disharmonies which are affecting the > complexion. > > Victoria > > ______________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > > > Post message: Chinese Traditional Medicine > Subscribe: Chinese Traditional Medicine- > Un: Chinese Traditional Medicine- > List owner: Chinese Traditional Medicine-owner > > Shortcut URL to this page: > /community/Chinese Traditional Medicine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2000 Report Share Posted July 30, 2000 Hi Victoria, Thanks for this very interesting information. I saw the acupuncturist Wednesday night. I've been going every two to three weeks to resolve Liver Yin/Blood deficiency. Things are not quite right for the past week. I've had a twitch in the inner corner of my right eye for over a week now. (Gall Bladder meridian) I'm also feeling heat on the inside of my left leg right next to the knee cap. (Liver meridian) I talked to the acupuncturist about the twitch, but forgot to mention the heat in the knee. He asked me what I'm upset about. Well, nothing that I can think of. I thought the acupunture treatment would resolve the twitching, but I think it's actually worse. I told him that I would keep rubbing LV3 which he told me would help smooth out the Liver Qi. Maybe I'm not rubbing it enough . I've also tried eating a cooler diet--fruit, tofu, lemon/raspberry juice with some aloe vera added, lots of green tea. I'm taking Ginseng and Tang Gui Ten Formula (Shi Quan Da Bu Wan) and alternating that with Ginseng and Astragalus Formula, aka Central Qi Pills or Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan. I had been taking only the Ginseng and Astragalus for two weeks. He asked me to now take the Ginseng and Astragalus morning and mid-day, then take Ginseng and Tang Gui in the evening before bed. Sure wish my eye would stop twitching! Any other ideas for me? Lynn Judy Fitzgerald <victoria_dragon Chinese Traditional Medicine <Chinese Traditional Medicine > Sunday, July 30, 2000 10:01 AM [Chinese Traditional Medicine] Spring Points (Shu Points) >In a previous post we saw how there are 5 special points on each of the 12 >meridians called Shu or Transporting or Element points. These Shu points >lie between the tips of the fingers or toes and the elbows or knees. > >Shu points are important because the Qi is unstable and very close to the >surface of the body in the area between the fingers/ toes and elbows/knees. >Because of the unstable and superficial nature of the Qi in these areas, the >Shu points can be very powerful. Because the Qi is so superficial in these >areas of the body, these also are areas where Exterior Pernicious Evils >often enter the body. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 31, 2000 Report Share Posted July 31, 2000 Lynn, If I may, I would say that the twitching seems like Bladder meridian. Gall bladder starts on the outside corner of the eye, Bladder in the inner corner. My sense is that your Bladder-Yin is deficient. Instead of the Liver point, I might suggest a Small Intestine point. SI-6, 18, or 19. SI-6 is indicated for eye diseases. SI-18 is indicated for Facial paralysis and trigeminal neuralgia. SI-19 is indicated for facial paralysis, deafness and tinnitus. You may add a Bladder point for integration. Possibly Bl-62 or Bl-63. or Bl-5 or Bl-6. Why do you say you have Liver Yin/Blood deficiency? Ed Lynn Long wrote: > Hi Victoria, > > Thanks for this very interesting information. I saw the acupuncturist > Wednesday night. I've been going every two to three weeks to resolve Liver > Yin/Blood deficiency. Things are not quite right for the past week. I've > had a twitch in the inner corner of my right eye for over a week now. (Gall > Bladder meridian) I'm also feeling heat on the inside of my left leg right > next to the knee cap. (Liver meridian) I talked to the acupuncturist about > the twitch, but forgot to mention the heat in the knee. He asked me what > I'm upset about. Well, nothing that I can think of. I thought the > acupunture treatment would resolve the twitching, but I think it's actually > worse. I told him that I would keep rubbing LV3 which he told me would help > smooth out the Liver Qi. Maybe I'm not rubbing it enough . > > Sure wish my eye would stop twitching! Any other ideas for me? > > Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 31, 2000 Report Share Posted July 31, 2000 >I do not have any problems with my Bladder, but perhaps Kidney? Note to those new to TCM: A person can have problems in a meridian without there being any signs of a problem in the organ. This is one of the difference between External and Internal. When a Pernicious Evil (Cold, Heat, Wind, Damp, Dryness) is attacking Externally, the symptoms are felt along part(s) of the course of a meridian or in the legs, arms, head, neck, skin, muscles, tendons, and bones. When an Evil starts to attack Internally, there will be symptoms in the trunk of the body and the organs and their functions will be affected. For example, if Cold is attacking the Small Intestine Meridian, there may be sensations of Cold, numbness, tingling, pain along part(s) of the Small Intestine Meridian (External symptoms), but no changes in bowel function. If changes have occured in bowel movements, the problem is Internal, and a different treatment strategy is called for. However, in cases of the Small Intestine meridian being invaded, there may be headache, nasal and sinus congestion, stiff neck, pain in the muscles because these can all be External symptoms. An External attack can affect the legs, arms, head, neck, skin, muscles, tendons, and bones. If the pain or discomfort is in the trunk of the body and/or functions of the Bladder, Intestines, Stomach, Liver, etc. have changed, the Evil is Interior. Exterior conditions usually are easier to treat than Internal ones. >My back has >been aching for several weeks, my knees have been aching as well, Whenever pain in the back (especially the lower back) and aching in the knees are mentioned, automatically suspect Kidney involvement and rule in or out. >and I am >not sleeping well. I sleep very lightly, dream a lot and then wake up >early--around 4 a.m. I have trouble falling back asleep then, although >sometimes I can turn off my mind and sleep until 5:30. Dream disturbed sleep can be a manifestation of joint Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency. The symptom pattern of Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency will be a mixed pattern of Kidney symptoms (sore back) and Liver (problems with the eyes). I'll be going into this in more detail in a later post. Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency can develop from Liver Blood Deficiency and/or Liver Yin Deficiency. But Kidney Qi Deficiency or Kidney Jing (Essence) Deficiency also can trigger Liver Blood Deficiency. All of Lynn's problems may or may not be coming from the same Root. It is possible that there are Internal problems of Yin Deficiency and Blood Deficiency while at the same time there is an attack by an External Perncious Evil. Or, the Yin Deficiency and the Blood Deficiency may be triggering Internal Wind. The fact that the twitching is confined to the face (around the eye) indicates that this may be External. But more information and analysis is needed. (Liver Blood Deficiency, extreme Heat (like in some dieseases), and Liver Yang Rising (which has a basis of Liver Yin Deficiency over a long period of time) can each generate Internal Wind. However, the symptoms so far point more to External Wind. Victoria ______________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 31, 2000 Report Share Posted July 31, 2000 Ed, Thanks for the information. The acupuncturist said Liver Yin Deficiency as his first assessment. Now he says Liver Blood Deficiency. I have not really felt that this was the problem, but he has a lot more experience with this than I do. I do not have any problems with my Bladder, but perhaps Kidney? My back has been aching for several weeks, my knees have been aching as well, and I am not sleeping well. I sleep very lightly, dream a lot and then wake up early--around 4 a.m. I have trouble falling back asleep then, although sometimes I can turn off my mind and sleep until 5:30. L. Ed Lambert <eternalb Chinese Traditional Medicine <Chinese Traditional Medicine > Sunday, July 30, 2000 10:27 PM Re: [Chinese Traditional Medicine] Spring Points (Shu Points) >Lynn, >If I may, I would say that the twitching seems like Bladder meridian. Gall >bladder starts on the outside corner of the eye, Bladder in the inner corner. >My sense is that your Bladder-Yin is deficient. Instead of the Liver point, I >might suggest a Small Intestine point. SI-6, 18, or 19. >SI-6 is indicated for eye diseases. >SI-18 is indicated for Facial paralysis and trigeminal neuralgia. >SI-19 is indicated for facial paralysis, deafness and tinnitus. >You may add a Bladder point for integration. Possibly Bl-62 or Bl-63. or Bl-5 or >Bl-6. >Why do you say you have Liver Yin/Blood deficiency? >Ed > > > >Lynn Long wrote: > >> Hi Victoria, >> >> Thanks for this very interesting information. I saw the acupuncturist >> Wednesday night. I've been going every two to three weeks to resolve Liver >> Yin/Blood deficiency. Things are not quite right for the past week. I've >> had a twitch in the inner corner of my right eye for over a week now. (Gall >> Bladder meridian) I'm also feeling heat on the inside of my left leg right >> next to the knee cap. (Liver meridian) I talked to the acupuncturist about >> the twitch, but forgot to mention the heat in the knee. He asked me what >> I'm upset about. Well, nothing that I can think of. I thought the >> acupunture treatment would resolve the twitching, but I think it's actually >> worse. I told him that I would keep rubbing LV3 which he told me would help >> smooth out the Liver Qi. Maybe I'm not rubbing it enough . >> >> Sure wish my eye would stop twitching! Any other ideas for me? >> >> Lynn > > > > > > > > Post message: Chinese Traditional Medicine > Subscribe: Chinese Traditional Medicine- > Un: Chinese Traditional Medicine- > List owner: Chinese Traditional Medicine-owner > >Shortcut URL to this page: > /community/Chinese Traditional Medicine > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 31, 2000 Report Share Posted July 31, 2000 My note: When I first read Lynn's post, I automatically thought " Wind " because twitching, tics, and spasms usually are related to Wind. My next question was, " If it is Wind, is it External or Internal? " Tics, spasms, tremors, twitching, etc. are usually Internal Wind EXCEPT when the face is affected. The twitching is in the corner of her eye. Has there been any unusual weather conditions, especially Wind where she lives that could have triggered this? Or, is it a side effect of the acupuncture? Note that Ed mentions Small Intestine and Bladder points. Why? If you go back in the archive and pull the posts on Cold-Induced Evils or Tai Yang (Greater Yang) stage Evil, you will find that the Small Intestine and Bladder meridians (the TaiYang meridians) are the most superficial meridians and the two affected first by External Pernicious Evil. The Cold-Induced Evils theory was developed originally for febrile (fever) conditions with a Cold component, but other conditions can also follow this sequence. I will be posting more on Wind in another post. Victoria >If I may, I would say that the twitching seems like Bladder meridian. Gall >bladder starts on the outside corner of the eye, Bladder in the inner >corner. >My sense is that your Bladder-Yin is deficient. Instead of the Liver >point, I >might suggest a Small Intestine point. SI-6, 18, or 19. >SI-6 is indicated for eye diseases. >SI-18 is indicated for Facial paralysis and trigeminal neuralgia. >SI-19 is indicated for facial paralysis, deafness and tinnitus. >You may add a Bladder point for integration. Possibly Bl-62 or Bl-63. or >Bl-5 or >Bl-6. >Why do you say you have Liver Yin/Blood deficiency? ______________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 31, 2000 Report Share Posted July 31, 2000 >had a twitch in the inner corner of my right eye for over a week now. >(Gall >Bladder meridian) I'm also feeling heat on the inside of my left leg right >next to the knee cap. (Liver meridian) This can also be the Spleen meridian, and if the sensation is more toward the back of the leg, the Kidney meridian. Some questions: What has the weather been like where you're at? Anything unusual or especially wind or a lot of sharp changes in barometric pressure? Have you been using the leg an unusual amount, like starting a new exercise or walking program? Excessive use of a leg (or arm) can cause localized Qi Stagnation, and Qi Stagnation can cause Heat. Excessive exercise can damage Yin. Are you dieting to lose weight? When a diet is lacking in enough nourishment, especially protein, this can weaken the Spleen which then cannot make enough Blood, and Blood Deficiency can be triggered or worsened. At some point in the Maciocia Foundations book I read that symptoms on the right may point to Excess and those on the left to Deficiency. I can't remember the full details, but will be trying to find this passage again. If this is a case of this, the right eye involvement would point to Excess and the left leg heat problem to Deficiency. Now there are mixed Excess-Deficiency Internal problems, BUT there also can be cases of a person having an Internal Deficiency (like Yin Deficiency, Blood Deficiency, etc.) while at the same time undergoing an External Excess attack. In cases of the latter, this can complicate treatment. The general rule is to stop the tonification (the tonic herbs) and concentrate on reducing the Excess. Otherwise, the tonification could strenghten the Excess. This is a general rule because there are exceptions. The eye twitching and the Heat in the knee may be coming from two very different Roots. But I'm wondering about the ginseng in your case. Is there Qi Deficiency? Why are you on ginseng? >I talked to the acupuncturist about >the twitch, but forgot to mention the heat in the knee. You need to tell him about the Heat too. >He asked me what >I'm upset about. Well, nothing that I can think of. That's because in cases of Liver problems or symptoms pointing to possible Liver disharmonies (like the eye being affected) often have a basis of anger and frustration. However, this is NOT the only possible etiology for problems involving the Liver and/or Gall Bladder. It's just that the " it's emotional/ psychological " tends to get overemphasized in the U.S. It's far worse with regular doctors than with alternative healers (because of the job done on them by the American Psychatric Association and the pharmaceutical industry which makes a lot of money off psychoactive drugs), but even alternative healers are affected somewhat by this mindset. Sometimes it is emotional. TCM recognized this long, long before Western medicine and even pinpoints it to recognizing that the Liver is particularly vulnerable to frustration and anger, the Kidney to fear, the Spleen to pensiveness, the Lungs to anxiety and grief, and the Heart to excessive joy. TCM is more sophisticated than Western medicine in that it also realizes that an imbalance in a system - from whatever original cause - will trigger the particular emotion the system is vulnerable to. In other words, a person with Liver problems that were triggered by toxins or infection or trauma could start being more angry and frustrated than s/he before because the imbalance in the Liver is causing the person to feel emotions s/he was not prone to before. It's a two-way street. >I thought the >acupunture treatment would resolve the twitching, but I think it's actually >worse. I told him that I would keep rubbing LV3 which he told me would >help >smooth out the Liver Qi. Maybe I'm not rubbing it enough . Let's look at what Maciocia has to say about Liver 3 (Bigger Rushing): It's action is to subdue Liver-Yang, expel INTERNAL Wind, promote the smooth flow of Qi, calm the Mind (Spirit), and calm spasms. (Foundations, p. 454). But in your case, the twitching is getting worse. Maciocia says that this point can be needled with reinforcement to nourish Liver Blood, but it's usually used in Excess patterns of the Liver. Liver Blood Stasis, Liver Qi Stagnation are Excess patterns; Liver Yin Deficiency is not. You mentioned aching knees. The first thing to consider when knees ache and/or the back is sore is Kidney imbalance. But pain in the leg in the area of the joint also can come from Painful Obstruction Syndrome. An External Evil has invaded the meridian and is causing problems. Maciocia says Liver 7 (Knee Gate) is a local point for treating Painful Obstruction of the knee, especially if it is from Wind and the pain is " on the inner aspect of the knee. " (p. 455) Let me continue this in another post because sometimes the computer cuts off, and I don't want to lose this. Victoria ______________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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