Felix Mann's Scientific Aspects of Acupuncture

[Guest guest]

Hi Cara & All,

 

> Thanks Phil. do you know when this was written? It really beings me

> back to my school days. His were the only books that were published at

> the time, and they were hard to get.

 

1974, I think.

 

Felix Mann's books weree also amongst the first that I read when beginning

my study of AP in the 1970s.

 

Many people underestimate Felix Mann's impact on medical AP in Europe.

IMO, he was a reat stimulus for many MDs to study at least basic

(segmental / reflex) AP and trigger-point therapy.

 

Though some criticise Mann for apparently jettisoning much TCM theory,

including the physical existence of the Channels, he did accept the

CLINICAL relevance of the Channels, (just as jet pilots & sea captains

accept the navigational relevance of the earth's (non-existent) meridians.

 

If I remember correctly, Mann placed great importance on sensitive

(reactive) scars on meridians, suggesting that such reactive areas could

trigger FUNCTIONAL disorders in the organ related to that meridian. He

recommended that these scars be treated if found. If left untreated, the

reactive scars could, eventually, trigger ORGANIC disease.

 

In one of his books (I forget which one), he described a patient who had

fallen against a table and cut herself at Shenmen-HT07. Within a short time,

she began to experience HT functional disorders (breathlessness on

climbing stairs, etc). Mann found a sensitive area in the scar and treated it.

The outcome was disappearance of the HT signs.

 

Having worked with acupuncture for >33 years, I saw this phenomenon

many times. Part of a detailed history-taking should be to ask about past

surgeries / scars, check which meridian is injured (if on a meridian), and

probe any detected scars to ascertain if they are reactive. If the S & Ss fit Qi

blockage in that meridian (or its upstream or downstream meridian (in the

Qi Cycle sequence: LU-LI-ST-SP... etc), treating the sensitive part of the

scar can give remarkable clinical improvement.

 

Z'ev wrote:

> These days, Dr. Mann is an adamant opponent of acupuncture practiced

> by use of channel theory, yin yang, or five phase.

 

Maybe today, but he used Channel theory as discussed under scars, above,

back in the 70s.

 

Cara replied:

> If channels, y/y, and 5 phase are out, what on earth is left?

 

What is left is a greatly simplified form of AP that requires only a knowledge

of segmental innervation, trigger points, etc.

 

That system can be taught easily to Weekend Warriors. Give them a few

dozen Cookbook Prescriptions and let them loose purporting to be

acupuncturists!

 

Best regards,