Acupuncture Meridians

1. Acupuncture Meridians RM Clemmons, DVM, PhD, CVA, CVFT University of Florida

2. 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.”

3. 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.

4. An Ancient View of Pain • Qi travels through our meridian system • Qi provides nourishment for every cell, tissue, muscle, gland and 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

5. 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

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

8. 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

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

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

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

12. 12 Regular Channels

13. Energy Levels of 12 Channels

14. 8 Extraordinary Channels

15. TCM 24 Hour Clock

16. 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 P3 of digit 1 • Dogs P3 of digit 2 • Tai Yin

17. Large Intestine Meridian • Contains 20 points • Begins at medial nail bed of 2nd functional digit of foreleg • Man/Cats P3 of digit 2 • Dogs P3 of digit 3 • Travels on the lateral aspect of the leading edge of the leg • Crosses at GV26 to end 1 fen from widest portion of the nares • Yang Ming

18. Canine LU/LI Meridians

19. 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 2nd function toe • Man/Cats P3 of digit 2 • Dogs P3 of digit 3 • Yang Ming

20. Spleen Meridian • Contains 21 points • Begins on the medial surface of 1st functional toe • Man P3 of digit 1 • Dogs/Cats P3 of digit 2 • Travels up medial side of the front of the rear leg and ventrolateral trunk to axial • Ends in the 7th intercostal space level with shoulder • Tai Yin

21. Canine ST/SP Meridians

22. 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

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

24. Canine HT/SI Meridians

25. 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 5th digit of rear leg • Tai Yang

26. 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

27. Canine BL/KID Meridians

28. 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 3rd digit • Dogs medial nail bed of 4th digit. • Jue Yin

29. Triple Heater Meridian • Contains 23 points • Begins on the lateral nail bed of the 4th 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

30. Canine PC/TH Meridians

31. 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 4th digit • Shao Yang

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

33. Canine GB/LIV Meridians

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

35. 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

36. Canine GV/CV Meridians

37. Multiple Meridians

38. Multiple Meridians

39. 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.