Traditional versus modern Acupuncture

1. AP POINTS AND CHANNELS

AP POINTS

The diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative value of AP depends totally on a knowledge of the AP points, the Channels and their functional and anatomical relationships with each other.

Characteristics of AP points There are two main types of AP points: (a) Ahshi points and (b) codified AP points. Most AP points of type (b) are reactive electro-permeable points (REPP) relative to nearby skin areas. Hyper-reactive AP points, whether of type (a) or (b) are hypersensitive to pressure-palpation, electric current or heat. Hypo-reactive AP points, usually type (b) only, are hypo-sensitive to pressure-palpation, electric current or heat.

a. Ahshi points Ahshi points are abnormally tender to palpation pressure. The patient may be unaware of their presence until they are pressed. When Ahshi points are pressed, the human patient usually grunts, groans, swears or jerks (AH = Ah! SHI = Yes !; Ahshi = "Ouch!"). In animals, pressure on Ahshi points elicits definite defensive or aversive behaviour (movement, dipping, swishing of the tail, attempts to kick or escape in horses; movement, bellowing or attempts to kick in cattle; attempts to bite, howling, whining, attempts to escape in dogs).

Some Ahshi points are just painful locally, corresponding with "fibrositic nodules", "motor points" and other irritable foci in muscle and fasciae.

These are not as important in therapy as those which are painful locally and refer pain to the area in which the patient reports the clinical pain. The latter type of Ahshi points are the Trigger Points (TPs) of "Western Medicine", as they trigger pain to the referred area of pain. For instance, many headaches may be caused by TPs points in the trapezius, neck or temporal muscles; shoulder pain may be due to TPs in the infraspinatus or supraspinatus muscles. (See Travell and Simons 1984).

Ahshi points may occur anywhere in the body but are usually in muscle. Many (up to 70%) occur at codified AP points but others occur at positions not codified in AP texts. They are usually present in myofascial syndromes and are very useful in diagnosis and prognosis. In the absence of signs of other pathology, they confirm that muscular spasm is the main problem and that the prognosis is very good if they can be eliminated successfully.

Ahshi points may also occur in disorders of internal organs (especially at the Shu (paravertebral reflex) and Mu (front alarm) points). For instance, in heart/pericardial disease, pressure along T4,5,6 (BL14,15,16) or from under the xiphoid cartilage to a point between the nipples (CV14-17) may be painful. These points are the Shu and Mu points for HT and PC (see section (a) under MASTER POINTS below).

Apart from diagnostic value, Ahshi points have great therapeutic value. They are always treated as part of AP therapy.

So far, it would appear that treatment of tender points (Ahshi, Shu and Mu points) is all that is needed for successful AP therapy. Unfortunately, that is not sufficient. Point tenderness does not always occur in clinical disease. In the absence of point tenderness, the therapist can not begin to use the AP system unless he/she knows the position and uses of the codified AP points.

b. Codified AP points

There are over 1000 codified AP points. Apart from the 361 classical Channel Points, there are over 639 other points described in this century, mainly outside the Channels. These are the "New", "Strange", "Hand", "Ear", "Foot", "Scalp", "Face", "Nose", "Red Doctor Zone" points etc.

Each point has a Chinese name and an alpha-numeric code (e.g. ST36 is the 36th point on the ST Channel). The Chinese name describes its function, location or other detail of use to those who know the language, for example Tsu San Li (ST36) translates as Foot Three Li (3 Li = 1 mile), a point for tired legs and also 3 TSUN below the patella; Fei Shu (BL13) is the reflex point for Lung; Hsin Shu (BL15) is the reflex point for the Heart etc). As few westerners know Chinese, much valuable "automatic information" is hidden from them by not knowing what the point name means. They must learn the points the hard way- by alphanumeric code and functions, as most texts do not translate the point name for western readers.

Each AP point is described anatomically, in relation to easily visible or palpable body landmarks; joints, tendons, body creases, intercostal spaces, vertebrae, umbilicus, xiphoid, nipples, mouth, ear, eye etc. Some of the better texts also describe the location of the point in relation to nearby blood vessels and nerves.