1、1Ancient Theories of Pathology (Part )Meridians and Collaterals More than 2,000 years ago the Chinese people had discov-ered and studied the main and collateral channels.Accordingto The Yellow Emperors Canon of Internal Medicine,the earliestTCM book,which was written during the Spring and AutumnPeri
2、od (770-476 B.C.): “The meridians determine a persons lifeand death,health and disease.“ Meridians and collaterals are thechannels through which a humans qi (vital energy) and bloodcirculate.They link the vital organs of the human body and forma system that controls and regulates the physiological f
3、unctionsof the body.The main channels are called meridians,and thebranches are called collaterals.They form a crisscross networkthat links the whole body into an organic entirety. The Network of Main and Collateral Channels The network of main and collateral channels consists ofmeridians,collaterals
4、,the 12 muscle regions,and the 12 der-2mal parts.The meridians divide into 12 regular meridians,theirbranches,and eight extra meridians.The 12 regular meridiansare Jinked to 12 internal organs and are the main channelsthrough which qi and blood circulate.The extra meridians linkand regulate the 12 r
5、egular meridians.The branches of the 12regular meridians go deep into the internal organs,strengtheningthe inks between the yin and the yang meridians,and make upany inadequacy where the regular meridians cannot reach. The collaterals are divided into connecting collaterals,su-perficial collaterals
6、and minute collaterals (tiny branches of thechannels in the body,internal organs and body surface).Thereare 15 connecting collaterals.The muscle regions and dermalparts have channels linked to the 12 regular meridians. The Functions of Meridians and Collaterals () The meridians and collaterals carry
7、 qi and blood to variousparts of the body,so that various organs can get nutrition,themuscles and bones are harmonized,and the joints are lubricated.Their basic functions are to circulate qi,blood 3and nutrition. The Functions of Meridians and Collaterals () The meridians and collaterals can also re
8、sist exogenouspathogenic factors and protect the organism.The qi that circu-lates outside the channels is called weiqi (defending qi).Whenexogenous pathogenic factors invade the body,they generallystart from the surface.Since the dermal parts are full of weiqi,exogenous pathogenic factors are warded
9、 off. observe the Surface VenuIes Since meridians and collaterals have fixed paths and arelinked to specific organs,in clinical practice physicians diagnosebased on observing pathogenic changes on the bodys surface,to determine the location of the disease and prescribe correcttreatment. Classificati
10、on of Acupoints 4Acupoints are in three categories: Jing (River) Points,ExtraPoints and A Shi Points.Jing Points refer to acupoints along the12 regular meridians,plus acupoints along the Ren and Du chan- nels.Extra Points refer to acupoints that have a fixed location andname but are not included in
11、theJing Points.A Shi Points refer toacupoints with no fixed location and name but selected by elicit-ing tenderness or pain at the site of sensitivity. Immediate Curative Functions of Acupoints It is a common characteristic that the application of acupunc-ture,moxibustion or massage therapy on a par
12、ticular acupointcan have curative functions on the point and its vicinity. Meridians/Collaterals andAcupuncture/Moxibustion The theory of meridians and collaterals is the foundation ofTCM therapies such as acupuncture,moxibustion and massage.Since meridians and collaterals are linked to internal org
13、ans andlimbs,in clinical practice acupoints are chosen 5according to thecharacteristics of meridians and collaterals. Acupoints Acupoints are small pools of the circulating qi and bloodof channels and viscera where acupuncture or moxibustion isapplied.Their functi.on is to store,transfer and link up
14、 the qiactivity inside and outside the human body.Far-reaching Curative Functions of Acupoints The far-reaching curative functions mean that the use of acu-puncture,moxibustion or massage on a Jing Point,especially aJing Point on the four limbs below the elbows or knees,can treatnot only localized ailments,but also pathogenic factors along themeridians,or even disease of the whole body.This is a basic lawof the ling Points.
