Acupuncture and Meridians
Meridians are passages through which the qi (vital energy) flow. Meridians and their branches, are distributed over the entire body surface.
The twelve regular meridians pertain to the respective Zang-Fu organs.
The twelve regular meridians are the following:
Lung, large intestine, stomach, spleen, heart, small intestine, urinary bladder, kidney, pericardium, sanjiao, gallbladder and liver.
The Qi (vital energy) and blood circulate in the meridians in a definite order starting from the Lung channel, following to other channels in an arranged pattern, completing a cycle when the Liver channels is reached and then flowing again to the Lung channel to start another cycle.
Each of the fourteen meridians on the body surface has its own course. The twelve regular meridians are distributed symmetrically on the right and left sides of the body. Among them, the three yin meridians of the hand run from the chest to the hand, the three yang meridians of hand from the hand to the head, the three yang meridians of foot from the head to the foot and the three yin channels of foot from the foot to the chest.
As each of the meridians takes its course in a definite part of the body and each of the twelve regular meridians pertains to and connects with a particular zang or a particular fu organ, the symptoms and signs manifest in a disease together the area where they appear can serve as a guide to clinical diagnosis. The theory of meridians and meridians is extremely useful as a guide to treatment of diseases in acupuncture and moxibustion and laser acupuncture. In acupuncture, moxbustion and laser acupuncture therapy, the affected meridians or zang-fu organs are first detected. Acupuncture points are then selected from the local area or form the corresponding meridians in distant areas.