The topography of acupuncture points and their connection with organs

There is a number of special manuals and atlases describing a person’s acupuncture system (V.G. Vogralik, M.V. Vogralik, 1988; G. Luvsan, 1986; F. Kramer, 1992; N.L. Lupichev, 1990; D.M. Tabeeva, 1982; R. Voll, 1993 and others). These works contain a detailed description of topography and functional connections of organism with hundreds of BAP, and also the methods of therapeutic influence of them. In different works the quantity of described points varies from 800 to 900.

The description of some BAP is given in the present paragraph in appendix 1.

Most points are united into the so-called meridians (of lungs, heart, stomach, liver and others). There are 16 meridians. Measuring the points included in each meridian, you can diagnose not only an appropriate organ as a whole, but also its components. In concerns both the morphology and functioning of the given organ.

Each meridian has a summary point reflecting the state of appropriate organ or a system as a whole. For example, the summary point of stomach meridian – LI-DUY – reflects the state of stomach in general. It is situated 3mm from the outward edge of the second toe-nail. On the foot there is a summary point of cholic bubble meridian Tzu-Tsao-In which reflects the state of a cholic bubble and ducts. It is placed 3mm outside the fourth toe-nail.

Some summary points are situated on a hand. For example, the summary point of lungs meridian Shao-Shan. It reflects the state of a respiratory system in general. It is placed 3mm to the radial side from the thumb-nail to the internal side.

The number of summary points is not very big and it’s much less than the number of functionally more localized points of meridians.

Such points are more responsible for the constituents of organs and that’s why they are called organ points. A lot of them are situated on the hand and foot. The Following points are on the hand: the point Chzhun-chun is placed on the tip of middle finger phalanx, 3mm from the nail. It is responsible for heart diseases.

The point Tzu-Tsao-In (Tsao-In) is situated 3mm to the outward side of fourth finger nail. Diseases: dyspepsia, tonsillitis, pharyngitis.

The point Shao-Chun is placed 3mm to the radial side of little finger nail. Heart diseases, dyspnea, stethalgias, violation of cerebral blood supply. The point Shao-Tze is placed 3mm to the ulnar side from the little fingernail. Tonsillitis, glossitis, tussis with a sputum, heart diseases, etc.

Control measuring points (CIP). It is essential that the plead of BAP which are the components of this or that meridian is interconnected not only with a single organ, but with other organs as well. For example, the points of liver meridian are, expert for the liver, interconnected with the points of lungs meridian.

The indicator of a whole meridian’s state, i.e. the indicator of a group of organs (systems) connected with this meridian is the point CIP (from Latin CIP). The diagnostics of these points is especially important while examining the state of a patient.

The pathology that is revealed when you measure this or that point of the meridian (channel) is also reflected in CIP. On the other hand the deviation of CIP from its normal state informs that there is pathology of some BAP on a corresponding channel and it is necessary to investigate the whole channel. If CIP and the summary point of the channel are in normal state, there is no necessity to investigate all the BAP of the given meridian. But in this case it would be reasonable to check all the important points of the channel.

In total there are 20 CIP, which are placed on hands and feet.

Systematization of BAP.

Due to the meridians the Following groups of points can be singled out:

1) control measuring points (CIP) signaling about the meridian as a whole, about the group of organs (systems) connected with this meridian;

2) summary points signaling about the part of meridian which is connected with a separate organ;

3) organ points connected with a part of the organ;

4) the points of serous shells – one on each meridian;

5) vegetative points of nervous system. Usually each meridian has one vegetative point. But there may be extra organ vegetative points, which are connected with the corresponding nervous plexuses regulating the given organ.

6)  The points of lymphatic drain – one on each meridian.

There are also some meridian points that are used only for the therapy.

A detailed description of points referring to different groups is given in the literature recommended above. The systematization of BAP optimizes the process of their study and remembering.

It is necessary to diagnose not only the points but also mutual relations between them. For example, if the organ point that is in charge of the prostate state shows hypofunction on the meridian of urinary bubble and if it shows hyperfunction on the meridian of connective tissue degeneration, it means that there may be an adenoma of prostate, etc.

The main feature of most BAP is that they carry the information not only about the state of this or that organ, but also show the ways of correcting (therapeutic) influence on this organ. For this reason acupuncture therapy is widely spread alongside acupuncture diagnostics.