The meridian system is a phrase that comes up often during acupuncture treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that energy (also referred to as qi) flows throughout the body much like blood does. When this flow of energy becomes disrupted, symptoms and disease can occur. Acupuncture and other forms of Eastern medicine work to restore the flow of energy throughout the body using the meridian system.

Meridians are channels that direct the flow of energy through specific pathways of the body. Think of it like a superhighway the energy in your body uses to move about your organ systems. Picture a body divided in half from top to bottom. Each side of the body is traversed by six meridians: three yin and three yang. Here are the 12 major meridians of the body and the function they perform.

Each meridian is assigned to what could be called a circuit, called an element. There are five elements: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal. Here are how those five elements work in the meridian system:

• Fire: Heart and small intestine meridian, circulation and three-fold warming meridian.
• Earth: Stomach and spleen meridian.
• Metal: Lung and colon meridian.
• Water: Kidney and bladder meridian.
• Wood: Liver and gallbladder meridian.

Lung (Arm Tai Yin, Metal Element): Regulates respiration and the intake of energy. 

Large Intestine (Arm Yang Ming, Metal Element): Extracts and processes water from waste material before expelling it from the body. 

Stomach (Leg Yang Ming, Earth Element): Digests and extracts energy from food and then distributes that energy through to the spleen and intestines.

Spleen (Leg Tai Yin, Earth Element): Distributes nutrients throughout the body, maintains muscle tone and regulates blood flow.

Heart (Arm Shao Yin, Fire Element): Circulates blood to all the organs in the body.

Small Intestine (Arm Tai Yang, Fire Element): Distributes nutrients throughout the body.

Bladder (Leg Tai Yang, Water Element): Removes liquid waste from the body.

Kidney (Leg Shao Yin, Water Element): Stores sexual energy, regulates the reproductive system, and produces blood and bone marrow.

Pericardium (Arm Jue Yin, Fire Element): The pericardium is an important part of the body and is the area that surrounds the heart, protecting it and removing excess energy. This meridian channel disperses energy throughout the body, thus preventing the heart from receiving too much energy.

Triple Warmer (Arm Shao Yang, Fire Element): Also called San Jiao, it controls the body and is not just responsible for a particular organ system. It helps to control metabolism and regulates heat, moisture, and body temperature.

Gallbladder (Leg Shao Yang, Wood Element): Stores and expels bile produced by the liver.

Liver (Leg Jue Yin, Wood Element): Circulates energy, regulates menstruation and the female reproductive system. It also maintains flexibility of the tendons and ligaments.

At your first visit, I will conduct a thorough health history and determine the best treatment options to get your qi balanced and flowing properly. I will also discuss your daily routine and habits and provide recommendations for your diet and exercise routine, as well as your acupuncture treatment options. 

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine look at the whole body and will work with you to get every system back to its optimal performance by addressing the root cause and not just your symptoms. If you are looking for a holistic and natural drug-free alternative to your health care, make an appointment today.

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If you are just beginning to look into acupuncture, you will be exposed to language you probably aren’t familiar with. One of the first phrases you might come across is the term “meridian.” Meridians are defined as the invisible channels through which qi (or energy) circulates throughout the body. The acupuncture points are the locations where the qi of the channels rises close to the surface of the body. 

What acupuncture seeks to do is restore the balance of energy and the appropriate energy flow to these meridians which allows the body to function normally and return to health more naturally. Meridians exist in corresponding pairs and each meridian has multiple acupuncture points along the channels.

In total, it is generally understood that there are fourteen main meridians throughout the body. There is a meridian that runs up the center of the body on the front and another that runs along the spine. The other 12 meridians run from head to toe along the rest of the body. Each limb is traversed by six channels, three yin and three yang in nature. Yin channels are located on the inside surfaces and the yang channels are located on the outside surfaces. Each yin organ (lung, heart, kidney, liver, spleen) is paired with its corresponding yang organ (large intestine, stomach, small intestine, bladder, and gallbladder). In order for the body to function properly, there must be balance between the yin and yang. 

Now that we have defined “qi” as energy and the meridians as essentially the highway on which qi travels, what is this concept of yin and yang in acupuncture? There is a basic understanding in Western culture as to the meaning of yin and yang but the give and take of yin and yang in the human body is not as easily understood. This concept is actually a cornerstone in traditional acupuncture and Chinese medicine. In a nutshell, it is believed that every entity in the universe carries both positive and negative influences. The negative is defined as yin and the positive as yang. Yin and yang are never static and always fluctuating. The yin/yang symbol provides a visual example of the balancing act that goes on constantly in our bodies.

When an acupuncture needle is placed to stimulate a certain acupuncture point along the meridian, this helps to restore the normal balance and flow of qi (or energy) so your organs and bodily systems can work together in harmony as intended. This sets the stage for the body to repair itself and maintain overall health and wellness. The goal is typically threefold: relieve any pain or other symptoms, strengthen the immune system, and balance the organ functions with each other for optimum health.

As an acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese medicine, don’t be afraid to ask me any questions if you don’t fully understand some of the terminology. The more you know about this ancient form of medicine, the better you’ll understand how it can impact your health for the better. Give me a call today if you are interested in giving acupuncture a try or have more questions about how acupuncture can benefit you and your health care goals.

The post Acupuncture Meridians and Qi Explained appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a system that seems quite foreign to many in the Western world. However, this medical system has been around for over 3,500 years, in comparison to the Western medical system, which has been around since the 19^th century. One of the concepts of TCM is that of the meridian or energetic pathways. This article will explore this concept a little more deeply.

What is a meridian? This is something that every acupuncture student asks when they begin their training. The simplest definition is that a meridian is an energetic highway in the human body. Meridians allow for the flow of energy, known as Qi (pronounced “chee”), to circulate throughout the body. Meridians exist in corresponding pairs and each meridian has multiple acupuncture points along the pathway. While it is tempting to think of meridians in the body the same way we think of the circulatory system, this would be incorrect. According to TCM, the meridian pathways are responsible for the “distribution” of the substances throughout the body, but physically, meridians have yet to be identified. Therefore, it is more logical to view the meridian system as an energetic distribution network.

All together there are fourteen main meridians throughout the body. One that runs up the center of the body on the front, another that runs along the spine and the other 12 run from head to toe along the rest of the body. Each limb is traversed by six channels, three that are considered yin in nature and three that are considered yang in nature.  Yin channels are located on the inside surfaces and the yang channels are located on the outside surfaces. Each meridian is a yin yang pair, meaning that each yin organ (lung, heart, kidney, liver, spleen) is paired with its corresponding yang organ (large intestine, stomach, small intestine, bladder, gallbladder). In every living thing, there is yin and yang. Yin corresponds to water, darkness and cold, while yang corresponds to fire, daylight and heat. For the body to function properly, there must be balance between the yin and yang.

In addition to the main meridians, there are other meridians called “Extraordinary” meridians that are not associated with the major organ systems. These meridians have very specific functions.  They act as reservoirs for Qi and blood. They circulate “substances” around the body, as they have a strong connection to the kidneys. They help circulate Wei Qi, which acts as the immune system. And they provide connections between the 12 regular channels.        

When the Qi flows freely, the body remains healthy. However, due to outside causes like stress, the body’s meridians can become clogged or stagnant. When a blockage occurs along the meridians, illness can take hold.

Acupuncture is a wonderful way to unclog the meridians. Acupuncture points, herbal formulas, exercise and proper dietary habits all work in conjunction to keep the body aligned and functioning properly. To learn more, give us a call, we’d love to help!

The post Traveling the Energetic Highway: What Are Meridians? appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.