Meridians and acupoints with opposite locations / 中国针灸

ABSTRACT

A new combination of acupoints with opposite locations in clinic was proposed according to the running course of meridians and the relation between meridians and acupoints in order to enrich the theory of acupuncture-moxibustion and enhance the therapeutic effect. Points with opposite location refers to bigeminal acupoints locates at the medial and lateral aspects of the limbs or at the anterior or posterior aspects of the trunk, such as Neiguan (PC 6) and Waiguan (TE 5), Quchi (LI 11) and Shaohai (HT 3) as well as Yinlingquan (SP 9) and Yanglingquan (GB 34). Those pairs of points locate respectively at yin meridians and yang meridians with opposite locations or at meridians interiorly and exteriorly related with each other. The application of the combination and the therapeutic effects can be found both in ancient and modern time. Its theoretical foundation rests with the theory of yin-yang and meridians, which takes yin-yang as the core. The characteristics of the combination are as the follows firstly, it can regulate yin and yang, qi and blood at the same time. Secondly, yin and yang can influence each other; it is easy to locate the other point when one of the pair is located, and it is easy to manipulate by needling two points oppositely at the same time or doing through-and-through needling. The technique is also known with its selection of less point but better effect.