The Practical Application of Meridian Style Acupuncture

Rating:
Summary: A ?must have? for practitioners meridian acupuncture
Review: As the name implies, meridian based acupuncture places a prime importance on the meridian system in both the diagnosis and treatment of disease and dysfunction in the body. It is often called classical acupuncture because its theory is based on ancient classical texts like the "Ling Shu", the "Su Wen" and the "Nan Jing."

Meridian based acupuncture contrasts with the herbalized form of acupuncture taught in most TCM schools in the USA today. Where herbalized acupuncture has strict anatomical location of acupuncture points and assigns functions to points based on the "Eight Principles" like clearing, harmonizing, tonifying and reducing in order to effect the Zang-Fu, meridian based acupuncture stresses palpation to locate points and ascribes two functions to points... tonifying deficiency and reducing excess.

Until recently information on classical meridian based acupuncture was only available in workshops from practitioners like Miki Shima, Kiiko Matsumoto, Jefferey Yuen, Mark Seem and others. A few books on the Japanese style of meridian based acupuncture are available ("Introduction to Meridian Therapy, Denmei and Brown") and Mark Seem's books are based on meridian acupuncture ("A New American Acupuncture".)

Just as the body is viewed as a series of energetic zones and levels in meridian style acupuncture, Pirog designed his book in five sections leading step by step to a deeper understanding and application of Meridian Style acupuncture.

Pirog begins on a superficial level by laying out the basics of Meridian Style acupuncture: (1) finding and needling locally tender ahshi points, (2) determining the meridian(s) involved and (3) needling key distal points of the involved or energetically related meridian.

From here Pirog moves to a deeper understanding of the body's meridian complex, including the importance of secondary vessels in diagnosis and treatment. Pirog devotes a large part of the book to a discussion of the energetic function and therapeutic use of the classical groupings of acupuncture points: Luo-connecting, Xi-cleft, the Five-Shu transporting points, etc.

Where a standard TCM textbook makes a simple statement like "The He-sea points are used to treat the Fu organs", Pirog uses references from the Nan Jing and discussions of the Chinese characters to bring the energetics of the point to life. For instance, the character "He" translates as "uniting" or "connecting" giving the point the energetic function of connecting the meridian to the inner body with the ability to drain energy from the meridian into the body, hence its ability to treat the internal Fu organs. But the point has additional important functions. It can also draw excess energy from the inner body. It "connects" the distal and proximal segments of the meridian allowing the point to harmonize the meridian especially in cases of pain in the Yang meridians. Finally, because the He-sea points connect the "river" of the meridian to the "sea" of the body they may be used to treat systemic conditions. This explains why the He-sea point, LI-11, is often seen in point prescriptions for skin conditions.

Pirog also presents treatment plans for musculoskeletal pain and deficiency patterns, two commonly seen complaints in clinical practice. Using the teachings of Ngueyen Van Nghi as his basis, Pirog lays out a sophisticated method for determining the energetic location and depth of a disorder and treating it accordingly. Variations to the basic treatments include the use of Luo and Extraordinary Vessels, treating musculoskeletal pain caused by underlying organ pathology and treating systemic pain conditions for the patient who "hurts everywhere."

The book uses ample tables and illustrations and each section is cross referenced making the book very useful for the studious scholar as well as the busy clinician. It is a "must have" for any practitioner who has been to a meridian acupuncture workshop and wished there was a textbook available.

Rating:
Summary: A ¿must have¿ for practitioners meridian acupuncture
Review: As the name implies, meridian based acupuncture places a prime importance on the meridian system in both the diagnosis and treatment of disease and dysfunction in the body. It is often called classical acupuncture because its theory is based on ancient classical texts like the "Ling Shu", the "Su Wen" and the "Nan Jing."

Meridian based acupuncture contrasts with the herbalized form of acupuncture taught in most TCM schools in the USA today. Where herbalized acupuncture has strict anatomical location of acupuncture points and assigns functions to points based on the "Eight Principles" like clearing, harmonizing, tonifying and reducing in order to effect the Zang-Fu, meridian based acupuncture stresses palpation to locate points and ascribes two functions to points... tonifying deficiency and reducing excess.

Until recently information on classical meridian based acupuncture was only available in workshops from practitioners like Miki Shima, Kiiko Matsumoto, Jefferey Yuen, Mark Seem and others. A few books on the Japanese style of meridian based acupuncture are available ("Introduction to Meridian Therapy, Denmei and Brown") and Mark Seem's books are based on meridian acupuncture ("A New American Acupuncture".)

Just as the body is viewed as a series of energetic zones and levels in meridian style acupuncture, Pirog designed his book in five sections leading step by step to a deeper understanding and application of Meridian Style acupuncture.

Pirog begins on a superficial level by laying out the basics of Meridian Style acupuncture: (1) finding and needling locally tender ahshi points, (2) determining the meridian(s) involved and (3) needling key distal points of the involved or energetically related meridian.

From here Pirog moves to a deeper understanding of the body's meridian complex, including the importance of secondary vessels in diagnosis and treatment. Pirog devotes a large part of the book to a discussion of the energetic function and therapeutic use of the classical groupings of acupuncture points: Luo-connecting, Xi-cleft, the Five-Shu transporting points, etc.

Where a standard TCM textbook makes a simple statement like "The He-sea points are used to treat the Fu organs", Pirog uses references from the Nan Jing and discussions of the Chinese characters to bring the energetics of the point to life. For instance, the character "He" translates as "uniting" or "connecting" giving the point the energetic function of connecting the meridian to the inner body with the ability to drain energy from the meridian into the body, hence its ability to treat the internal Fu organs. But the point has additional important functions. It can also draw excess energy from the inner body. It "connects" the distal and proximal segments of the meridian allowing the point to harmonize the meridian especially in cases of pain in the Yang meridians. Finally, because the He-sea points connect the "river" of the meridian to the "sea" of the body they may be used to treat systemic conditions. This explains why the He-sea point, LI-11, is often seen in point prescriptions for skin conditions.

Pirog also presents treatment plans for musculoskeletal pain and deficiency patterns, two commonly seen complaints in clinical practice. Using the teachings of Ngueyen Van Nghi as his basis, Pirog lays out a sophisticated method for determining the energetic location and depth of a disorder and treating it accordingly. Variations to the basic treatments include the use of Luo and Extraordinary Vessels, treating musculoskeletal pain caused by underlying organ pathology and treating systemic pain conditions for the patient who "hurts everywhere."

The book uses ample tables and illustrations and each section is cross referenced making the book very useful for the studious scholar as well as the busy clinician. It is a "must have" for any practitioner who has been to a meridian acupuncture workshop and wished there was a textbook available.