How Acupuncture Works

Posted on October 7, 2013 by John & Barbara Connor
by John G. Connor, M.Ac., L.Ac. edited by Barbara Connor, M.Ac., L.Ac.

Chinese Medicine is based on a functional system comprised of the theories of Yin and Yang, Five Elements, Zang Fu, Meridians, Spirit, Qi, Blood, Body Fluids, Five Emotions, Six Exogenous Pathogenic Factors, etc. The five Zang organs are the lung, heart, spleen, liver and kidney; and the six Fu organs are the large intestine, small intestine, stomach, gallbladder, urinary bladder and triple burner. The acupuncturist characterizes the functional disturbances of the Zang-Fu organs with the help of eight diagnostic criteria, namely: Yin and Yang, Interior and Exterior, Deficiency and Excess, Cold and Heat.

How does acupuncture work? When a needle is inserted into an acupuncture point you will usually feel a sensation of warmth, slight numbness, heaviness or mild achiness at the point of insertion. This is known as obtaining the Qi. According to Chinese medicine Qi is the vital energy which flows through a system of channels called meridians and regulates the bodily functions. All the vital activities of the human body are explained by changes and movement of Qi. The activities of the Zang Fu organs, maintaining the normal temperature and defensive systems of the body all depend on the promoting and stimulating effect of Qi.

The meridians are the transmission lines among the various parts of the body, making the organism a unified whole. The meridians and their tributaries provide Qi and Blood and thus warmth and nourishment for the whole body and also serve as lines of communication among the organs and the body. They adjust the ebb and flow of Qi in the body and help maintain a balance of yin and yang, blood and Qi and defense and construction.

What happens in disease? In disease, exogenous pathogens, such as wind, cold, dampness, heat, dryness or fire, invade the body through the exterior and penetrate into the interior via the meridians in turn, affecting the organs. Organ pathologies, such as Liver Wind, may spread to other parts of the body through the channels. Through channel transference, disease in the organs may also be reflected in areas of palpatory tenderness, swellings, indentations, nodules and red areas on the skin.

There can be many disharmonies involving Qi. We speak of deficient Qi, stagnant Qi, collapse of Qi and rebellious Qi. The following metaphor is very helpful in understanding how acupuncture can affect Qi flowing through the meridians. Imagine the flow of Qi to be like water flowing in a stream. Just as the flow of water can be affected by an obstruction in the stream so can the flow of Qi be obstructed in the meridians. Qi in meridians can be blocked by becoming stagnant, by being obstructed by dampness, phlegm, cold, etc. When a stream is blocked by debris it floods upstream from the debris and becomes dry downstream from it. If one clears the debris away the water in the stream can resume its normal and natural flow. In a like manner, if the Qi in a meridian is blocked the body suffers disharmony. And if the blockage from the flow of Qi within a meridian is removed, the natural flow is restored and the part of the body affected by the blockage regains its natural harmony and state of balance.

How can this flow be restored by acupuncture? Imagine making a small hole in the pile of debris which is blocking the stream. It will often clear the entire stream path, because the force of the water gushing through the hole will widen continuously until eventually all the debris is washed away and the normal course of the stream is restored. Similarly by inserting a needle into an acupoint of the blocked meridian it will have a similar effect. And just as a stream may have certain points more easily accessed or more easily blocked, the meridians have certain points which, when needled, will have a significant impact on the flow pattern. In this way by needling acupuncture points it is possible to exert a direct therapeutic effect on the channels and organs, and thus in turn on bodily functions. (2)

It is theorized that the meridian system lies in the superficial fascia of the connective tissue just a few millimeters below the surface of the skin, and the Qi circulating within these channels is in fact the bioelectric energies associated with the connective tissue structures of the fascia. When a needle is inserted into a point it creates electrical potential changes. The generation of these small electrical currents from needle insertion results from the interaction of the needle with the interstitial fluids that bathe and nourish the connective tissue fibers. The fluids which surround the fibers contain a vast array of chemicals, ionically charged particles, molecules and atoms. (5)

WESTERN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Research has shown that acupuncture increases the microcirculation and vasomotion throughout the body which in turn increases oxygenation of the tissues which will help flush toxins, waste products, and other accumulated particles and chemicals from the tissues improving their overall function. Therefore, the small electrical currents generated by the insertion of a needle into the fascia or connective tissues can indeed have beneficial effects. And because of the nature of the connective tissues, it is quite plausible that these effects could occur both locally at the site of needle insertion or at a distance from the acupoint. (8)

According to one scientific study on pain relief induced by acupuncture it was concluded that acupuncture works by stimulating nerve fibers in the muscles, which send impulses to the spinal cord, midbrain and hypothalamus-pituitary. These centers in turn release endorphins and monamines which block the pain impulses. (8)

While it cannot be said that an exact mechanism, or a precise Western description of acupuncture function has been discovered, it can be said that many phenomena that could play a part in such a definitive description have been demonstrated. Western science is beginning to accept that needling of a specific point does direct a stimulus to certain responsive parts of the nervous system setting off a biochemical cascade which enhances healing. Many of the ideas in the classical Chinese texts may be justified by Western theories and methods.

Bruce Pomeranz at the University of Toronto has written a very nice summary of current research on how acupuncture analgesia works in an article entitled “Acupuncture Analgesia – Basic Research” (9).  He says that acupuncture stimulates nerve fibers in the muscle which send impulses to the spinal cord and activate the spinal cord, midbrain and hypothalamus/pituitary to cause analgesia.  The spinal site uses enkephalin and dynorphin to block incoming messages.  The midbrain uses enkephalin to activate the raphe descending system which inhibits spinal cord pain transmission.  And at the hypothalamus/pituitary center the pituitary releases β-endorphin into the blood and cerebrospinal fluid to cause analgesia at a distance.

Pomeranz found that when needles are placed close to the site of pain or in the tender (trigger or Ah Shi) points, they are maximizing the segmental circuits operating within the spinal cord (cell 7) while also bringing in other cells in the other two centers (cells 11 and 14).  Whereas he observed that when needles are placed far away from the site of pain they only activate cells 11 and 14.   Cells 11 and 14 produce analgesia throughout the body, while cell 7 produces analgesia only locally.

According to Pomeranz, Melzack et al have found that 71% of acupuncture points coincide with trigger points.  This suggests that needles activate the sensory nerves which arise in muscles.  When sites are tender they are known as Ah Shi points in TCM, and needling them is recommended.  Trigger points can often be found outside muscle bellies, in skin, scars, tendons, joint capsules, ligaments and periosteum.  Travell stresses the importance of precise needling of trigger points, as missing the tense knotted muscle fiber could aggravate the problem by causing spasms.
How does acupuncture compare with conventional Western medicine in the treatment of pain? Acupuncture has been shown to be very effective in treating chronic pain, helping in 55% to 85% of the cases. This compares favorably with the effects of morphine which helps in 70% of the cases. However, acupuncture has the distinct advantage of having very few side effects in comparison with drugs.

For more information on the results of scientific studies on the health benefits of acupuncture please read our article entitled Research on the Health Benefits of Acupuncture.

THE MORPHOGENETIC SINGULARITY THEORY ON THE ORIGIN OF ACUPUNCTURE POINTS AND MERIDIANS

There is a very interesting theory proposed by Charles Shang of the Emory University School of Medicine on the relationship between the meridian system and embryogenesis. (7, 9)  He states that the “gap junction embryonic epithelial signal transduction model” in the mid-1980s proposed that the meridian system contains relatively under differentiated epithelial cells connected by gap junctions which transduce signals and play a central role in mediating acupuncture effects.

Shang explains that the morphogenetic singularity theory published in the late 1980s applied the singularity theory of mathematics to explain the origin, distribution and nonspecific activation phenomena of the meridian system.  In development, the fate of a larger region is frequently controlled by a small group of cells which is termed an organizing center.  Organizing centers are the high electric conductance points on the body surface.  The high conductance phenomenon is further supported by the finding of high density of gap junctions at the sites of organizing centers.  Both acupuncture points and organizing centers have high electric conductance, current density, high density of gap junction, and can be activated by nonspecific stimuli.  Acupuncture points, which also have high electrical conductance and high density of gap junctions originate from organizing centers.

Shang concludes that based on the morphogenetic singularity theory, the meridian system originates from a network of organizing centers and the evolutionary origin of the meridian system is likely to have preceded all the other physiological systems, including the nervous, circulatory, and immune systems.  Its genetic blueprint might have served as a template from which the newer systems evolved.  Consequently it overlaps and interacts with other systems but is not simply part of them.

THE BALANCING EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE

A study done by Alavi et al (1996) and reviewed by Z. H Cho et al (9) in their article entitled “Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain in the Investigation of Acupuncture” four of the five patients in the study had a marked left/right asymmetry in blood flow in the thalamus prior to acupuncture treatment.  (The thalamus is, a major site in the neural integration of pain sensation.)  Following the acupuncture treatment in which all five of the patients reported pain relief, it was observed that the left/right asymmetry was greatly reduced.  (Control subjects showed no blood flow asymmetries either before or after acupuncture.)

Hammerschlag and Lao (9) review two separate studies by Nishijo et al (1997) and Tayama (1984) in an article entitled “Future Directions for Research on the Physiology of Acupuncture”.  They observe that when one looks at these trials from the point of view of the individual  it becomes apparent that those individuals whose pretreatment heart rates were in the lowest third of the normal test group had their rates increased by acupuncture, whereas those with initial values in the highest third experienced a decrease.

They go on to note that indications of the normalizing or balancing effect of acupoint stimulation have also been detected in immune system responses.  They cite the case in which the levels of IgA (the main class of salivary immunoglobulins) increased after 30 minutes of acupuncture and at 24 hours post-treatment in healthy individuals whose initial levels were low and decreased in those whose initial levels were high.
Ultimately we may find that acupuncture acts as an elegant bridge between the various physical sciences and energetic medicine.  As Hammerschlag and Lao so eloquently state: “It may also become clearer that acupuncture triggers homeostatic regulation by acting on an integrative system that is separate from but interfaces with the known autonomic and humoral systems.”

THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN PATIENT AND PRACTITIONER

The processes whereby the acupuncturist arrives at the information on which he bases his diagnosis consists of visual observation (including looking at the tongue), listening and smelling, palpation (including pulse and abdomen) and questioning. The most crucial part of the treatment is to make the correct diagnosis. Palpation of areas of the body, of the meridians, and of the acupoints is useful because it provides clues to the patient’s condition including the condition of the meridians and organs.

In contrast to obtaining the Qi, which is felt by the patient, the arrival of Qi is something that the practitioner feels. So even if the patient feels no needle sensation, as long as the practitioner feels it, the treatment will be effective. The arrival of Qi is felt as a pulsation or sensation of warmth in the thumb or fingers of the practitioner. The feeling of the arrival of Qi is similar to what might be felt if you are holding a fishing pole at the moment when a fish starts pulling the fishing line away from you. You feel a sort of grabbing or pulling sensation in your fingers. But if the Qi has not yet arrived, the needle will move freely back and forth as if it were in a piece of tofu, and you will not feel any pull or grabbing sensation in your fingers. (1)

Acupuncture is also a very useful form of preventive care. For example, by employing the palpatory technique of eliciting pressure pain in one’s diagnostic protocol one can treat problems before they develop into diseases or syndromes. Both Western and Eastern concepts of disease imply a certain pathology with measurable or definable parameters, e.g., the disease of pneumonia or the syndrome of Lung Qi Deficiency. However, because pressure pain elicited by palpation does not always reflect any obvious known disease or syndrome it can serve as a useful sign that there is an underlying imbalance that, although not revealing any symptoms yet, if treated will prevent the condition from progressing further. Disorder, imbalance or disease can be present in a person for some time before becoming obvious, and Western medicine has yet to reach that point whereby it can identify and treat such disorders at an early stage.

Part of being a good acupuncturist is to be able to see the bigger picture. And many times diseases result from a lack of awareness of the primacy of the needs of one’s higher self over the lower self. Many times disease is an indicator helping us to took at an underlying emotion or thought pattern and encouraging us to progress into a more positive or higher intuition of ourselves. Once we recognize this and begin working towards our positive reality the problem begins to resolve itself and real healing takes place. The practitioner acts as a facilitator towards the recognition of the higher self. So this dis-ease in which we find ourselves becomes a real ally in our journey towards our own reality.

The dynamics between the practitioner and the patient, the practitioner’s recognition of energetic flows in each body, as well as his or her intention, palpatory and needling skills are ail important factors that determine the success or failure of an acupuncture treatment. There are as many styles of acupuncture treatments as there are practitioners.

It is one’s innate healing potential that cures disease. Acupuncture is simply a means to assist the body in activating one’s own innate healing potential. We talk about being centered or staying focused from the center of our being. In Oriental thought not being centered is the same as being out of balance, and being centered is the same as being in a state of balance or wellness which is the natural function of the body and goal of acupuncture treatment. Health is not simply a composite of quantifiable entities such as chemical levels in the blood and urine. It is ultimately a state of perfect balance – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

REFERENCES

  1. Denmai, Shudo, Japanese Classical Acupuncture, Introduction to Meridian Therapy, Seattle: Eastland Press 1990
  2. Dharmananda, Subhuti, Ph.D., “An Introduction to Acupuncture and how it Works”, Portland, OR: Institute for Traditional Medicine, 1996
  3. Kaptchuk, Ted J., O.M.D., The Web That Has No Weaver, Chicago: Congdon and Weed 1983
  4. Maciocia, Giovanni, The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Edinburgh: Churchill, Livingstone 1989
  5. Matsumoto, Kiiko and Stephen Birch, Hara Diagnosis: Reflections on the Sea, Brookline, MA: Paradigm Publications 1988
  6.  Ross, Jeremy, Acupuncture Point Combinations, Edinburgh: Churchill, Livingstone 1995
  7. Shang, C., “Electrophysiology of growth control and acupuncture” Life Sci. 2001 Feb 9;68(12):1333-42,
  8. Stux, Gabriel, Bruce Pomeranz, Basics of Acupuncture, Berlin: Springer-Verlag 1995
  9. Stux, Gabriel, Richard Hammerschlag (Eds.), Clinical Acupuncture, Scientific Basis, Berlin: Springer-Verlag 2001
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Compassionate Acupuncture and Healing Arts, providing craniosacral acupuncture, herbal and nutritional medicine in Durham, North Carolina. Phone number 919-475-1005.

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What is Craniosacral Acupuncture?

Posted on October 7, 2013 by John & Barbara Connor
by John G. Connor, M.Ac., L.Ac.,  edited by Barbara Connor, M.Ac., L.Ac.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Components of the Craniosacral System
Importance of Fascia
Evaluation and Treatment
Integration of Acupuncture and CranioSacral Energetics
References

INTRODUCTION

Barbara and I first became interested in craniosacral energetics while we were attending acupuncture school in Seattle, Washington. Shortly after graduating, in September 1996, we took the Upledger Institute’s CranioSacral Therapy I course. Since then we have taken over 100 hours of craniosacral acupuncture workshops, studying closely with an experienced and highly skilled craniosacral acupuncturist who was trained by a well-known osteopath acupuncturist, Dan Bensky. Craniosacral energetic work when used in conjunction with acupuncture is an extremely effective tool for treating many conditions. We are constantly amazed at the results we are able to obtain combining these two modalities.

COMPONENTS OF THE CRANIOSACRAL SYSTEM

Craniosacral energetic work uses light-touch and gentle manual techniques to evaluate and treat a wide variety of conditions such as: headaches, sinus problems, sciatica, TMJ, shingles, spinal cord injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, whiplash, sprains, strains, some types of scoliosis, chronic back pain, cerebral palsy in children, chronic middle ear infections, cerebral ischemic episodes, visual disturbances, asthma, edema, fevers, mood disorders, etc. It has the added benefit of being able to restore autonomic nervous system flexibility.

The craniosacral rhythm was first discovered and described by William G. Sutherland, D.O. in the early 1900s. However, it was not until the extensive work of John E. Upledger, D.O. beginning in 1970 that we were able to have what many consider today to be the clearest explanation of the craniosacral system and its rhythm.

Dr. Sutherland maintained that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was the initial recipient of the potency of the Breath of Life — the life force that is considered to be the spark that is the life principle in the human body.  The CSF is considered to be the agent by which this spark is conveyed to all the cells and tissues.  One of the chief aims of craniosacral therapy is to assist the craniosacral system in expressing this healing and ordering principle and to help whatever has become restricted or chaotic to reconnect with this potency.  If the potency of the Breath of Life cannot be expressed then disease and pathology will result.

Cerebrospinal fluid is a highly filtered fluid.  It has a number of vital functions in the human body such as: bathing the structures of the brain and spinal cord and acting as a shock absorbing fluid for the brain and spinal cord.  It is the fluid medium for exchange of messenger molecules, neuroactive polypeptides, throughout the central nervous system.  It is an important medium which carries neuroactive molecules from the central nervous system, the endocrine system and immune system as they communicate with each other and much more.  According to Franklyn Sills in his book Craniosacral Biodynamics recent research has shown that small quantities of cerebrospinal fluid leave the core of the body via dural sleeves, which cover the nerves as they leave the spinal canal and this is an accepted fact in German anatomy texts.

Dr. Upledger describes the craniosacral system as consisting of: 1) the three layered membrane system or meninges, 2) the cerebrospinal fluid and 3) the structures within the meninges which control fluid input and outflow for the system. It extends from the bones of the skull down the spinal dural membrane to the sacrum and coccyx.

The dural membrane is essentially impermeable to the CSF which it holds and therefore this membrane system is a semi-closed hydraulic system. The CSF enters the system by means of choroid plexuses and leaves the system by means of arachnoid villae. Both of these specialized tissue structures are under homeostatic control. Studies have shown that under normal conditions all of the bones of the skull (being moveable and not fused) move rhythmically to accommodate the changing fluid volumes inside of the dura mater membrane system.

The dural membrane boundaries of the craniosacral system are given shape by the fluid pressure within the system and by its more rigid aspects, the cranial bones, to which the membrane is firmly attached within the cranial vault. This allows us to regard the cranial bones functionally as hard places in the dural membrane. The cranial bones are therefore used as indicators in diagnosis and as handles in treatment. It is by virtue of these common bony attachments between the dura and the connective tissues that abnormal dural membrane tension patterns cross the dural boundary to connective tissues outside the system. Conversely, it is via these bony anchorings that connective tissues outside the dural membrane system are able to transmit tensions into the system.

The craniosacral rhythm, according to Dr. Upledger, results from variations in pressure between arterial blood, cerebrospinal fluid and venous blood. He recognized that the formation of CSF is periodic and rhythmical, not continuous. There are normally 6-12 cycles per minute. During the flexion phase, CSF is secreted into the ventricular system of the brain at a significantly more rapid rate than it is reabsorbed back into the venous circulation. Once this expansion reaches a certain threshold stretch receptors in the skull sutures reflexively stop the secretion of CSF. Because the reabsorption of CSF into the venous system is continuous, the pressure decreases and the extension or relaxation phase begins. As the CSF pressure in the ventricles drops, the sutures compress because CSF volume within the craniosacral system is reduced. CSF production is turned on again as a new flexion phase follows the extension phase. In this way the craniosacral rhythm is produced.

Craniosacral motion is a rhythmical motion felt in the whole body in response to the craniosacral system’s rhythm. This motion is probably related to the effect of the fluctuation of the CSF upon the nervous system, which in turn influences the tonus of the body tissues. Trained practitioners are able to palpate the motion of the craniosacral system anywhere on a patient’s body and by monitoring this wavelike motion can determine any restriction or dysfunction in the craniosacral system.

Impairments to this normal physiological motion within the body are called restrictions. They can result from inflammation, adhesions, musculoskeletal dysfunctions and neuroreflexes. The dissipation of a restriction is called a release. A release is sensed as a softening of the obstacle against which the physiological motion was fighting. When a resistance melts there is a palpable relaxation of the tissues.According to Mantak Chia in his book Iron Shirt Chi Kung I (p. 66) “The cranium of the skull has long been regarded by Taoists as a major pump for the circulation of energy from the lower to the higher centers.”

IMPORTANCE OF FASCIA

What role does fascia play in the craniosacral system? Fascia is the slightly mobile, continuous sheath of connective tissue, which invests all of the muscles, bones and organs of the body. It is fascia, which allows for the rhythmical internal and external rotation of the total body in compliance with the flexion and extension activities of the craniosacral system. During the flexion phase the body rotates externally and broadens. During the extension phase the body rotates internally and seems to narrow slightly. Because body fascia is a single system abnormal tension patterns in the fascia may be transmitted from one body part to another.

Any loss of mobility of fascial tissue in a specific area can be used as an aid in the location of the disease process, which has caused that lack of mobility. Probably via the nervous system this fascial system is normally kept in motion. Areas of injury or clinically significant change produce fascial immobility. Fascial immobility will almost always appear as an asymmetry or abnormal alteration in the craniosacral motion. While the asymmetry of motion will not indicate what the problem is, it will tell us where the problem is. Once located, we must rely upon other diagnostic methods (in our case Traditional Chinese Medicine) to determine the exact pathological nature of the problem. This asymmetry of motion can be used in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Restoration of symmetrical craniosacral motion to the area of restricted motion can be used as a prognostic tool. As the asymmetry is eliminated and normal physiological motion is restored one may confidently predict that the problem is being or has been restored.

Ongoing body problems outside of the craniosacral system ultimately reflect into the craniosacral system and can be discovered there by a skilled practitioner. Many lamina of fascia attach to the skull and sacrum. Muscles pulling upon these fascia can affect the function of the craniosacral system. Inflammation, adhesion, postural stress and musculoskeletal dysfunctions all interfere with the free gliding of the fascia. Through fascial continuity, an injury which results in fascial contracture or edema may affect the craniosacral system. This may cause dysfunction of the central nervous system which, in turn, can produce bizarre clinical results.

EVALUATION AND TREATMENT

Examination and diagnosis is done by testing for movement of the whole body. Evaluation and treatment of structural restrictions can be done by feeling the restrictions patterns anywhere in the body.  Very gentle releases are used on the body for enhancing the movement of extra-cranial restrictions.  Combining these gentle craniosacral releases along with acupuncture allows us to be very specific in our treatments.

The treatment techniques used in craniosacral work are non-intrusive and indirect. These techniques release restrictions or abnormal barriers to motion by encouraging motion in the direction of ease – which is usually opposite to the direction of the restriction.

There is a technique based on interference waves of injury and disease, which makes use of the whole body motion as it responds to the craniosacral rhythm. A normal body will move into internal and external rotation in synchrony with the craniosacral rhythm. Injury and disease areas set up interference waves similar to those that occur when one drops a marble into a still pool of water. By observing the interference patterns created by the marble one can tell exactly where it entered the pool. These waves form arcs, the radii of which intersect at exactly the point where it hit the water. The same is true of the wave activity, which we perceive in the human body. We are using our hands to perceive the natural, symmetrical wave motion of the body. A restriction due to injury or disease sets up an interference wave pattern, which superimposes itself upon the normal physiological motion of the body. When we locate manually where the interference waves are coming from, we are able to find the source of the problem. In this way we are able to diagnose and treat restrictions of the organs and body such as the liver, kidney, shoulder, knee, etc.

INTEGRATION OF ACUPUNCTURE AND CRANIOSACRAL ENERGETICS

Hugh Milne in the Heart of Listening observes that acupuncture and acupressure have addressed the energy field of the human head for four thousand years, as witnessed by Chinese records of acupuncture and “the art of listening.” He also notes that shiatsu has incorporated cranial work using visualization, pressure and “kime” (directed energy work) for almost a hundred years.. In his book Craniosacral Biodynamics Franklyn Sills notes that in Chinese medicine the emphasis is on the balance of qi and the potency of jing in the body and that jing, or essence, is sensed to be an inherent ordering principle in the human body that is intimately related to its fluid systems. He goes on to point out that within the heart of all motion is a stillness that organizes. Stillness is at the heart of all polarities and polarity motions, such as the classic yin and yang polarities.

Meridians represent the outer energetic layers of the body and the organs pertain to the interior. They both represent an indivisible energetic unit. Problems of the internal organs can affect the relevant meridians and problems, which start in the meridians, can penetrate into the interior. Craniosacral acupuncture is a means of connecting the two. Through needling a change is created in the fascial sheet and this is reflected in the craniosacral rhythm. This relationship between the two modalities is extremely useful in confirming our diagnosis as well as providing feedback during the treatment. Acupuncture points have an intimate connection with the craniosacral rhythm and can alter the rhythm with only slight pressure or needling of the appropriate point.

Using Traditional Chinese Medicine to diagnose which TCM pattern is most predominant and integrating it with our craniosacral palpation and diagnosis we are able to pinpoint the precise location and nature of the presenting problem and select the most suitable acupuncture points based on our diagnosis. Applying pressure to these points creates an immediate response in the amplitude of the craniosacral rhythm. For example, if our diagnosis finds that the kidney is restricted we might press the acupuncture point, Kid-2, and wait for the response. If the amplitude increases and we no longer feel pulled to the kidney this not only confirms our diagnosis but also lets us know that Kid-2 is a good point to use. We test the suitability of other points in the same way.

The positive effects of craniosacral acupuncture depend to a large extent upon the patient’s own natural healing processes. Our light, hands-on, approach and gentle needling technique assists the hydraulic forces inherent in the craniosacral system and the energy moving in the meridians to improve the body’s internal environment. Our clinical application of acupuncture and craniosacral techniques attempts to restore proper movement, which in turn illicit improved pathology. Through our compassionate, heart-centered treatments we not only treat many conditions very effectively but we encourage the patient to resonate and identify with their own healing and wellness.

REFERENCES

Maciocia, Giovanni, The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Edinburgh: Churchill, Livingstone 1989
Matsumoto, Kiiko and Stephen Birch, Hara Diagnosis: Reflections on the Sea,Brookline, MA: Paradigm Publications 1988
Milne, Hugh, The Heart of Listening, Berkeley: North Atlantic Books 1995
Ross, Jeremy, Acupuncture Point Combinations, Edinburgh: Churchill, Livingstone 1995
Sills, Franklyn, Craniosacral Biodynamics, Berkeley: North Atlantic Books 2001
Stux, Gabriel, Bruce Pomeranz, Basics of Acupuncture, Berlin: Springer-Verlag 1995
Upledger, John E D.O., F.A.A.O. and John D. Vredevoogd, M.F.A. Craniosacral Therapy, Seattle: Eastland Press 1983

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Compassionate Acupuncture and Healing Arts, providing craniosacral acupuncture, herbal and nutritional medicine in Durham, North Carolina. Phone number 919-475-1005.

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