A Novel Apprehension of the Primary Lung Meridian, Sinew Channel, Divergent Channel, Luo-Connecting Channel Acting as a Single Unit System to Serve Respiration Function Based on Modern Neurophysiology and Kinesiology

The TCM philosophy of a meridian and associated channels pertains to the specific function of one or more organs. We define the Lung Primary Meridian (LUM) together with the Lung Sinew (LUSC), Divergent (LUDC), Luo-connecting (LULCC) Channels as a system of routes plus some parts of the body (such as muscles) to fulfil respiration, as a main function under different situations. There is very limited information about the Lung associated channels in classical literature of TCM. With a clear focus on the function of respiration, we have carried out a detailed analysis of the biomedical consequence of stimulating the LUM, analysed the roles played by LUSC, LUDC, and LULCC. The updated LUM and LUDC include acupoints of other meridians, serving the same purpose of performing satisfactory respiration starting from checking the quality of the inflow through the nose. The LUSC includes the respiratory muscles (plus the associated connective tissues) extending to various parts of the body. The muscles of the limb (as part of the LUSC) embrace the nerves that provide routes for somatosensory reflexes and play the role of locomotion, providing voluntary respiration via the pectoralis muscles. The muscles of LUSC are bounded by stiff connective tissue layers, forming compartments, and are part of the pulley system for various body locomotions. Within a compartment, the interstitial fluid, blood, lymph flows must be potent to protect the associated nerves related to LUM;the healthy state of the LUSC also provides freedom of various types of locomotion. The LULCC exists because the vagus nerve has a part of it passing through the spinal cords all the way down to the sacrum domain, with exiting nerve innervating two-third of the large intestine. The crucial steps of our deductions are supported by experimental evidence based on modern neurophysiology and kinesiology. We discover that all the four channels stated above work as a unit system to allow respiration to be possible under various postures/conditions. The complexity of structures and processes is eased off by providing 29 figures and 13 tables for the relevant muscles and nerves. In addition to respiration, the Lung system in TCM context includes interaction of this system with the sweat gland and neuroendocrine system;such aspects will be left to another study.

CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE SELECTION OF ABDOMINAL ACUPOINTS TO RELIEVE LOWER LUMBAR PAIN

This paper discusses the selection of abdominal area kidney and meridian acupoints120 patients suffering from lower lumbar pain using the fingers to press the acupoints. Althoughthe types of ailments, mildness or severity of the patients’ conditions f and duration of illness var-ied, in all cases satisfactory treatment results were achieved. The average effective rate was 97.5%. The average rate of cure (complete recovery rate) was 73.3%. Patients who had sufferedfrom symptoms for a period of less than one year and patients afflicted with mild or moderate con-ditions enjoyed the most outstanding treatment results. The advantages of this treatment method or technique are as follows: 1. This method ortechnique brings the distinctive dynamics of traditional Chinese medicine theory and meridian the-ory into full play. 2. This method of treatment uses neither acupuncture needles nor moxibus-tion. It merely utilizes the fingers to press certain acupoints. It is simple, convenient and easy toimplement.It is

Comparative study on skin temperature response to menstruation at acupuncture points in healthy volunteers and primary dysmenorrhea patients

OBJECTIVE:To assess skin temperature response to menstruation at acupuncture points in primary dysmenorrhea(PD) patients and healthy volunteers so as to explore acupuncture point specificity in reflecting diseases in the light of skin temperature.METHODS:Fifty-two PD patients and 49 healthy volunteers were recruited.Skin temperature measurements were performed with a skin temperature assessment device at 10 points.Absolute difference between skin temperature of the same point on the left and right side is used as main outcome measure.RESULTS:On the first day of menstruation, when menstrual pain attacking in PD patients, a significant increase in skin temperature difference was detected at Taixi(KI 3) compared with the healthy group(P < 0.01).A significant reduction in skin temperature difference was detected at Taixi(KI 3) in the first day of menstruation compared with those values in the third day after menstruation(P < 0.01)in the healthy group.On the third day after menstruation, a significant reduction in skin temperature difference was found at Zhongdu(LR 6) in PD group compared with the healthy group(P < 0.05).No significant differences of skin temperature were detected at other points(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION:The skin temperature difference at menstruation-relevant points in PD patients did not all change significantly more than those in women without PD.Significant difference was only found in Taixi(KI 3), the Yuan-source point of Kidney meridian.