The Importance of the Acupuncture Palm Harbor Points

The point in the body where an Palm Harbor acupuncture needles is inserted is called an acupuncture point or acupoint for short.  An acupoint is like a portal that connects to the energy pathways in the body.  The energy pathways called meridians or ley lines are to energy or chi what arteries, veins and capillaries are to blood.  A needle inserted into an acupoint often stimulates tendons, nerves or muscles which in turn stimulates the nervous system.  The Chinese name the acupoint “tsiue” which means cavity since an acupoint is like a hole that leads to a meridian.  Because of the difference in the bodies of each person a style of measure was created to measure each person for the specific reason of locating each person’s acupoints.  The unit of measure is based on the distance of the second phalanx to the third phalanx of the thumb of the patient.  It is important that the acupuncturist precisely locate an acupoint since a mistake of inserting the needles even just a few millimeters off the correct location can lead to problems during treatment.

The perseverance of the ancient Chinese in perfecting the art of acupuncture led to the making of extant bronze life size statues which they used as aids in mapping the exact location of the meridians and other acupoints.  These statues served as training models for students.  They would coat the statues with wax and place water pouches in them to imitate the acupoints over the meridians.  When a student inserts a needle into the statue and water squirts out, this means that he accurately inserted a needle into an acupoint.  The needles inserted in an acupoint innervate the meridian affecting the yin and yang forces, the five elements and the organs of the body.  Without knowing what acupoints can do it would be difficult to find recourse into aiding the body to attain balance of energy.

An acupuncturist diagnosing an illness such as bronchitis during winter for example would observe the symptoms.  His observations might lead him to believe (diagnose) that the body has excess yin energy that causes cold in the lungs.  The course of treatment would be acupuncture and herbal medicine to improve yang or heat energy to neutralize the preponderance of yin in the body and tone the body to strengthen the immune system.

There are thousands of acupoints scattered all over the body.  Each point is always associated to a meridian which in turn is associated a major body organ.  Apart from herbal medicine acupuncture can also be combined with moxibustion treatment.  All of these treatments including acupuncture are considered components of traditional Chinese medicine.  Acupuncture has the distinction of being an effective remedy for dozens of health conditions.