In this article, I would like to discuss 魂 (Kon in Japanese, Hun in Chinese). This Chinese character is commonly used to describe “soul” and gives us the impression of passion and achievement when we see it. This character is often used in such context in our culture. In Eastern Medicine, the character indicates “ethereal […]
When the lungs are healthy, they support the functions of 魄 (Haku in Japanese and Po in Chinese). It is difficult to translate Haku because there is no contemporary equivalence. If you can divide the concept of “spirit” into the ethereal and the corporeal, this is the corporeal aspect of the spirit.
One of our diagnostic tools is abdominal palpation. Some acupuncturists palpate a client’s abdomen to observe the muscular tension, aortic pulsation, and tenderness of the acupuncture points and channels in the abdomen to assess the overall condition of the client.
Acupuncturists tend to associate cold feet and hands with the imbalance of the liver function. There is a set of four acupuncture points called Four Gates that are used to improve the circulation of not only the extremities but the whole body. One point is Liver 3, and the other point is Large Intestine 4. As shown in the illustration, these points are in similar structures. LV 3 is between the first and the second metatarsals, and LI 4 is between the first and the second metacarpals.
Anatomically, because of its location in the central and pivotal part of the body, this channel is important for the core stability. As shown in the illustration, the fine balance between the core extensor muscle group and the core flexor muscle group is kept in this area. The acupuncture point GB 34 (also named Tai Myaku) is frequently used to treat low back pain and rib pain for this reason.
In an acupuncture session, the practitioner often uses a channel that is seemingly unrelated to your complaints. Treating low back pain by using the gallbladder channel is a good example.
If you are reading this because you are experiencing low back pain right now, I am very sorry to hear that. I have tweaked my back a few times since the age of 35, and it has sucked each time. At first, I attributed it to aging. After it happened a few times, I started […]
In the previous article, I discussed a type of neck pain that is associated with repetitive motion of the forearms and hands, such as typing. In this article, I would like to touch on the neck pain that is felt mostly on the back of the neck, on the cervical spine, at the base of […]
Two of the common symptoms that acupuncturists handle are neck pain and low back pain. I have noticed that people complain of neck pain more than low back pain since cellphones had become the extension of our bodies. Obviously, our bodies are not designed to tap small screens with your fingers to navigate through cat […]
When the pandemic started, I had to close my clinic for a while. I suddenly lost the source of livelihood with no end in sight. I became anxious and started to have trouble sleeping. I never had difficulty sleeping before (I have slept through a big earthquake once in Japan), so this was serious. It […]