PALPATION OF CHANNELS

Chapter 52


imagePALPATION OF CHANNELS





CONNECTING CHANNELS


The Connecting channels are called Luo Mai: Luo implies the meaning of ‘network’. (The Main channels are called Jing Mai, and Jing implies the meaning of ‘line’, ‘route’, ‘way’.) Chapter 17 of the ‘Spiritual Axis’ confirms that the Connecting channels are ‘horizontal’ or ‘crosswise’: ‘The Main channels are in the Interior, their branches are horizontal [or crosswise] forming the Luo channels’.1


The Connecting channels are more superficial than the Main channels and they run in all directions, horizontally rather than vertically. In particular, they fill the space between skin and muscles (i.e. the Cou Li space). The components of each channel system correspond to different energetic layers pertaining to that channel. For example, if we take the Lung channel, the most superficial part of it is the skin overlying the channel pathway; below that, there is the space between skin and muscles or Li space, that is, the space between the skin and muscles where the Superficial Connecting channels course; below that, the Connecting channel proper fills the space between the muscles and sinews: below that, there is the Lung Main channel and below that, the Lung Deep Connecting channel (Fig. 52.1). It is important to visualize the Connecting channels not as lines but as spaces filled by channels.



Thus, the Connecting channels occupy the space between the Main channels and the skin; however, within this space, there are also degrees of depth. On the superficial layers just below the skin there are smaller Connecting channels called Minute and Superficial Connecting channels.


The main branches of the Connecting channels are called Bie, that is, ‘divergent’ (same word as that used for Divergent channels). The Minute Connecting channels are called Sun, whereas the Superficial ones are called are called Fu.


Chapter 17 of the ‘Spiritual Axis’ says: ‘The Main channels are in the Interior, their branches are horizontal [or crosswise] forming the Luo channels: branching out from these are the Minute Luo’.2 Chapter 10 of the same book says: ‘The more superficial branches of the channels which can be seen are the Luo channels’.3 Chapter 58 of the ‘Simple Questions’ states: ‘The Minute Luo [Sun Luo] communicate with the 365 points’.4


However, the Connecting channels have also a deeper layer beyond the Main channels: these can be called the Deep Connecting channels and they are connected to the blood vessels and Blood in general.


The 12 Main channels are situated between the Yang and Yin Connecting channels. It is through the Yin and Yang Connecting channels that Nutritive and Defensive Qi and Qi and Blood of the main channels spread in all directions, permeate and irrigate the Internal Organs. It is also through the Connecting channels that the essence of the Internal Organs is transported to the Main channels and, through them, to the whole body.


The Connecting channels cannot penetrate the big joints of the body (as do the Main channels) and they are therefore restricted to the spaces in between the deep pathway of the Main channels and the surface of the body. The Connecting channels also fill the spaces and ‘cavities’ of the body, which are all part of the Triple Burner. This means that most of the stagnation in the body actually occurs in the Connecting channels because they are ‘constricted’ in these spaces (as they cannot course through the large joints) and because they form like a net which easily ‘catches’ pathogenic factors or in which Qi or Blood, or both, become stagnant. Chapter 10 of the ‘Spiritual Axis’ says:










MUSCLE CHANNELS


The Muscle channels are called Jing Jin, which could be translated as ‘channel-like muscles’ or ‘muscles of the channels’. They are discussed in Chapter 13 of the ‘Spiritual Axis’.







PALPATION OF THE CHANNELS IN PAINFUL OBSTRUCTION SYNDROME (BI)


Palpation of points along the channel is essential in the treatment of Painful Obstruction Syndrome; this consists in the palpation not only of actual acupuncture points but also of Ah Shi points. Therefore, in order to find the Ah Shi points, the whole channel needs to be palpated.


The choice of points in the treatment of Painful Obstruction Syndrome is based primarily on one or more distal points of the affected channel (which are usually needled with reducing or even method) and on several local points according to tenderness on palpation. Palpating the Ah Shi points serves two purposes: in diagnosis, it allows us to identify the affected channel precisely; in treatment, it allows us to treat the reactive points (because their tenderness indicates the points of local stagnation).


Identifying the affected channel through palpation is absolutely essential for the choice of both distal and local points. For example, in shoulder problems, one must clearly identify the channel involved, which may be Small Intestine, Triple Burner, Large Intestine or Lung channel.



PALPATION OF CHANNELS


Each channel has specific areas that have a particular diagnostic significance on palpation. The following is a discussion of these areas for each channel.


For each channel, two aspects of palpation are discussed, that is palpation of a blood vessel overlying the channel and palpation of the skin overlying the channel. For palpation of the skin, three aspects are discussed, that is, temperature, texture and tenderness.



Lung channel


Apart from the palpation of points along the channels, the palpation of the Front position of the radial artery on the right side itself is a form of palpation of the Lung channel.




Palpation of skin





Tenderness

Tenderness on palpation indicates stagnation of Qi and Blood in the Lung channel. If the tenderness is elicited with a light pressure this indicates stagnation in the superficial layers at the level of the Lung Connecting channel energetic layer; if it is elicited with a deep pressure this indicates stagnation at the deep energetic layers of the channel, that is, the sinew and bone energetic layers.


Box 52.1 summarizes the findings on palpation of the Lung channel.



BOX 52.1   PALPATION OF LUNG CHANNEL





Large Intestine channel


The diagnostic area for palpation on the Large Intestine channel is the area from LI-4 Hegu to LI-5 Yangxi and especially the latter where the radial artery can be felt.




Palpation of skin





Tenderness

If the area between LI-4 Hegu and LI-5 Yangxi is tender on a light palpation, this indicates a stagnation in the Superficial Connecting channels (with symptoms such as facial tingling). If it is tender on deep pressure, it indicates a stagnation in the Connectingchannels proper, and possibly also the Deep Connecting channels, with symptoms such as chronic tendinitis of the shoulder or elbow with long-standing stagnation. If there is a spontaneous tenderness that is alleviated by palpation, this indicates an Empty condition of the channel, whereas if the tenderness is aggravated by palpation it denotes a Full condition of the channel.


Box 52.2 summarizes the findings on palpation of the Large Intestine channel



BOX 52.2   LARGE INTESTINE CHANNEL PALPATION





Stomach channel



Palpation of blood vessel


The two areas with diagnostic significance are ST-42 Chongyang and ST-9 Renying.



Related posts:

  1. OBSERVATION OF THE GENITALIA
  2. MENSTRUAL SYMPTOMS
  3. DIAGNOSIS BY HEARING
  4. MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS

Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Tags:
Apr 15, 2017 | Posted by in GENERAL & FAMILY MEDICINE | Comments Off on PALPATION OF CHANNELS

Full access? Get Clinical Tree
Get Clinical Tree app for offline access