CLINICAL TIP FROM GIOVANNI MACIOCIA
August 2015 Dear Colleague, Here is the clinical tip from August 2015. I hope you find Una ersion de esta email en espa!ol se encuentra a"ui# Blog en espanol
it useful.
THE CLINICAL USE OF THE BACK-SHU POINTS
$hen giing my lectures I am often surprised %y the fact that many practitioners do not use the &ac'( )hu points ery much. In this short article I *ould li'e to e+plain ho* I use the &ac'()hu points in practice. he &ac'()hu points are mentioned in arious chapters of the -ei ing. Chapter 51 of the /ing )hu/ lists the &ac'()hu points of the fie ang. Chapter 5 of the /)u $en/ discusses the &ac'()hu points of the 3u4 in all, the -ei ing lists 10 &ac'()hu points, leaing out &(22 )aniaoshu, first mentioned in the /A&C of Acupuncture/ 6ia 7i ing, AD AD 2829, and &(1: ueyinshu, first mentioned in the /1000 ;olden Ducats 529.
he Chinese character 6)hu9 denoting these points means /to transport/ transport/ indicating indicating that they transport transport =i to the inner organs. ?ach point ta'es its name from the corresponding organ, e.g. &(15 @inshu is /Heart()hu/.
he importance of the &ac'()hu points in treatment cannot %e oer(emphasied. hey are particularly important for the treatment of chronic diseases and, indeed, one may go so far as saying that a chronic disease cannot %e treated *ithout using these points at some time during the course of treatment. his is essentially ho* I use them, i.e. to tonify the organs 67in or 7ang9 7ang9 in chronic conditions.
he &ac'()hu points affect the organs directly and are therefore used in Interior diseases of the 7in or 7ang organs. his is a ery important aspect of the clinical effect of these points. he *ay in *hich they act is "uite a different from that of other points.
$hen treating the Internal Brgans, other points *or' %y stimulating the =i of the channel *hich then flo*s along the channel li'e a *ae, eentually reaching the Internal Brgans. 3or e+ample, if *e needle I( aichong *e initiate a small *ae around the point that flo*s along the channel, eentually reaching the ier. If *e needle &(18 ;anshu 6&ac'()hu point of the ier9 *e reach the organ directly *ithout haing to go through the channel.
In my e+perience, *hen *e needle the &ac'()hu points, =i goes directly to the releant organ, not through the intermediary of its channel. 3or this reason, I usually retain the needle in these points a shorter time than for other %ody points 6usually no longer than 10 minutes *hen used to tonify9. hat is %ecause *e do not hae to *ait for the /*ae/ in the channel channel to reach the organ.
Chapter >E of the /-an ing/ says# / Yin diseases move to the Yang FareaG4 FareaG4 Yang diseases move to the Yin FareaG. FareaG. The Front-Mu points are situated on the Yin surface Fand therefore therefore treat 7an 7ang g diseasesG4 the Back-Shu points are situated s ituated on the Yang Yang surface Fand therefore treat 7in diseasesG./ According to this statement, the &ac'()hu points *ould %e used to treat /7in diseases/ and the 3ront(u points /7ang
diseases/. /7in diseases/ and /7ang diseases/ can %e interpreted in different *ays.
Bne interpretation of /7in/ or /7ang diseases/ is that of chronic and acute diseases respectiely# in this interpretation, the &ac'()hu points *ould %e used for /7in diseases/, i.e. chronic diseases, and the 3ront(u points for /7ang diseases/, i.e. acute diseases. Although this rule should not %e interpreted rigidly, it is certainly alid and finds a *idespread clinical application, i.e. using the &ac'()hu points for chronic and the 3ront(u points for acute diseases. his is ho* I use them.
Another characteristic of the &ac'()hu points is that they are used to affect the sense organ of the corresponding organ. 3or e+ample, &(18 ;anshu is the &ac'()hu point of the ier and can %e used for eye diseases.
Although the &ac'()hu points are mostly used to tonify the organs, they can also %e used in 3ull patterns. In particular, they can %e used to su%due re%ellious =i and clear Heat. 3or e+ample, the point &(21 $eishu can %e used to su%due re%ellious )tomach(=i in case of %elching, nausea or omiting. he point &(18 ;anshu can %e used to moe stagnant ier(=i. &(15 @inshu can %e used to clear Heart(3ire and &(1 3eishu to stimulate the diffusing and descending of ung(=i and release the ?+terior.
I personally use the &ac'()hu points after needling points on the front of the %ody. I *ould usually retain the %ody points appro+imately 20 minutes 6in an adult9, *ithdra* them, as' the patient to turn oer, and then use the &ac'()hu points. I generally leae the &ac'()hu points in a shorter time, i.e. no longer than 10 minutes 6in an adult9. I needle the &ac'()hu points o%li"uely to*ards the midline.
If I use the &ac'()hu points to tonify =i, 7ang or &lood, I often use direct mo+a cones 6E mo+a cones9.
In conclusion, I personally thin' that using the &ac'()hu points is essential to treat chronic diseases.
?-D -B?) 1. 181 )piritual A+is 6ing )hu ing9. .
