Class 1

Course: Point Location I Date: 9/28/07Class #: 1

Dr. Shen

“Seek first to understand.”

Syllabus overview1st of 3 point loc classes. Some theory, some practical. Thus attendance is counted that way.

Course contentsFirst 3 wks are theory. Covers location of channels/collaterals, how many there are, what they do, differences, categories of points. I.d. body landmarks, know point loc methods and be able to do it (practicum).

Subsequent weeks: ½ lecture, ½ practical application. LU, LI, St, SP. About a week per channel, except Stomach. Might do Heart channel if we have time at the end of this course, if not, then next term.

Use round sticky dots to locate points. Group study strongly recommended!Class is important for national exams and licensure, state and NCCAOM (different requirements)Examinations.

3 attempts for each module in Texas. AOMA students tend to outperform national average… foundations acupuncture (½ is theory, ½ practical/point loc—400 points, but only 20 questions and

can only get 6 or less wrong) herbology biomedicine jurisprudence

Reason ppl do poorly: in program too long and stale knowledge, poor absorption, didn’t pay attention or take point loc seriously. Don’t take the exam right away. (Go to NCCAOM’s website to get requirements as to when you can take them. Most are computerized and you can take them any time.)

ACOAMCCOAMNCCAOM

Exams get progressively harder as course progresses. Wide coverage per exam. Key: pay attention in class, read the assignments, study as we go along, practice. Study groups recommended.

Texts: Only need one of the 2…but I have both.

Point Locations 1 – Fall 2007www.CatsTCMNotes.com

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http://www.CatsTCMNotes.com/

Chinese Acu and Mox. More concise, precise. Not too much info, just the stuff you really need to know. Wider coverate: foundation of TCM, but thinner info about pt loc and energetics than next book. Needle techniques, insertion, methods, formulation and treatment of acupuncture. Very important for national acu—much of national exam relys on this. Great for national boards! This is the definitive for standards. If there is a difference between this and Deadman, use this one. More acurate, precise (per Shen). Concise, condensed, makes more sense when you have learned it.

Manual of Acupuncture.o Excellent for energetics, meridians, theory. Newer version available, but

no new info. Changes are listed on website…use that for reference. Most q’s for national boards written from this anyhow. (NCCAOM probably won’t change them because each question change costs them abt $1000! … per Shen who is on the board.)

o This is better for learning: written by English speaking authors (CAM written in chinese, translated), well illustrated and informative re points. Also, organized according to areas which is nice. Very helpful. (See back of book for all pts located on stomach, on back, on leg, etc.)

o Energetics is a little confusing. Lots of info, but so much per point!. Pulled info from a lot of different sources, tossed together. Hard to tell what is more important, valid.

o Deadman index cards have very concise information for the points. There’s also a CD (which I have).

Recommended Texts Clinically Oriented Anatomy book for surface anatomy is recommended. Surface

anatomy is much more important than internal anatomy for point location.

Anatomy and Physiology from A&P Course. CD-ROMs are recommended. (Library, too)

Acupuncture – A Comprehensive Text recommended for way it organizes points and more. Most books do it by channel. This one organizes by anatomical areas. Can compare the location. Better for use after you learn the points.

Grasping the Wind. This about the Chinese names of the acu points. This is not required in any course, nor by national boards. But really handy for understanding, cultural background for points.

Images and Functions. This about the Chinese names of the acu points. This is not required in any course, nor by national boards. But really handy for understanding, cultural background for points.

(The school in Seattle requires this, but that’s about the only one—they focus on Chinese med, Chinese language, TCM Classics. Interesting!)


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One homework required: very easy, but required. 10th week, review all points, come up with 25 points in order to quiz each other.

Grading: 3 tests. 2 regular, one final. Won’t get a grade, but # of points. Each counts to 100 points making up final grade. 1st exam: 25 points. 2nd exam: 30. Final: 45. Add ‘em up and you have 100. Shen may adjust these numbers. So basically, you’re building up points for the final grade all the time, kind of like a video game.

First exam: beginning of class 5. written only. Goes up to the Lung channel, so no questions on Lung points on that test.

Second exam: beginning of class 9. written only.

Final: written plus practical with dots. Cumulative.

Attendance:Be here. 1 absence free, 2nd one will cost you a full grade letter off the final grade. 3rd one costs you 2 full letter grades. That would be bad. You’ll probably fail.

Can’t make up a class—you could come to the other section but you won’t get credit for it. No excuses. Still, would be good for your own understanding.

3 tardies or early departures = 1 absence. Gone more than an hour? That’s an absence.


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Channels and CollateralsAka, Meridians. Channels are the carriers for qi/blood.

Jing Luo. One word, but 2 characters. Jing = channels. Geographical connotations: like water channel or pathway. Bigger branches, like large rivers. Run at a relatively deep level, cnx w/zangfu4 characteristics:

1. main trunks2. usually run longitudally3. usually go very deep inside body. 4. will connect to interior organs.

Luo = “to attach” or “net”. Collaterals. Interlock the channels. Smaller tributaries, like creeks. Run more superficially. This is what you use for acupuncture. 4 characteristics:

1. branches2. run transversely, i.e., to all other directions not just longitudinally3. more superficial. 4. do not directly connect to interior organs.

This is a whole network system. Goes top to bottom, bottom to top, interior to exterior, exterior to interior. Considered to be intangible, independent from nerve and blood systems of western medicine. We aren’t stimulating the nerves or puncturing blood vessels with acupuncture. Carries vital substances and energy over the body: qi, blood, yin, yang, vital substances, essence. These aren’t just lines, but pathways full of stuff.

Connects different pts of body all together. By that same token, can transport pathogens around as well.

Made up of different categories of channels. More clinically important than collaterals. 3 subcats of channels

12 regular channelsmost of this class spent here.

o 6 yang channelsYang channels are connected to yang (fu) organLocated primarily in a yang area of the body(Exception: stomach channel)

3 hand yang channels (hand channels end or begins at a finger and most of the channel runs on the upper limb)

3 foot yang channels(foot channels end or begin at a toe and most of channel runs on lower limb)


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o 6 yin channelsYin channels are connected to yin (zang) organLocated primarily in a yin area of the body.

3 hand yin channels(hand channels end or begins at a finger and most of the channel runs on the upper limb)

3 foot yin channels(foot channels end or begin at a toe and most of channel runs on lower limb)

8 extra channels Miscellaneous channels

Collaterals. 15 collaterals Sub collaterals Superficial collaterals

Yin and Yang are the 2 basic elements that make up everything. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And darkness moved upon the face of the deep. And then God creates light. In computer terms there is ultimately on and off and no more. There is no Yin without Yang.

Yin and Yang are comparative. Items to compare should be related so there IS a comparison.


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Class 1

Documents

Transcript of Class 1