Modern Scientific Findings that Support of the Existence of Meridians and Acupoints on Human Body wi
Aside from tuina, the three commonly used Traditional Chinese Medicine applications for disease treatment are acupuncture, moxibustion and herbal decoction. Among these, acupuncture is the most popular and widely accepted internationally in contrast to what is supposed to be in terms of treatment efficacy, which is moxibsution as indicated in chapter 73 of “Miraculous Pivot”, 2nd volume of the most famous Chinese medical book called “Huangdi Neijing” also known as “Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor”. There, it stated, “A disease that cannot be cured by acupuncture must be treated with moxibustion”, that means to say, moxibustion treatment ability is more powerful than acupuncture and this has been proven nowadays clinically through scientific comparative studies done in hospitals and research institutions.
Moxibustion is an ancient method of healing diseases by igniting herbal preparation called “Artemisia Argyi” (could also mix in combination with other herbal ingredients), and then applies the heat produces from it on specific acupoints or meridians in order to stimulate and regulate the body system. It is believed that moxibustion treatment predates acupuncture, as early as man discovered heat from fire could have a curative effect on diseases. But the real situation today is this ancient medicine is still mysterious and being neglected by many. Those who truly understood and have enough knowledge of it is so minimal, even practitioners of TCM, unless specially trained in this application. The reasons behind according to some commentators are practitioners of TCM usually receive limited training in moxibustion therapy, books about moxibustion are few, and the actual experience of utilizing moxibustion is often confusing and inconvenient.
In the history of TCM, moxibustion was used as the main treatment method for majority of diseases that are difficult to treat and was often supplemented in combination with acupuncture and, or other modalities to produce synergistic treatment effect. When these two modalities are used together, it is called “Zhen Jiu” in Chinese. Zhen means needling or acupuncture and Jiu means moxibustion. It may also be used alone in treating diseases. All TCM therapies are basically based on the same fundamental Chinese medicine principles and theories. For those who prescribe herbal decoction must have an in-depth knowledge of the specific characteristics and usage of herbs and its formulation. While in acupuncture and moxibustion, performers must have a thorough understanding of the pathological relationship in the theory of meridians and collaterals and its acupoints.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, our body is made up of a complex network of systems which are connected by pathways called meridians and collaterals and these are where qi (vital energy, also known as life force) and blood circulate to its respective organ. Along these pathways are vital points or transporting stations called acupoints or acupuncture points that are located on the surface of our skin. Since the existence of meridians cannot be proven anatomically, scientists still find ways to support its existence with the aid of advance science and technology. Researches using new combination of imaging techniques have discovered acupoints have a higher density of micro-vessels and contain a large amount of multiple micro-vascular structures compare to non-acupoint. These studies have pointed out the presence of mitochondria in acupoints are highly concentrated than non-acupoint area.
Mitochondria are small rod-shaped thread-like body found in cells which are known as the cellular (energy) power plants that convert food molecules into energy in the form of ATP via the process of cellular respiration process. It means to say that more concentration of mitochondria in acupoints can produce more energy in the form of ATP through certain external stimulating methods such as acupuncture, tuina or moxibustion that could increase cell respiration process.
Shanghai Normal College had conducted researches in molecular biology to compare acupoints and non-acupoint. They have concluded that the amount of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) in the cells of acupoints is higher than non-acupoint. More recent studies also confirm that meridians are low resistance fluid channels where various chemical and physical transports take place. Acupoints have also many biophysical properties. The skin that surround the effective acupoints are lower in resistance, but susceptible to larger volume of electric forces, specific acoustic sound effect, and thermal influences.
Scientists from China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, also known as China Moxibsution Institute (formerly State Health Department’s Acupuncture and Moxibustion Therapy Research Laboratory established since 1951) have found out heat from moxibustion could boost cells respiration process when applied on acupoints. According to the law of thermodynamics in moxibsution, every incremental unit escalated in the temperature produces from moxibsution above normal body temperature will boost the cellular respiration process by 2.5 times. The deep permeating infrared-ray with herbal medicine in molecular form generated from the moxibustion could stimulate the cells and increase the process to release more energy.
It is tested clinically that moxibustion treats and eliminates inflammation, increases and regulates blood circulation to dispel stasis or blood clot. It also alleviates pain and spasm, repairs damaged tissues, regenerates cells and increases the ability of cell"s absorption to nutrients, which in turn improving the overall immune system and curing diseases radically.
