Medical Dialogue
医学会话
Discussion of the Meridian Theory
讨论经络理论
John Poindexter is a professor at the Chicago Acupuncture College in the USA. Poindexter and his student Michelle Needleman are talking after his lecture about the liver meridian.
| professor: | So, Michelle, do you think you're ready for the final exam? It's only one week from tomorrow. |
| michelle: | Not really. For some reason I'm still confused about the liver meridian. |
| professor: | Would you be suffering from some liver qi stagnation? |
| michelle: | Probably, with all this stress. |
| professor: | OK. The liver meridian is greater yin meridian, right? |
| michelle: | Heck no! It's reverting yin meridian. |
| professor: | Good! Now where does it start? |
| michelle: | It begins on the lateral side of the big toe and runs along the instep of the foot. After that I cannot really remember where it goes. |
| professor: | That's right so far. It runs along the instep of the foot between the big toe and second toe. Then it goes just to the anterior medial malleolus at LR4 point. From there it goes along the medial border of the tibia up to Liver 7, which is posterior and inferior to the medial condyle below the knee. From there it goes along the medial side of the thigh, up to the pubic area and finally ends at the front of the ribcage at the sixth intercostal space which is Liver 14. |
| michelle: | 14 points. That shouldn't be hard to remember! |
| professor: | No kidding. Why don't you tell me the major points, instead of all 14 of them? |
| michelle: | OK. The first point is Liver 1 (dadun), which is the well point and also the wood point. |
| professor: | Tell me a little more about well points. |
| michelle: | Well points are located at the end of the fingers and the toes where the meridian qi starts to bubble. They're used to treat "fullness below the heart" according to the Classic of Difficult Issues in chapter 68. This includes a stifling sensation in the chest, chest pain and also mental illness. |
| professor: | Excellent, you have been paying attention in class. Tell me other points on the Liver meridian? |
| michelle: | Well, the next one is Liver 2 (xingjian). This is a brook point or fire point. |
| professor: | What's it used for? |
| michelle: | It's especially good for liver fire and heat in the blood. It can be used for hepatitis, hypertension, conjunctivas and dysmenorrhea, to name a few. |
| professor: | Very good! What's next? |
| michelle: | Liver 3 (taichong), is also very important, It's a stream and earth point, also a source point. |
| professor: | Where is the point? |
| michelle: | On the dorsum of the foot, between the first and second metatarsal bones, in the depression distal to the junction of the bases of the two bones, over the dorsalis pedis artery. It's often a very tender point when palpated, so, it's not hard to find. |
| professor: | What are its general functions? |
| michelle: | It regulates and tonifies the liver, invigorates the blood, transforms dampness heat, drains liver heat, regulates the gallbladder and menstruation, alleviates pain and regulates qi. |
| professor: | Your memory is pretty good. Liver 3 is also good for heat in the blood and directing counter-flowing qi downward. It's very useful. Do you remember any other important liver points? |
| michelle: | Not really. |
| professor: | Liver 4 (zhongfeng) is the river and metal point. Liver 5 (ligou) is the connecting point. Can you tell me what connecting points are? |
| michelle: | They're points that connect a meridian such as the liver to its exterior-interior related meridian, in this case, the gallbladder meridian. |
| professor: | That's good. Liver 6 (zhongdu) is a cleft point or sometimes called an accumulating point. What do you know about cleft points? |
| michelle: | This is where the meridian qi accumulates deeply. |
| professor: | Right. What are they used for? |
| michelle: | These points are often needled for severe conditions of the associated organs, usually excess conditions of the organ and meridians. |
| professor: | Liver 8 (ququan) is the sea and water point on the liver channel. This point regulates and tonifies the liver, especially qi and blood. It facilitates liver qi, clears liver heat or damp heat of the liver and gallbladder, and tonifies the blood. It's good for a lot of menstrual problems, especially blood stasis. It can be used for infertility, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, leukorrhea and genital pain. What else can you use it for? |
| michelle: | I'm not really sure. |
| professor: | OK, we'll talk about that later. Liver 13 (zhangmen) is the alarm point of the spleen. Do you remember what alarm points are? |
| michelle: | Yes. They're all located on the chest or abdomen. Not all alarm points are on the meridian of the related organ, like Liver 13. They tonify yin and also can be used as diagnostic points because there will be pain when palpated if associated organs have illness. |
| professor: | Good. Liver 14 (qimen) is the alarm point of the liver. It also crosses the spleen meridian and the Yin-linking vessel, one of the extraordinary vessels. Among other things, this point can be used for insufficient lactation and mastitis. Finally, I want you to write a two-page report on all the indications for Liver 8 and some information on the other liver points which we did not discuss today. |
| michelle: | Really? |
| professor: | You bet. |
| michelle: | OK. When would you like it? |
| professor: | By next Monday. See you later. |